WHY DID MY BEES LEAVE?
Bees leave their hive when conditions became unbearable. Learn why absconding happens, how it’s different from swarming, and what signs to look out for.
WHY AREN’T MY BEES USING THEIR SUPER?
The reasons for why your bees are not filling out their super are numerous and nuanced. Sometimes the answer lies in the timing and sometimes you just have picky bees. Read on to find out all the possibilities as well as some practical tips for how to deal with it....
DEEP CLEANING YOUR BEE SMOKER IN 3 EASY STEPS
Hi, everyone! It’s Sara writing today to share some tips on how to effectively—and naturally—deep clean your bee smoker without a lot of hassle. One look inside my malfunctioning bee smoker was all I needed to diagnose its disease: filth! My hard-working tool had...
ONLINE INTRODUCTION TO BEEKEEPING CLASS
Exciting news! An online version of the popular Intro to Beekeeping class is now available to stream! If you’re thinking about starting a backyard beehive or are just curious about what’s involved with keeping bees, then this is a great introductory class for you....
15 LIFEHACKS FOR BEEKEEPERS
It's Sara writing again! Recently, on Facebook, I saw a post about lifehacks, and it got me wondering: Why I haven't seen more beekeeping hacks? I know they exist, but don't they deserve their own spotlight—and genre!—in the world of lifehacking? If you agree and want...
HOW TO REQUEEN AFRICANIZED BEES
Living in an Africanized honey bee zone can be a challenge. Africanized bees have some advantages and are not usually as terrible as the media makes them out to be (i.e. "killer bees"), but sometimes you end up with a colony deserving of that name. The solution is to...
WHAT’S IN MICHAEL BUSH’S LIBRARY?
It’s Sara writing again! Today I’m weighing in on one of my favorite things about Michael Bush’s bee camp: the books! Hilary and I attended camp earlier this month, and if you didn’t see her post about the experience, be sure to check it out. A 200-year-old book is...
MICHAEL BUSH’S BEE CAMP
If you're like me, Michael Bush's website is in your favorites tab on your web browser. His writings validated nearly all the subversive decisions I made as a new beekeeper and strengthened my resolve to follow my instincts. With natural beekeeping mentors few and far...
HOW TO PROTECT BEES FROM ANTS
Ant season is tough! So, what can you do to stop ants from invading your beehive? If ants are a problem in your area, find out the best strategies for keeping them out of your hives.
HOW TO PROPOGATE AFRICAN BLUE BASIL
It’s Sara Everett again, guest blogging for Hilary about one of our favorite bee plants: African blue basil. In addition to sharing lots of information about this bee magnet of a plant, including how to grow it yourself at low cost, this post also includes a special...