Questions Around Extracting Honey
Harvesting summer honey may sometimes raise more questions for a beekeeper than you might think. When? How? How much? What if…? Storage solutions? Isn’t there an easier way? Etc. You could also be thinking about your last extraction experiences. Undoubtedly there will be some things you’ll want to do again and some you will definitely […]
Winter Insulation Calculated for Southwest Ohio
DISCLAIMER: The blog below is generally created from the research listed in the “Referenced Material” section. This is not my research. All credit is given to these studies and researchers who are helping beekeepers better understand how we can improve our management practices. You may already have seen a presentation by Etienne Tardif of North […]
The Varroa Treatment Adherence Issue
DISCLAIMER: The blog below is generally created from the research listed in the “Referenced Material” section. This is not my research. All credit is given to these studies and researchers who are helping beekeepers better understand how we can improve our management practices. Treatments, treatments, treatments Based on guidance about Varroa, a beekeeper might begin […]
Winter Prep
The weather is changing, and you feel that winter is just around the corner so what do you do with your Layens hives? Below I will share what I do for my hives, and hopefully it may give you some ideas for yours. I will also assume you are using an insulated Layens hive but […]
What do Honey Bees want?
It’s interesting to consider that most beekeeper management practices come, as might be expected, from the perspective of the beekeeper. Many questions being asked are answered based on what the beekeeper knows, wants or thinks. I guess that is to be expected as well. I mean, you can’t actually have a discussion with bees, and […]
Extracting Layens Honey Frames
Below is the process that my wife and I (Wild Hives) take to extract our honey each year. Many steps may be familiar given that uncapping and extracting honey from comb has been done for thousands of years by those keeping honey bees, but I hope you may find something new and helpful. Enjoy! Pulling […]
Yes, Hive Insulation Is Good Year-Round – A Deeper Dive
Much of the information below is taken from the work of Derek Mitchell’s research whose works are linked below as “Referenced Materials” along with other research articles included in this summary of the research. All credit is given to these researchers helping all beekeepers better understand how we can improve our management practices. Introduction The […]
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 […]
Is Moisture Normal…In a Hive?
DISCLAIMER: The blog below is generally created from the research listed in the “Referenced Material” section. This is not my research. All credit is given to these studies and researchers who are helping beekeepers better understand how we can improve our management practices. Introduction Water plays a critical role in honeybee biology and overall health. […]
Thermal Energy Efficiency and Honey Desiccation
DISCLAIMER: The blog below is generally created from the research listed in the “Referenced Material” section. This is not my research. All credit is given to these studies and researchers who are helping beekeepers better understand how we can improve our management practices. Energy-Intensive Process Honey ripening or desiccation of nectar to produce honey by […]