A beehive starter kit typically includes everything you need to get started with beekeeping, except for the bees themselves. The most important item in it is the beehive itself, which provides a home for the bees. Other items in a beehive starter kit may include a bee brush, bee smoker, bee feeder, hive tools and […]
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All beekeepers should have at least some of these beekeeping books in their libraries. Because no matter how long you’ve been keeping bees, you’ll occasionally encounter some form of bee behavior that’ll have you scratching your head! What the Heck Are Those Bees Doing?! If you’re new to beekeeping, I can promise you that there
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Every beginning beekeeper is faced with this question: Should I wear a bee suit when I work my bees? Beekeeper Suits Can be Very Comforting I would recommend that you never work bees without wearing a bee veil, but gloves and suit are optional – even at the ritziest bee yards. Seriously though, if you’re
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I learned a lesson about the importance of using a bee smoker very early in my beekeeping career. I was 15 or 16, and so I was not nearly as wise as I am now (OK, that sounds a little highfalutin’. How about: I’m not quite as ignorant now as I was then!). I had
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Interested in getting started in backyard beekeeping? If so, you’ll be joining a very large group of hobbyist beekeepers. There likely are millions of beekeepers worldwide that keep just a hive or two in their yards. It’s how many people get their start in beekeeping. It’s how I got my start in beekeeping. (Just be
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Are bees active all year in warm climate?by James Stickley (Florida) I am considering soon entering into the beekeeping world. My specific question is this: I live in Florida and in this area it rarely gets cold enough to freeze. We have green plants and flowers year round. Will the bees produce honey year-round or
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Honey is an Antioxidant Rich Food. Sweet! Did you know that about honey? It’s true; honey really is an antioxidant rich food. And in fact, recent studies have shown that the regular consumption of honey can help to protect your heart. Those Pesky Free Radicals… You’ve probably heard of them. They are unstable molecules that
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Here is a question from one of our readers. What is the age of worker bees in a swarm that leave the hive with a swarming queen? By Angela. Hi Angela, That’s an interesting question. I’ve read that the bees in a swarm tend to predominately be younger bees, but I’m not sure whether that’s
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By Larro Land (Trophy Club, TX) I had a hive in early 70’s when I volunteered to remove a swarm. It was tragic as I did not know mites… I moved into a new development recently. My question now is – water. Everyone has/getting a pool. I have one, and hate netting ladybugs, ants, etc.
The queen bee of a honey bee colony is not a ruling monarch – far from it. In fact, calling her a queen is quite a misnomer. She makes no decisions beyond choosing in which cells to lay her eggs. But in one sense, the term fits, for she is the most important member of
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