JC's Bee Blog

This is a homemade version of Honey B Healthy which is much cheaper to make than to buy. It is added to the bees feed to encourage feeding. However studies show it can increase robbing because surrounding bees are attracted by the smell. I recommend when using to not have hives open any longer than necessary.  *  5 cups water *  2 1/2 pounds of sugar *  1/8 teaspoon lecithin granules (used as emulsifier) *  15 drops spearmint oil *  15 drops lemongrass oil Bring water to a boil and mix in sugar until dissolved. Once dissolved remove from heat. Then immediately add lecithin and essential oils. Stirring until everything is well mixed. The aroma is very strong and and will attract bees. Use caution to not leave container open around bees. Let cool before use. After cooling store in a mason jar. To use add 4 teaspoons per gallon of 1:1 sugar syrup. 

                          Please check back!!

This queen rearing calendar has a feature that most do not. It's self generating! You simply enter your planned grafting date and the calendar lays out the dates with all the steps. It's easy. The calendar is setup for using a cell starter but gives you lots of information regardless the method used to raise your queens. Download yours and give it a try. Download Now!

Are you ready to upgrade your bee hive entrance reducers?  Well I created this pattern for anyone how wants to make their own. All you'll need is a few tools and some kind of material to make the disc from. 1/4" plywood works good or some plastic sheeting. TIP: After cutting out your disc several can be drilled at once by stacking them to save time.    Free Download  

If you decide to build your own equipment Pine is commonly used. Just make sure you paint them with a good exterior paint. Or you can stain them and use a exterior polyurethane. Just keep in mind exterior paints hold up better than exterior polyurethanes.    Cypress and Cedar lumber are great exterior lumbers but you pay a little more for them. Avoid using heavy dense lumber like Oak. They may seem like a good idea until you have to carry/ lift them very much. Let the bees add the weight to the boxes.. (To print right click on image and select PRINT)

If you have kept bees for very long than you know about the Varroa mite. This pest returns to the hive on foraging bees that are working the flowers. To give you an idea of the size comparison if we were the bee the mite would be the size of a rabbit. Now think some bees have several mites on them. After it gets it's free ride into the hive it's goal is to enter into the cell with a young egg of a honeybee preferably a drone egg. This is where it will feed and lay eggs over the next few days. So by it feeding on the bees it weakens them infesting them with pathogens and viruses. Which completely destroys the colony especially during winter months. To better understand the Varroa Mites life cycle click here The best option if I were to choose is to raise bees that have good hygienic behavior. These bees would manage the mites themselves by keeping each other clean and removing infected brood. But this is not always an option.  No one likes to use strong chemicals in their hive o...

        TO PRINT RIGHT CLICK ON DOCUMENT IMAGE THEN SELECT PRINT Have you used this treatment before? I have used it a few times now and have been very happy with the results. Did you know it's been approved as organic?