How to Increase Propolis in Your Hive
Propolis is more than just a nuisance to beekeepers. It's a vital part of the honey bee immune system! Unfortunately, modern beehives don't have many places for the bees to store their propolis, but there are things you can do as a beekeeper to increase propolis in...
Should You Insulate Your Beehive?
This post is sponsored by Hive Hugger. I have kept bees in San Diego, California, for 15 years. Here, the temperature rarely strays from 70°F, and our average nighttime lows for “winter” are seldom below 50°F. Since we have some of the mildest weather in the world, I...
New Honey Bee Vaccine May Reduce Deformed Wing Virus
Did you know there is a new honey bee vaccine? Dalan Animal Health developed a groundbreaking vaccine that protects honey bees from American Foulbrood (AFB) but there’s more good news! New research has found that this same vaccine not only protects colonies from AFB,...
How to Protect Bees in Extreme Heat
Should you protect your bees in extreme heat? Honey bees are extremely good at managing their nest temperatures. Afterall, their lives and the lives of their young depend on it! But when thermostats rise above 100°F (especially for prolonged periods), your bees may...
New Bee Book: Heart of the Hive
I am excited to announce that my new book, The Heart of Hive, comes out next month! After three years of writing and researching I cannot wait for you all to read it. My goal was to a write a book that shares all the most fascinating bee science in a fun, accessible...
REQUEENING WITH A VACCINATED QUEEN
I love doing bee rescue work. I get to see a lot of interesting wild hives and the problem-solving you have to do is so fun. There is a downside though, I live in an area where honey bee colonies are often defensive, especially feral ones. So, I sometimes have to...
WHY I USE ALL MEDIUM SUPERS IN MY APIARY
When I first started beekeeping, hardly anyone was using all medium supers in their apiary, but it seems to have caught on more lately. So, I thought I would share why I like to keep my bees in all medium boxes. It's not just about ease of lifting, I have discovered...
NEW HONEY BEE VACCINE FOR AFB
A newly vaccinated queen passes on protection from AFB to her brood.Did you know there is a new honey bee vaccine? You may have heard about Dalan Animal Health in the news lately. They developed a groundbreaking vaccine that protects honey bees from American Foulbrood...
DON’T GIFT NEW BEEKEEPERS A BEEHIVE
Every year I meet at least one excited new beekeeper who received their first beehive as a gift. While this may seem like a wonderful present to give, it's actually not a good idea to gift a new beekeeper a beehive. Read on to find out why! Why Not? Although the...
MY BACKYARD APIARY DESIGN
I have never been satisfied with my backyard apiary design. Not only does it look messy, it makes inspections challenging, especially when they are done with a group of beekeeping students. Now, with my husband Tim's help, I am finally doing something about it! Read...
My name is Hilary Kearney. I’m the author of the book, “Queenspotting” and founder of the urban beekeeping business Girl Next Door Honey in San Diego, California. I’m an artist turned beekeeper on a mission to help new beekeepers succeed and educate the public about the magic of bees!
Follow Me
Buy My Book: Queenspotting
Now Streaming Online!
Top Posts
Shop: Educational Game for kids!
