Every beekeeper needs a bee smoker. We’ll describe this all-important tool and explain how it works, how to light it, when to use it and how to maintain it.
Bears can wreak havoc on your bees and hives. An electric fence is the best way to protect your apiary. This is how electric fences work and how to set one up.
When it’s time to harvest honey, you will need to remove capped honey frames from the hive and leave the bees behind. Here are several methods/devices to use.
There are 3 major types of hives: Warre, Top Bar and Langstroth. We describe how they each work including pros and cons and why we think you should start with Langstroth.
Painting your hives has the primary benefit of protecting your equipment from the elements and extending their useful life. There are other reasons you might want to paint them.
A horizontal hive is generally a single-box beehive designed so that honey bees build their comb structures along a horizontal path rather than vertically. We cover the common types you’ll find and their pros and cons.
Are beekeeping suits white because bees associate dark colors with bears? Or maybe because white absorbs less heat from the sun and summers can be darn hot?
Beginning beekeeper kits include a fairly standard list of items. Here’s what you can expect to get and one major change we would make.
The two main types of foundation for your Langstroth frames are beeswax and plastic. Start with plastic and consider moving toward foundationless.
Before your new equipment arrives, think about where you’re going to set up your bees. Here’s are some things you should consider when setting up your bee yard.
I’m Melanie Howard. My husband, Jim, and I want to share with you everything we’ve learned about beekeeping since we were newbies 6 years ago. Maybe the the ups and downs we’ve experienced can help you along the way.
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