Finding Small Beetles in Your Beehive Small hive beetles, SHB for short, are also known by their scientific name, Aethina tumida. This potentially destructive beetle is usually only dangerous when the beehive is already in less than perfect condition. That is to say, if your beehive is already facing other stresses, an overpopulation of beetles, or …
Finding Dead Bees in Winter Here are our top tips on what to do if you find dead bees during winter: Don’t panic Provide the hive with some sugar water Check the hive temperature Add extra honey for warmth As a beekeeper, what you want is a healthy hive and happy bees. This means that …
Should You Use a Queen Bee Excluder? Using a queen bee excluder can: Make honey collection very easy. Help the beekeeper to locate the queen bee fast. Cause overcrowding and overheating of the beehive. A queen excluder is an optional piece of beekeeping equipment, separating the queen bee laying eggs from the honey supers. That’s …
How to Move a Beehive Moving a beehive requires precision, patience and a bit of finesse. It’s not merely a case of picking up a hive and relocating it. Small holes mean bees can escape, and a tightly sealed beehive could suffocate your bees. There’s a right way to do every step, and we’re here …
Aggressive Honeybees Aggressive honeybees can be dealt with by using the following steps: Re-queen Feed your bees Place your hives in controlled environments Keep the environment clean Use your smoker and suit The transition period from summer to fall is the most common period for bees to be aggressive. What causes this kind of behavior? What …
Keeping Ants Out of Your Beehive When protecting your beehive from an ant invasion, it’s best to be proactive rather than reactive. Pest management can include using physical deterrents to keep pests out of the beehive in the first place. If you already have an invasive ant problem, there are several fast-acting solutions you can …
How to Paint Your Beehives Like a Pro Here are our top beehive painting and decorating tips: Choose the color based on your climate Use latex or water-based paint Decorate with stencils and decals Paint all the exposed exterior walls Painting your beehive(s) isn’t just aesthetically pleasing, but it can also be beneficial to your …
Where to Keep a Beehive Beekeeping is a tradition that was once present only in rural areas. Now it’s becoming more and more popular in the cities, finding the right location to store a beehive can be crucial. A full hive is heavy and, as a bee lover, you wouldn’t want to stress your bees …
How to Clean out A Dead Beehive It’s important to look after your bees, even after they’ve gone. Dead beehives — otherwise known as ‘dead-outs’ — can be quite a pain! Alas, bees die, especially in winter, and although bees are very good at making honey, they haven’t quite grasped the concept of body disposal. They’ve …
Wax Moths in Beehives: Treatment and Prevention Wax moths are a serious threat to the existence of a bee colony, much like other destructive pests such as hive beetles. As a beekeeper, it’s essential to take measures to stop wax moths. If left unattended, they’ll infest your beehives and destroy the comb. As such, it’s important …