How to keep your bees thriving in January & February
We receive hundreds of phone calls in March of each year. The conversation goes like this… Caller – “Ray, I do not know what happened. I opened my hive today and all the bees are dead! It must be that the colony collapse disorder has hit my area.” Ray – “When were you last in […]
What is the difference between Italian and Carniolan Honey Bees?
This article is focused on the generalities of each bee. As we all know, the queens will ultimately determine the characteristics of the hive. So each hive will ultimately have their own characteristics. We keep a ratio of 50% Italian and 50% Carniolan hives in our bee yards. We do not have a favorite but […]
What is Propolis & How Do Honey Bees Use It?
As beekeepers we literally have to pop open or pry open the top cover and the inner cover of a beehive with our hive tool. We also use our hive tool to separate the frames to be able to lift them up to check. Honey bees gather an amazing compound called propolis, better known as […]
Getting your hive ready for winter – video
This video will step you through how to get your bee hive ready for winter weather. There are simple and inexpensive ways to prepare your hive for winter. You want your bees to thrive and not just survive the winter! It should be noted that this video is focused on winter hive maintenance in the Southeast USA […]
Internal Warmth of a Colony
We just had an unusual snowfall here in Northeast Georgia. Just a few days prior, the temperatures were in the sixties! This kind of up and down weather makes for some tough days for a colony of honey bees. However, honey bees have survived for thousands of years and they will continue on as they […]
Winterizing the hive – Southeastern Region
Winter can be tough on the bee hive! The first winter for a new colony is extremely important. That is the reason behind this blog. It is important to start preparing our hive in mid-Fall to have a successful wintering. We have invested hard earned money into this hive and now it is time to […]
Colony clustering during the winter season
Recently, I was speaking with a beekeeper in Missouri, we were discussing the subject of why bees move up into the super during the winter months. I wanted to take a moment and share this conversation with everyone because it is a great discussion matter. There are several reasons for this happening. The first reason is […]
Winter hive warmth and the colony migration within the hive
Recently, I was speaking with a beekeeper and we were discussing the subject of why bees move up into the super during the winter months. There are several reasons for this happening. The first reason is that the warmth the bees create in the hive rises to the top of the hive. As the heat […]
