A colony is divided to remove the bees’ impulse to swarm. This method is also known as artificial swarming. If your hive is in a suburban backyard it’s probably not ideal to allow your colony to swarm, as you need to consider the close proximity of your neighbors. In a […]
How To Split A Beehive And Prevent Swarming
Swarming is a natural biological impulse of bees and it is their way of making new colonies. Although a great way to start new hives, there are many reason why knowing how to stop bees from swarming is important as a beekeeper. For example, if you live in a built
How To Stop Bees From Swarming
Spring is the swarming season. This means the bee colony grows so much and so quickly they don’t have enough room. To overcome this, the workers grow a new queen and at an appropriate time, leave the hive with the old queen to find a new home. Catching a swarm
What To Do After Catching A Swarm Of Bees
Bees need space to store honey. In the wild, they would build more comb as they need it. However, when you have bees in a hive on your property, you are the one who decides when to give them the extra space they require. The addition of another box or
When To Add A Brood Box Or Honey Super To Your Beehive
Conducting hive inspections is an essential part of keeping bees to help you understand your hive’s workings. Approximately one week to ten days after placing a new hive on your property you should undertake the first inspection. If it’s a new colony you can establish whether the queen has been
The more I learn about bees, the more fascinating they become to me. They are incredibly hard-workers and highly organized creatures. Everything they do has a specific purpose. One day, a seemingly obvious question popped in my head, why do bees make honey? The answer may sound obvious, but I wanted
Keeping bees can be an addictive hobby. When starting out a new beekeeper is very enthusiastic and keen to get started and this enthusiasm is maintained as he/she realises how fascinating bees are. Keeping bees can be an addictive hobby. When starting out, you probably feel very enthusiastic and keen
How Many Hives Should You Have?
One of the questions that I had before taking beekeeping as a hobby was how to practice it ethically. I am a true believer in leading a life that takes care of the environment and the planet that we live in. It’s no secret that our activities can have a
What Is Ethical Beekeeping And How To Be More Ethical?
For the novice beekeeper especially, working with an aggressive colony of bees can be a little daunting. When I had an aggressive colony I enlisted the help of more experienced beekeepers from my local club. They were very willing to offer advice and practical help. Finding out why is important
How To Manage An Aggressive Colony Of Bees
Depending on the season, you will find there are different tasks required to maintain a healthy hive. For example, Spring and Summer are usually busy seasons, with many duties to ensure the hive is ready for the heavy flowering seasons. I recommend keeping a record of hive inspections. I have
What To Do Each Season to Keep a Healthy Beehive
