For beginning beekeepers, it can be easy to be confused by all of the terminology surrounding the wonderful world of beekeeping. At Dadant & Sons, we want you to be as knowledgeable as possible when it comes to taking care of your bees. We’ve organized some need-to-know terms into five different categories. Peruse these terms at your leisure, and come back whenever …
Honey bees are fascinating creatures that display remarkably complex (and well-coordinated) social behaviors, all in the service of protecting and promoting the vitality of the hive. One of the ways that honey bees practice good "public health" is by social distancing to slow the spread of disease, much in the same way that humans have been encouraged to socially distance …
You invest a ton of time and energy into building, maintaining, and harvesting honey from your beehives – so the last thing you need is for an animal to get into them and ruin all your hard work. From mice to bears to wasps, marauding animals can wreak havoc on, and even destroy, your beehives. Some of these animal vandals eat …
So you've decided to venture into the luxurious, rich, and rewarding world of beekeeping. You've got your gear, you have a love of tiny winged things, now you need to build them a home. The question arises, "Where do I put the hive?" Time to break out that old real estate chestnut, location location location. Figuring out the best beehive placement …
Applying a treatment for Varroa mites after the honey harvest in fall is one of the best ways to keep levels of these pests under control during the winter. In most areas, Varroa mite populations tend to increase in hives over the summer months and hit a peak just as honeybee colonies are laying eggs and raising brood for the winter. …
With each winter comes the want of spring, and this year has been no different. This year’s winter notes come from Gabe Dadant, who is continuing the Dadant Family tradition of raising bees and passing down what he’s learned to the next generation. Hard Winter Lessons for Young Beekeepers My wife and I have two boys. She is an elementary school teacher and they …
Did you know that colonies raise winter bees primarily during the months of August and September? It's vital that these winter bees are kept healthy for the colonies to survive the winter. Learn about the four key aspects to winter prep.
A week after installing your package bees, it’s time to perform your first hive inspection and see if the bees have accepted the queen and started to draw out the foundation. Getting Ready for the First Hive Inspection For this first inspection, we suggest wearing some level of protective clothing. Depending on your experience with beekeeping, you may be comfortable with minimal …