Tips from the Dadant & Sons How to Start a Bee Smoker Video Learning how to start a bee smoker — and keep it lit — is an essential skill for all beekeepers. Start With a High-Quality Smoker A bee smoker is one of the most important tools for working with a colony of honeybees. The Dadant Smoker 4 X 7 Stainless Steel …
When it’s time to install package bees, make sure you have all your equipment and supplies ready before you begin! Tips from the Dadant & Sons How to Install Package Bees Video Start with a hive stand and a screened bottom board Ventilation and temperature regulation are crucial for honey bee colonies. Adding a hive stand and screened bottom board helps the bees …
Making your own sugar syrup ahead of time is a great way to prepare for the arrival of your package bees! When your package bees arrive, having enough sugar syrup ready to feed them will help the honeybees adjust to their new home in your hives. For each package, we recommend making one gallon of syrup. How to Make Sugar Syrup for …
The beekeeper’s calendar is directly linked to the seasons. Preparing your hives for changes in temperature and shifts in the weather — before they happen — is crucial for raising healthy, strong colonies. While there are a number of variables that affect the timing of these tasks, getting a head start and preparing your equipment is always a good idea. This …
The beehive is the cornerstone of all modern beekeeping. It provides a safe place for honey bees to store food reserves and raise the constant supply of young needed to keep colonies healthy and strong. Understanding the various components of the hive and how they function is an important first step to successful beekeeping. In 1852, Lorenzo Lorraine Langstroth patented a …
Despite the winter storms, we’re looking ahead to the coming honey flow and what we can do differently with this year’s harvest. Specifically, we’re thinking of how to infuse honey with natural flavors to bring something new to our customers. There’s no doubt that raw honey is delicious. Infusing honey that you’ve pulled from your hives, or even honey you’ve purchased …
Painting hives is a good way to protect their wood surfaces from the elements. However, there are several important factors to consider — and dangers to avoid — when painting your bee’s home. Like almost every other aspect of beekeeping, a little research will bring up many strongly-held opinions on painting bee hives. You can find information on brands, types and …
The best food for feeding bees in the winter is, of course, the one they make for themselves: their own honey. Besides sugars, honey contains nutrients that keep the colony healthy, strong and better able to fight off parasites. With enough honey, most hives stand a good chance of surviving the winter until the spring nectar flow. However, as the fall …