Dan Greenwood

Should You Refrigerate Honey?

Should You Put Honey in The Fridge?​

Honey is, no doubt, a staple in many kitchens. Many of us love it not only for its sweetness but also because of the many health benefits it provides. However, buying it in little amounts daily can be a tough task. You can even easily forget it. 

There’s some confusion as to whether you should refrigerate honey or not. You’ve no doubt noticed that it seems to last forever. However, sometimes, it does crystallize. Even so, this doesn’t mean that it’s off or unusable any longer. So, does refrigeration honey prolong its shelf life or shorten it?

When Is the Best Time to Harvest Honey?

When Is the Best Time to Harvest Honey?​

As a beekeeper, knowing the right time to harvest honey is a must. Perfect timing determines many things, including the quantity and quality of the honey you harvest. You should, therefore, watch the hive for signs of readiness for harvest.

Harvesting times also vary between commercial beekeepers and small-scale keepers, who focus on producing honey for subsistence purposes. But, irrespective of the size of your farm, you ought to understand basic beekeeping operations.

Beehive Record-Keeping: Tips and Advice

Beehive Record-Keeping Tips​

Whether beekeeping is a hobby or a business for you, regular beehive inspections are necessary. Without them, you can’t guarantee the most important thing — a healthy bee colony. However, beehive visits are useless if you don’t keep track of your observations.

Can a Dead Bee Still Sting You?

Can Dead Bees Still Sting?​

Disturbing a live bee will most likely cause it to sting you, however, you could also get stung without deliberately disturbing a bee or a hive. For example, sitting or stepping on a dead bee could mean you still get stung.

Can You Eat Honeycomb and Is It Healthy?

Is Honeycomb Edible?​

This natural secretion of bees is a delicious way to satisfy a sweet tooth. Whether ice cream or Crunchie bars, honeycomb stars in some of the world’s favorite desserts. Don’t be fooled into thinking that eating a chocolate bar with honeycomb in is healthy, though. There’s more at play here.

Even so, there are numerous studies to show that there are some positive benefits to eating real honey and honeycomb, despite it having such a higher sugar content.

Do Bees Have Knees?

Do Bees Have Knees?

The short answer is yes, they do have knees. The structure and function of their legs and knees require a much more complex answer, though.

Bees have segmented legs that are joined together by different joints. The biggest of these joints is the most comparable to a human knee. Technically speaking, this is considered the bee’s knees. 

Do Queen Bees Sting?

Do Queen Bees Have Stingers?​

Despite the fear of being stung by bees, not all of them can sting. Male bees are unable to sting, and only female bees sting. This means that both the queen and worker bees sting, but do queen bees sting just as the worker females? 

My Dog Got Stung by A Bee: What Should I Do?

Bee Stings on Dogs and Puppies​

Bee stings are usually harmless for your dog if treated correctly. Most of the time, the swelling will go away after a few days and they’ll be back to their usual happy self. 

In some instances, your dog may be stung in other places such as their neck, mouth or by multiple bees at once. Depending on the location of the sting, there are different symptoms to look out for and remedies you can apply.

Essential Oils for Bee Stings​

Essential Oils for Bee Stings​

If a honeybee stings you, it leaves a poisonous toxin that can cause a sharp burning pain, a red mark on the skin, itching and slight swelling. Some people are allergic to this toxin, and they may have a severe allergic reaction to bee stings, which is potentially life-threatening and requires emergency treatment.

Unless you’re allergic to bee stings or experience symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, you can treat bee stings at home without the need to visit a doctor or pharmacy. Essential oils are a great option here.

Extracting Honey without An Extractor

Harvesting Honey without An Extractor​

The successful end of a honey flow is cause for celebration for any beekeeper. At this stage, there’s a supply for your bees to thrive on and enough left waiting to be eaten and sold. You’re ready to reap, but there’s only one problem — how do you get the honey out of the comb?

The way you choose to draw out honey is important as each method has trade-offs. Expense, time and damage to the colony are all considerations. Using machinery — called an extractor — to remove honey is one of the most common methods. However, it might make sense for you to opt for another approach, one that involves extracting without an extractor.