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How to Use a Honey Refractometer [6 Steps]
A Honey Refractometer helps beekeepers decide when honey is ready for extraction or jarring. But the best equipment in the world won’t improve your operation if it gets misused. This guide explains how to use a…
What Is A Honey Refractometer? [Beginner’s Guide]
A honey refractometer is an essential piece of kit for beekeepers looking to sell their honey. Hobbyists can also use one to ensure their harvest is ripe and ready to store in jars. This article provides…
How To Attract A Bee Swarm To A Hive [5 Ways]
When bees outgrow their current hive, roughly half will leave in search of a new home. Bee swarming is often a symptom of a healthy colony and may occur several times in one season. A swarm…
What Is A Honey Bee Drone Congregation Area?
At the start of a queen bee’s life, she sets off searching for male honey bees (drones) to mate with. This one-time event should allow her to lay fertilized eggs for the duration of her life….
18 Best Sunflowers For Honey Bees
Sunflowers are easy to grow, and bees love them, but not all varieties are created equal. While some are hugely appealing to pollinators, others provide little benefit. Whether you’re a beekeeper or want to give honey…
How Much Honey Does A Bee Make? [Updated 2023]
Worker bees dedicate their lives during the warmer months to collecting pollen and transforming it into honey. While it’s a sweet treat for humans, honey is essential for the colony’s survival through winter. If you’d like…
How To Feed Bees – A Practical Beekeeper’s Guide
Most of the time, honey bees are self-sufficient and will happily feed themselves. In spring and summer, they usually have a ready supply of nectar and pollen. Their priority is building up reserves of honey to…
What Is Chalkbrood? Symptoms + Prevention
Chalkbrood is a disease that affects honey bees and can devastate their population. Caused by a fungus called Ascosphaera apis, it is one of the most common diseases of honeybees worldwide. Chalkbrood can kill entire colonies,…
What Does A Queen Bee Look Like?
If you’re getting started as a beekeeper, you may wonder how to identify the queen bee. At a glance, she appears to blend in with the other bees, but no other hive member looks like her….
How To Prevent European Foulbrood
European foulbrood (EFB) is found in the United States and almost every other country where bees are kept. It is a brood disease caused by the bacterium Melissococcus plutonius. The hive often deals with mild cases…
Why is There No Honey in My Hive? [6 Reasons]
A thriving hive often produces excess honey, meaning beekeepers can harvest a portion for themselves. While this may sound appealing, things don’t always go to plan. The two basic requirements for excess honey production are hive…
Russian Bees Vs. Italian Bees – Comparison Guide
Russian and Italian bees are both excellent options for beekeepers, but which is best? They differ in appearance, but what matters more is their character traits. Factors like swarm tendency, productivity, and defensiveness will vary depending…
17 Honey Bee Threats – Pests, Predators, Disease
Honey bees are generally peace-loving insects, focused on building out their hives and preparing for winter. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have to face a slew of threats in their short lives. In this article,…
Do Racoons Eat Bees? How To Keep Them Out
Raccoons are North American natives that enjoy moist woodland areas. However, they’re are known to make their homes almost anywhere. These nocturnal mammals are part of the bear family and are highly intelligent. If you’re a…
How To Keep Bears Out Of Hives [11 Ways]
Bears have a healthy appetite for honey and larval bees. An acute sense of smell draws them towards hives as they travel. Once a bear discovers a beehive, it may rip it apart, causing massive damage….