Recent Posts

21

Swarms, Cut Outs, Trap Outs and Bee Trees / Re: I Caught a Swarm on My Hand!

« Last post by The15thMember on May 12, 2025, 09:04:12 am »

Everything seems to be fine with Queen Belle. She mated successfully, so she must have been an okay flyer. They didn’t draw much comb very quickly, which is a little bit odd, and this swarm wasn’t very large, so they are only in two mediums, but they are plugging away. 

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General Beekeeping / Re: First Swarm of 2025

« Last post by The15thMember on May 12, 2025, 09:00:26 am »

I read it! 

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General Beekeeping / First Swarm of 2025

« Last post by rober on May 10, 2025, 02:52:03 pm »

caught my 1st swarm of the season yesterday. i did hang up my smoker but i'll still collect swarms for my daughter. she drove up and got them and got them hived. this was my favorite kind of swarm. large ( 4 pounder ), at eye level, ( no ladder required ), & nearby. from the activity levels i'm seeing here i'm not sure whether this will be read.

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Swarms, Cut Outs, Trap Outs and Bee Trees / Second swarm, same location

« Last post by Bakersdozen on May 07, 2025, 07:33:34 pm »

For a few years I have put a hive body with a swarm lure on an old wooden play structure in the backyard. It's never failed to attract at least one swarm. So, one of my own colonies swarmed and landed underneath the deck of this structure, right under the wooden ware with a lure.  I got them in and moved to a permanent location. Two nights ago I realized I needed to put another box there with a lure. Swarm season has a lot of time left. Before I walked away there were scout bees checking it out. Sure enough, the next day they had moved in. I'm not sure how big the swarm is yet as I am letting them settle in but there have been bees hanging out on the outside since they took occupancy.

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Swarms, Cut Outs, Trap Outs and Bee Trees / Re: I Caught a Swarm on My Hand!

« Last post by Bakersdozen on May 07, 2025, 07:24:25 pm »

How is Queen Belle and her kingdom?

26

General Beekeeping / Re: Maltese Honey Bee

« Last post by MalteseHoneyBee on May 06, 2025, 11:48:51 pm »

 Premium honey product that is sourced entirely from flora in Malta and produced exclusively by the Maltese Honey Bee. This will be the first honey in Malta with restrictions similar to a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) certification, ensuring that it comes solely from the endemic bee subspecies and the unique environment of Malta. By offering a better price to beekeepers who rear the Maltese Honey Bee, the project aims to create a financial incentive for them to stop importing foreign bees, ultimately ensuring the survival of this vital pollinator species for future generations. https://maltesehoneybee.org/2025/04/07/collaborative-effort-to-protect-the-maltese-honey-bee-a-partnership-between-the-foundation-and-is-suq-tal-belt/

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General Beekeeping / Re: Maltese Honey Bee

« Last post by MalteseHoneyBee on May 06, 2025, 11:46:41 pm »

As part of a larger initiative to promote environmental awareness, language learning, and cultural identity in Malta, three educational songs have been created to celebrate the Maltese Honey Bee and other national species of Malta. These songs will be released throughout 2025 and aim to engage young audiences with the vital role of pollinators and local biodiversity.

https://maltesehoneybee.org/2025/04/28/maltese-honey-bee-education-through-songs-and-rhymes-project/

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General Beekeeping / Maltese Honey Bee

« Last post by MalteseHoneyBee on May 06, 2025, 11:41:39 pm »

29

Bee News / Hive losses on News

« Last post by Bakersdozen on April 29, 2025, 10:49:10 am »

https://www.1011now.com/2025/04/12/severe-hive-losses-spur-urgent-research-into-bee-deaths/?fbclid=IwY2xjawJ9wzxleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFadG5wd1NZbndacGRRUlJBAR5u0VO-E-U_JXa4O
Here in the Midwest, Dr. Judy Wu-Smart is our source for information. She has been actively doing a lot of research through the University she works at. She's a fantastic speaker too. Every June our local bee club invites her to give presentations in classroom and at the hives during a big event we conduct. She has helped to create the Great Plains Master Beekeeping Program.

30

General Beekeeping / Re: Finding a queen ... or not!

« Last post by Bakersdozen on April 27, 2025, 12:54:47 pm »

Wandering Man, so good to hear from you!
I am aware of the Hives for Heroes program. Our local bee club sponsors Veterans and First Responders scholarships too.
You run with single brood boxes?