Inspecting Your Hive

Traditionally, the use of technology in beekeeping has been fairly limited, particularly at the hobbyist level. Yet hobbyists, sideliners, and commercial beekeepers all face similar challenges....

Beekeepers can use some special techniques to check if their colony is alive in the coldest months.

A few dead bees are normal, but it's important to know when you need to do further investigation.

Honeybees cannot forage in winter while clustered. So, how do they get their water?

Disturbing the hive in cold weather can stress bees. Learn how to check on your bees safely in the winter!

As each beekeeping season is nearing its end, beekeepers are filled with a twinge of sadness and anxiety. Not only will we miss being able...

In our recent Snippet, “Preparing Honeybee Colonies for Winter” we touched on the population changes that occur in a honeybee colony during the fall and...

At the time of the original writing and sharing of this Snippet (early September), it seems nearly impossible that we should even be thinking about...

As we touched on in another Snippet, "Assessing Colony Size", knowing what the size of your colony is AND what it means for its health...

No matter the reason for your trip out to your bee yard and inspection of your colonies, each time you peek inside one of your...

Being a beekeeper often requires you to pay attention to what’s happening in the environment around your bee yard, especially when it comes to keeping...

As we touched on in our previous Snippet, “Pollen and Nectar Stores in the Brood Nest”, bees are typically pretty good at managing their hive...

Monitoring the brood nest is key to understanding your hive’s health.

Completing hive inspections can be one of the most important tasks you’ll complete in your bee yard. Being able to open up the hive and...

When completing a hive inspection, it’s always beneficial to take note of what you see inside and on the frames. An especially wonderful sight is...

In most places throughout the U.S., by early June the spring nectar flow has begun, and honeybee colonies are out working efficiently to bring nectar...

“Beekeeping Season” is often thought of as the time of year when the world and environment around us will become alive and renewed again. Trees...

Though it’s a rare and truly beautiful sight, most beekeepers would prefer not to see half of their strongest colony and their successful queen leave...

The sight of a honeybee swarm is truly an incredible one. Thousands of honeybees, heavy with the weight of the nectar they carry, decide together...

Investigating lost honeybee colonies helps identify causes and provides insights for improving success with future colonies.

Beekeepers spend their winters inside hoping their bees are strong enough to survive the harsh cold. But there are plenty of options to help ease...

It's valuable to spot eggs, but can often be a challengeWhen inspecting your hives, there are many ways to verify your colonies are queen-right, with...

Awful News, But an OpportunityNo beekeeper wants to go out to feed a hive in late winter or open up a hive for their Spring...

New beekeepers can justify more frequent inspectionsWhen you start beekeeping, you will likely have an inclination to visit your hives often. That deep fascination is...

What to Use in the Fall and WinterIn the spring our bees will start foraging and, all being well, bring back plenty of pollen. This...

There aren’t many guarantees when it comes to keeping bees, but eventually getting stung is one of them.

Learn how beekeepers can prevent colony starvation by understanding bee behavior, managing food supplies, and ensuring a healthy hive environment year-round.

There has been strong growth in interest recently for synthetic comb, as an effective way to help our bees establish themselves in a hive. The...

Does the idea of requeening a hive scare you? Don’t let it. It is great for your hive and in turn, great for you as a beekeeper....

Spring is the busiest time of year for both the bees and the beekeeper.  A strong, healthy colony will feel the natural urge to reproduce...

How can we assess our bees response during a hive inspection? And what can we do to increase the chances of the calm enjoyable encounter...

Seasonal transitions by our beesIt seems every year is different in some way and here in Central Oregon we are running what appears to be...

We humans generally love summer! But what about our bees? How do they cope with increasing temperatures, especially within the confines of a hive?

Year two is when a beekeeper gets a taste of real beekeeping. If last year was your first season it's likely you have yet to...

We are at a time of year when we find colonies that didn’t make it through the winter and we wonder what happened to bring...

The bane of the beekeeper - but not the beeWhat exactly is cross comb? How does it happen? What should I do about it? What’s...

Back in the 1800's, the esteemed Mr. Langstroth (yes, the very same Langstroth we know from our hives) noticed something about his bees. He discovered...

Love the OuchIf you’re like most people, the idea of being stung by a bee is painful at best. Sting sites swell and itch. Sometimes...

Well, many people might have only seen bees being fed one way or the other. But really, you should be well informed so you can...

Would you like to be able to raise your own queens?The idea of raising your own queen isn't one that comes to mind early for...

Have you ever performed a swarm split?If not, it can actually be rather intimidating at first thought. I remember the first time my husband performed...

Why is weighing your beehive important?Simple - it is a great unobtrusive way to monitor how your bees are doing.It’s important to keep tabs on your...

It’s finally here! That joyous warm weather. The sun is shining, it’s 50°F and you’re ready to see how your bees did over the winter.

One of the nice things about beekeeping is that it involves a certain amount of downtime. Your bees know what they’re doing, and you don’t...

Sarah has a disappointment with her hive - and that's just the start. But time to reflect and some lessons learned....

Beekeepers talk about overwintering - the art of getting bees through the cold winter months. But what about us humans?

Bees face challenge of surviving the colder months. And that can be a major challenge, especially in colder parts of the country.