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.
A local farmer in Lockwood Missouri had a bee tree (of over 10 years) that broke during a recent wind storm. Lucky for us he wanted to save the bees and gave a local Conservation Dept friend a call. The following gallery shows our steps through saving this swarm on a cool day in April (wind was brutal). So far the hive is doing great with 3 deeps on it already. We want to save these great genetics.
There is an adage in beekeeping that goes "Take your winter losses in the fall".
It took me years to gain a strong understanding of this concept.
For years I tried to nurse weak colonies though the winter hoping for good results and more hives in the spring. All the while I was hurting my operation and causing bees to suffer unnecessarily. I would like to tell a tale of two apiaries/beekeepers.
This was a unique rescue for us with two colonies in two different walls of a small side house / shed. These bees had been in the walls of this shed for a long time and its interesting how each colony decides which way to draw their combs. Check out our galley below...