When you think of bees, an image might pop into your head of the classic black-and-yellow striped carton-like bee as they are often depicted in popular culture and images. However, there are actually over 20,000 diverse species of bees in the world. Over 4,000 of those bee species are native to the United States. Unfortunately, they don’t all work well in …
For beginning beekeepers just starting their journey, it can seem overwhelming to decide where, when, and how to buy exactly what you need. With all of the various types of equipment, feeders, and supplies (fortunately all of which is provided by Dadant & Sons right here), it can be easy to forget the most important aspect of your hive: the honey …
For beginner beekeepers, choosing the best method to uncap honey frames is crucial for maximizing honey yield while minimizing waste and mess. At Dadant & Sons, we understand the dilemmas you face and offer a variety of tools to suit different preferences and requirements. In this blog, we’ll explore some popular uncapping tools, their benefits, and potential drawbacks to help …
Hive beetles are an invasive nuisance for both bees and beekeepers alike. They can vary in size, though small beetles are more common in beekeeping. They can fly, and as a result, they relocate from one hive to the next with ease. They then spread to the entire apiary and your bees suffer as a consequence. Integrating pest management to keep …
Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) has plagued beekeepers since 2006 when it was first reported. In the fallout from CCD, around the time it was first chronicled, adult honeybees simply started disappearing from their hives. Very few dead bees could be found in or around the hives, and high colony losses ensued. This perplexed beekeepers, as the queen and brood (immature bees), …
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 …
In popular conception, the true pay dirt for beekeepers is honey. While honey is indeed a valuable commodity, busy honey bees also create another treasure: beeswax. Here, we'll explore the most effective, easiest ways to separate beeswax from the honeycomb. The bees produce wax in their glands. It serves multiple functions, primarily as the essential building block of the beehive – …
Honey bees don't just produce delicious, nutritious honey and multi-purpose beeswax – they also serve critical roles in the larger ecosystem that keep Mother Earth functioning as natural design intended. Without the bees, we'd be in a world of trouble – as environmentalists and biologists are increasingly discovering by way of the growing threats to honey bees. Here, we'll dive into the …