Beekeepers Friend

Peaches’ Beekeeping Blog

Archive for the 'Hive Health' Category

May 30, 2009

Swarming Observation Hive

I have been keeping an observation hive for the circle of bee speakers (three of us) that go to schools , 4H assemblies, and Garden clubs for Show and Tell about bees. It was used today, without me as I had another commitment, and when it was brought back, we, my friend Doug and I, [...]

January 11, 2009

Spring Has Sprung

Do you realize that the Bee Spring is here? Just think, the bees are laying frantically to have the full force of bees for the Red Maple and other early bloomers. That is — the queen is laying frantically, if —- she has the pollen and nectar available. Now is the time to check the [...]

November 12, 2008

Requeening Results

I am happy to say that the seven nucs have living, working, and happy queens. I did not check the full hives of bees, but I am confident that they all took too. I will check them soon. My wife said that since she was off on Veteran’s Day, she would go with me to [...]

December 16, 2007

HUH?? My Bees Are TOO Big?

I had a bee inspection the 1st week in November and we gathered some samples from each apiary to send to the bee lab. I received a phone call from my state bee inspector yesterday saying that I did not have American Foul Brood or Africanized Honey Bees. I was very pleased with that report, [...]

November 16, 2007

Annual Inspection

I was abruptly, but nicely reminded that you cannot get out of an inspection even if you have a certificate stating that the bees have already been inspected. I received that same certificate in the mail from the Florida State Dept of Plant Industry, Apiary Inspection. I called the local bee inspector to inform him [...]

September 6, 2007

Colony Collapse Disorder

There is an article that suggests a virus coming from Australia is the cause for the Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). Seems that the pathogen, Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus, is paralyzing the bees or at least weakening them to the point of death, that the bees are dying outside of the hive. The bee packages, or [...]