A newly vaccinated queen passes on protection from AFB to her brood. Did you know there is a new honey bee vaccine? You may have heard about Dalan Animal Health in the news lately. They developed a groundbreaking vaccine that protects honey bees from American Foulbrood (AFB). Read on to find out how the vaccine works and how you can use it in your apiary. What is AFB? AFB is one of the most devastating honey bee diseases. It’s caused by bacterial spores, Paenibacillus larvae, that infect the bees’ gut and it’s very contagious. Infected larvae die after they are capped in their cells ..read more

Every year I meet at least one excited new beekeeper who received their first beehive as a gift. While this may seem like a wonderful present to give, it’s actually not a good idea to gift a new beekeeper a beehive. Read on to find out why! Why Not? Although the Langstroth hive is often considered the standard, there is an ever-growing number of hive designs to choose from. In my opinion, none of them are especially suited to new beekeepers. They all have pros and cons. That said, there may be a design that is better for a certain individual based on their climate, beekeeping goals, and phy ..read more

I have never been satisfied with my backyard apiary design. Not only does it look messy, it makes inspections challenging, especially when they are done with a group of beekeeping students. Now, with my husband Tim’s help, I am finally doing something about it! Read on to find out what my plans are and the rationale behind them. The Space We enjoy a corner lot with a large (for Southern California), flat backyard. The space behind the house is a rectangle approximately 85′ X 74′ with neighbors on two sides. The bee area is a 50′ long by 15′ wide strip along our back fence stretched be ..read more

Honey extractors are the standard when it comes to harvesting honey, but you can harvest without one. One method of honey harvesting called ‘crush and strain’ offers a simple alternative. Keep reading to find out when and why I use this method, plus how I do it. What’s the Difference? Honey extraction allows the beekeeper to spin the honey from the combs while keeping the combs intact. The beekeeper harvests frames of honey from their hives, slices off the top of the comb (the honey cappings) and places the frames (now with open cells of honey) in a  large, cylindrical piece of equ ..read more

Swarm are designed to travel. When a swarm lands, a beekeeper never knows how long they will stay put. I have often rushed out of the house to catch a swarm only to have them leave in the time it took me to drive to their location. If you hope to catch a swarm this season, remember that time is of the essence! That’s why I like to keep everything I need in my car. Afterall, you never know when you’re going to get the call to rescue some bees. Read on to find out how to make your own swarm-catching kit. The 5 Must-Haves for a Swarm Catching Kit 1. A Nuc Box I almost always use a nuc box ..read more

Ever wonder what a beekeeper plants for her bees? Here’s snapshot the flowers in my bee friendly garden this year. Plus, I’ll share a bunch of tips that you can use in your own gardens. 1. Learn About Early & Late Blooming Flowers When planting for bees, pay attention to bloom time. Ideally you should stagger bloom times so that you provide bee food all year! In wintery climates, early spring blooms are especially important for native bees coming out of hibernation. In dry climates, bees are often most desperate for food in late summer when flowers are scarce. Check out Xerces Society ..read more

Many new beekeepers wonder if it’s really necessary to wear a bee suit. They see other beekeepers online wearing minimal to no protective clothing and they aspire to be like them. As romantic as it looks, there is a reason bee suits exist. Read on to explore this topic with me. Is It Safe to Work Bees Without A Bee Suit? A bee suit is like a seat belt. It’s there to protect you from harm if the worst happens. There are entire generations of people who never wore their seatbelts and survived just like there are certainly beekeepers who have gone for decades without wearing a bee suit. Yet ..read more

The holidays are upon us and so I have put together a list of gifts for bee lovers. Whether you’re a beekeeper or just related to one, you’ll find something for to dazzle your beeople. Read on for a fun mix of bee related gift ideas! For Artsy Bee Lovers Catherine Sieck’s copper hive charms (pictured above) can turn a beehive into a work of art. These decorative cutouts are nod to the ancient tradition of decorating beehives, but they aren’t just for beekeepers, they make excellent gifts for bee lovers as well. I think they’d look great on a front door or hung on the wall. I’m absolut ..read more

When it comes to small swarms, does size matter? In my last post, I wrote about those big beautiful swarms that get us beekeepers running out the door to catch them. In this post I’ll share what you need to know about catching a small swarm of bees.  Undersized Swarms When my phone lights up with a swarm recue request and the image of a pitiful, huddled handful of bees appears on the screen, I instantly feel disappointed. A swarm of bees has a tremendous task ahead of it. Once they have found a home, they must build their comb and start their nursery to raise their population. If their ..read more

Swarm size varies dramatically. Some massive clusters are the equivalent of several watermelons while others are barely grapefruit-sized. These size differences may seem arbitrary, but when a swarm is exceptionally large or small they may need special care. Read on for part one of this topic to find out what you need to know about catching especially large swarms and stay tuned for part two where you’ll learn what you need to know about catching small ones. Large Swarms When my phone lights up with a swarm rescue request and the image of a big, glorious cluster of bees appears on the screen ..read more