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Easiest and Coolest Swarm Capture Ever - Springfield, MO
The home owner had closed off the area with stakes and plastic ribbon. The air was filled with a lot of honeybees and we were concerned they were getting ready to leave. Apparently this swarm was here for 2 days before we finally got the call late on the 3rd day (two of those nights were in the cold low… Read More -
Oops A Common Spring Mistake - I Left On My Winter Rim!
There are many things that are important to do early in the spring. In an earlier article Preparing For Winter 101 we discussed activities and changes we make to our hives to help them survive the winter. One of those activities is to add a winter rim and that article included a reminder not to leave on your winter… Read More -
Week by week guideline for managing your new package of bees
Getting your first package this spring? Here is a week by week guideline for managing your new package of bees through their first 8 weeks. Read More -
How To Light My Bee Smoker 101
So many people ask us how we light our beekeeping smokers and keep them lit. This video will tell you how to light it, what fuel to use and how to keep it smoking all day long. Read More -
DIY Spring Planning 101
To Do List for Each Month: Planning Ahead At this time of year there are a lot of questions about what the beekeeper should be doing. We have been busy teaching the annual Bee School with our beekeeping club. As part of our efforts to prepare these new beekeepers we have prepared this month by month summary of what… Read More
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Installing a Package
Unlike Jeff, this is only my third year of beekeeping and this is the first year I installed my first package of bees. My first year of beekeeping I bought two Nucs, starting my second year I had one hive left and was able to split it and capture a swarm. I went into the winter of 2014 with 3 strong hives. Unfortunately like many beekeepers I only had one out of three hives alive this spring. I wanted to grow my apiary and package bees were my best option.
Queen Bee Laying Eggs
Short video we took showing a calm Queen Honey Bee moving over her comb and laying eggs.
Mouse Guard Your Hive
I got my first experience with the damage a mouse can cause on a colony of bees this year, It was a lesson I won't soon forget! A local beekeeper passed away recently and the family asked Jeff to sell off his excess equipment and remove a couple remaining hives of bees that had not been touched since last October. First the bees were relocated because family members said they were allergic. Second we were very busy with packages, nucs, removals and swarms. Inspection of those hives would have to wait.
DIY Bucket Swarm Capture - Springfield MO
If you capture many swarms you will learn a few things are always true: 1. sometimes the swarms leave before you get there; 2. they are not always going to be honeybees; 3. and sometimes the swarm is just to high in they tree to reach easily. Its the facts of chasing bees, not all of them want to cooperate or land in a easy spot for us to capture. We have seen swarms on all kinds of things: cooling ducts, fences, trees, light fixtures, the ground and even cars. These wonderful insects dont always cooperate but here is a simple trick to get the ones up high.
Our Philosophy
Beekeepers Monthy Activity Calendar
Confused on what you should be doing each month?