Since my last post, I have had the privilege of talking 16 times to: 4 H groups at seven different schools, three different festivals, and 2 different garden clubs that spanned six weeks. I am getting ready to do some more promotion on bees at several more festivals in the near future. I just went [...]

I answered a forum question with a short and sweet answer. I think that I might have been kinda insensitive and quick. The question was: Peaches, I transferred my bees to all new hive equipment. I put a new box on top of each the new colonies I am starting from the nucs I brought [...]

Right now, we have only two mites in the United States that we are concerned with. Trachea Mites and Varroa Mites. Trachea Mites are minute eight legged critters that I think are arachnoid in shape. They live in the trachea tubes (breathing or air tubes of the honeybee). They attach themselves to the inside walls [...]

There are three ways to test for mites. Actually two, one kills the bees using one of two approved solutions, and one where the bees continue to live. Using a half pint jar with a canning top and ring, gather about an inch or two of bees and using ether spray liberally into jar and [...]

In order to be chemical free, there are some things you must do  first. 1. You must train yourself to not think of what chemicals you need to put in your hive. You must think what can I do to help the bees overcome the chemical dependency. 2. You will want to think of ways [...]

We have taken care of our honeybees to the point that they depend on us, the beekeepers, to keep them healthy and pest free. We are not doing such a good job at that. The bees have lost the ability to fight off parasites, viruses, pathogens, and the common cold like their forefathers did and [...]

Alas, I am still the reporter for the NEBA workshop (unofficially). The speakers were: Audrey Berry, Research Tech from the Mississippi State University Entomology Dept. speaking on the Small Hive Beetle and how to cope; Mark Dykes, Research Tech from the University of Florida Entomology Dept. speaking on the African Honey Bee; Robert (Rob) Housburgh, [...]

I was at the Escarosa Beekeepers Assn in Pensacola last night and we had a lively discussion about wintering bees and how to feed them. First of all you have to know that half to 3/5 of the members present are newbies and they did ask some interesting questions that most of the old-timers took [...]

To break even or maybe make a little profit, you should make some financial plans. First you need to know how much money you can spend at the beginning of the venture. If you have enough money on hand that you do not need to borrow from the household, then you are well on your [...]

The FFA teacher/adviser, Perry, called me last month to go up to Northview High School in the northern part of the county to show the FFA students how to decap and extract honey. I do this every year (six or seven years now), but usually one or two months earlier. He said that he hoped [...]