JC's Bee Blog

Have you ever thought about marking your queens? Maybe you were afraid you would hurt her. Or maybe you just didn't know how to go about it. Well I took a few minutes and created a Homemade queen marking cage. These tools can be purchased through most bee equipment suppliers. But I have always been one to make stuff if materials are not hard to come by. And if I can save a few bucks along the way then that's just a bonus. So to make your own queen marking cage you will need a few things to get started. 1. A empty subscription pill bottle. ( Because they are transparent) 2. 7/16" Dowel rod 4 1/2" long 3. Piece of sponge material (Enough to cover plunger) 4. A hole saw the same diameter as pill bottle. ( Mine is 2") 5. Netting material to cover end. 6. Small piece of 3/4" lumber (For plunger) 7. (2) Rubberbands We will start by using a hole saw to remove the bottom of the pill bottle. Measure across the bottom of bottle to see what size is ...

A s each year passes I try to grow my apiary. A real simple way to do this is swarm removal but there is another way to catch swarms without even being there. Swarm traps, These traps are usually baited with old brood comb,  lemon-grass essential oil, and maybe even queen lure.  I personally use all of these ingredients with my traps.   Once a colony decides it's going to prepare to swarm. Scout bees begin looking for a new cavity to move into. A baited trap can lure many scout to it to check out the environment. If all of her needs are met then she will return home to tell the colony about the find. They will look for a few key features in a new home. 1. Trap to be of at least 40 liter (10 frame deep) 2. A 1" entrance hole 3. 6 to 10 feet off ground 4. Baited with Old brood comb, Lemongrass oil, Queen lure   Some people choose to use a container that is easier to maneuver over a deep box. There are a few options available on today market.  ...

 Have you ever gotten stung and needed something to help with the pain and discomfort? Usually stings are accompanied by redness, swelling and even itchiness. Some people are even allergic and can got into anaphylactic shock which is deadly without immediate emergency care. See if you can identify the bee that stung you. Honey Bee Yellow Jacket (Can sting multiple times) European Paper Wasp( Can sting multiple times) Mahogany Paper Wasp(Multiple Stings) Bald Faced Hornet (Multiple stings) Bumble Bee (Multiple Stings) *Your first aim of action is to make sure the stinger is removed.*     To learn more on this watch this video . A honeybees stinger is barbed and stays stuck in us after her sting.   Here are some home remedies with things you probably have just laying around the house. * Make a paste of meat tenderizer and water or baking soda and water the apply to sting. * Sprinkle generously with baking soda then drizzle some drops of vinegar to make soda fizz, leav...

Are you tired of buying expensive Wasp and Yellow Jacket spray? I can help you save a few bucks and at the same time kill these pest. A few years back I started removing honeybees from homes and other buildings. Not long after I had a few people ask if I could take care of the bad bees (Wasp, Yellow Jackets, Hornets). I have never considered this before with the honeybees I was working to gain the colony of bees. But why not take on killing wasp? I wanted to find a simple way to do this and something that would not bother kids or pets. So believe it or not I found out that soapy water would suffocate the wasp if they were covered with it. That's right just regular dish soap and water. Wasp breath through their skin. Covering them with soapy water suffocates them. So I went and purchased a one gallon pump up sprayer to mix the soapy water in. These sprayers can help to keep you out of harms way. When adjusted correctly they can shot a 6-10 foot stream. Wasp drop like dead flies afte...

The last few days I have spent some time in my wood shop. I needed a tool box to carry my beekeeping tools. It seems when I need a certain tool it is no longer around . But when it's not needed there it is. Funny how it works. Ohio has been right in a line of storms coming from the south reaching the gulf. It's been rain everyday for the last 2 weeks. So I figured this was the time to build my tools box. I wanted something that would hold everything I needed when working the bees. From time to time I do removals ( cutouts ) and then I also graft my own queens. I need something that would accommodate all these needs. I started by getting a few measurements off the bigger pieces that might go in the box. I wanted to make sure I allowed room. The biggest thing I had to carry besides the smoker was a grafting frame. Though I don't use the frame every time I go out, it would be nice to have it when needed. So after some more thought and a few sketches. I came up with my design....