Mold, should I be concerned?
It is early spring, and your beehive seems too quiet. You pop the lid only to find mold everywhere. It cloaks dead bees, top bars, and on the comb. There is no doubt in your mind: mold killed your bees. But did it? In truth, mold in a beehive is a result of colony death, not the cause of […]
2025 UPDATE Spreading Varroa Resistant Traits
2025 Update Dr Melissa Oddie has done some outstanding recent research worthy of mention in the last couple years on this topic. Below are the links to two resources for your review. Reproductive success of the parasitic mite (Varroa destructor) is lower in honeybee colonies that target infested cells with recappingSteve Riley (Westerham Beekeepers) Resisting […]
Mono-Culture Landscapes, Sunflowers, and Honeybee Health
Introduction Landscapes can affect parasite cause and distribution in wild and agricultural animals. Honeybees are threatened by loss of floral resources and by parasites, principally the mite Varroa destructor and the viruses it carries. Existing mite control relies heavily on chemical treatments that can adversely affect bees. Alternative, pesticide-free control methods are needed to mitigate infestation with […]
Superfood for Honeybees
Introduction A variety of insects can produce honey — bumblebees, stingless bees, even honey wasps — but only honeybees (Apis species) produce enough to stock grocery store shelves. This ability didn’t happen overnight; it was millions of years in the making. Bees made the split from wasps around 120 million years ago, during a surge in […]
Natural Defense Against Varroa
Introduction After Varroa jumped the species barrier around the 1950s, from its native host Apis cerana (Asian honeybee) onto A. mellifera, it spread globally along with deformed wing virus (DWV). Currently only Australia and a few small, isolated islands are free of both DWV and Varroa. Since then, research and experimentation continue to try to identify and select for the honeybee genetic […]
Solstice Splits
Introduction No matter the style of hive or experience as a beekeeper you likely have heard about a nuc or nucleus colony. Often, it’s regarding purchasing honeybees that come with 4-5 frames of drawn-out comb, honey, brood, worker bees and a queen. These can range from $180 to $200 plus to purchase. What if you […]
Genetic Diversity Matters
History The honeybee originated in the Old World, where it diverged into more than two dozen recognized subspecies. Initial introduction of the honeybee (subspecies A. m. mellifera) to North America occurred in the 17th century and records indicate that another seven subspecies were introduced by 1922, when further importations were restricted. With the notable exception […]
Propolis: Honeybees Love It for Good Reason
Introduction A beekeeper with their hive tool in hand will often be wondering what the best way is to separate and lift frames that are not only sticking together but also sticking to their gloves, tools and ruining their clothes. It’s like a sticky piece of tape that you just can’t seem to get off […]
Is Moisture Normal…In a Hive?
Introduction Water plays a critical role in honeybee biology and overall health. Honeybees rely on water for various purposes, from maintaining their internal temperature to diluting food sources and supporting the growth of their brood. In regulating the internal temperature of the hive, honeybees use water to cool down the hive by using evaporative cooling […]
Honeybee Medicine Cabinet
Introduction The coevolutionary dependencies between pollinators and plants has enabled pollinators including honeybees to derive benefits from pollen and nectar but today they face challenges from declining natural flowering habitats and diverse floral (polyfloral) resources. They are also affected by increasing metabolic stressors, such as the exposure to plant protection products (agrochemicals), dietary limitation, monofloral diets, […]
