Package Start-Up Tips

Lots of packages arriving in SW Michigan this week and next. Following are suggestions for dealing with a few rare, but alarming, install issues, and some key first-week advice. Install Issues A sealed feeder can! (NOT GOOD) This has happened to two beekeepers I’ve...

Letting Them Bee

Bee season has started in Michigan, but I’m ever-so-attentively managing a single bee—a ba-bee, in Oregon. Our first grandchild’s parents returned to work in April, and Grandpy and I are totally enthralled with little Thomas. I don’t know how we’ll ever leave...

Easy Package Installations

Oh my. I just looked at my “recent” posts … and it has been since December. So sorry; I’ll try to do better! Part of that is because I post frequently on my Facebook page, “Charlotte Hubbard, Beekeeper and …” I also post on...

Dead December Bees

In these dwindling days of 2016, we SW Michigan beekeepers wouldn’t normally know the status of our colonies. But Mother Nature wanted us to give us more to worry about than the peaceful transition of democracy and whether Detroit beats Green Bay. Temps in the mid-50s...

Winter Prep

The most important thing you can do to prepare for winter is to ensure your colonies are healthy. Hopefully you’ve been monitoring religiously for mites, treating if need bee, and have the counts under control. For any colonies that don’t make it through...

Robbing and Other Fall Fun :(

A fellow beekeeper recently summarized it well: “It’s a bee-itch to love a bug.” So so so true, especially this time of year. Mite counts are soaring–are you testing, and treating if need bee? A count can go out of control real quickly in a strong colony,...

Bearding!

This is bearding, and it is quite common this time of year. As I recently explained in a recent Facebook post (you can find me on FB under ‘Charlotte Hubbard, Beekeeper and …’), bees do it because they’re at peak population. When the foraging...

What You Mite Want To Do (if you want to keep your bees alive)

  This time of year is one of the most enjoyable times of beekeeping. Colonies are hopefully strong and productive. If you’re a newbee, you’ve figured out drone versus worker brood, what capped honey looks like, and how to keep the smoker going more than five...

Booming Bees?

There is SO much happening in hives this time of year. Colonies are expanding, and the weather has allowed for massive nectar (soon to be honey?) collection. We’ve been busy mentoring newbees, and taking calls and answering texts about similar issues. Hopefully your...

New Colony Hints

Lots of people started keeping bees in SW Michigan in the last few weeks. Here answers to a few FAQs / things to do for this time of year in this geographic region: Keep feeding! Many days last week and this week are too cold / wet for them to fly. They won’t build up...