2024-2025 Survey of Layens Hive Winter Losses
Abstract In reaction to the reports of significant commercial colony losses of between 60-70% during the fall and winter of 2024-2025 Wild Hives, serving backyard beekeepers and those using the Layens hive style, decided to conduct a grassroots survey of interested Layens beekeepers to see what losses they experienced during this same timeframe and what […]
Layens Artificial Swarming: Spring Splits
Winter has hopefully ended for most of us and sadly our spring inspections have found a few dead outs but hope springs eternal because we also see colonies collecting resources and beginning the natural spring cycle of brooding up. So we go ahead and get those dead outs cleaned up and put our valuable frames […]
Yes, Hive Insulation Is Good Year-Round – A Deeper Dive
Introduction The honeybee (Apis mellifera) displays advanced regulation of the nest climate, in summer as well as in winter. Thermal homeostasis (thermoregulation) of the colony is especially important for the brood, because honeybee larvae and pupae are extremely stenothermic (surviving only within a narrow temperature range). A brood nest temperature of 93–95 °F/32-36 °C guarantees […]
Understanding Your Local Swarming Process
Introduction Below is a summary of the recent research on swarming and topics surrounding its timing and identification. Research articles are always listed at the bottom of the blog for further details. Just below are two links which contain information gleaned from the research and organized into an approximate execution timeline. Consider downloading these two […]
Winter Bees and Their Environment
Introduction Honey bee physiology follows an annual cycle, with winter bees living ten times longer than summer bees but annually we continue to see losses particularly at the end of the overwintering period. Several factors arising during the year can contribute to this. For example, climate warming or cooling impacts the lifespan in flies, fish, […]
Epigenetics: Honey Bee’s Gene Response
Epigenetics In biology, epigenetics is the study of heritable traits, or a stable change of cell function, that happen without changes to the DNA sequence. The Greek prefix epi- in epigenetics implies features that are “on top of” or “in addition to” the traditional genetic mechanism of inheritance. Epigenetics usually involves a change that is […]
How to Safely Make Frame Shoulders
So, you’re a DIYer, Maker, Woodworker, or just someone with a few tools in your garage or basement and you want to create those smooth shoulder cuts on the frame side rails that you see with purchased frames. How do I make those cuts and try to protect my fingers? How do I make the […]
Why Do Winter Bees Live Longer?
Introduction Winter can be a challenging time for beekeepers. As temperatures plummet, managing the internal conditions of beehives becomes critical and is a dance with nature. It’s clear that honey bees exhibit complex behaviors and physiological responses when managing their hive environment. The hive is in fact an extended phenotype (physical characteristic extending beyond its […]
Robbing Stress
Introduction Honey bees forage for kilometers across the landscape, and they have sophisticated adaptations that allow them to take advantage of sparse, ephemeral floral resources. During extreme resource scarcity, they can deploy a comparably extreme foraging tactic known as robbing. Robbing is a high risk, high reward, and a tactic whereby workers attack and often […]
Harbo Assay, Varroa Sensitive Hygiene Testing
From Wild Hives More than likely you could simply Google “Harbo Assay” and get all you ever wanted to read on this topic, but my hope is that the organized extracts below might take you from “knowing” about this topic to actually getting involved. Yes, you as a backyard beekeeper can participate. Commercial breeders located […]
