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Education: Meet The Colony

Education: Meet The Colony

Honey bees live together as a colony. Every colony is made of two female castes and one male. In the spring, a 3 lbs. package of honey bees (about 10,000) will be installed. A colony’s peak population will be reached in …
7 years ago
A Friendly Introduction

A Friendly Introduction

“I’m going on an adventure!” -Bilbo Baggins, The Hobbit: An Unexpected JourneyI’ll admit that I’ve been looking for an excuse to use that Bilbo Baggins quote for a long time. However, it actually does feel like it fits …
Mann Lake 7 years ago
Why Did My Bees Die?

Why Did My Bees Die?

Discovering a lifeless hive after the winter season can be an emotional blow for beekeepers. Understanding the reasons behind such a loss is a crucial step in effectively managing bees and improving the hive's survival c…
Mann Lake 7 years ago
Thinking About Keeping Bees? Part 2: Varieties, Where to Put Them, and How to Get Them

Thinking About Keeping Bees? Part 2: Varieties, Where to Put Them, and How to Get Them

In Part 1 of our series, we covered some initial beekeeping considerations and outlined costs and time factors.We also made these assumptions for this series of articles, and they continue. They are:Assumption 1: You wi…
Mann Lake 7 years ago
Does Reversing Hive Bodies in The Spring Prevent Swarming?

Does Reversing Hive Bodies in The Spring Prevent Swarming?

BY DENNIS BROWN, LONE STAR FARMS, WWW.LONESTARFARMS.NET, AUTHOR OF “BEEKEEPING: A PERSONAL JOURNEY” AND “BEEKEEPING: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS”I’m often asked if it does any good to reverse your hive bodies in the spring? Th…
Mann Lake 7 years ago
How To Cross Wire Foundation
Beekeeping Cross Wire Foundation Cross Wiring Foundation

How To Cross Wire Foundation

Cross wiring foundation is a good practice for wax foundation. It keeps the foundation straight for the bees to build comb on and provides strength and stability. At first, cross wiring can be a daunting task, however af…
Mann Lake 8 years ago
Winter Ventilation

Winter Ventilation

By Charlotte HubbardLike many women, I have trouble keeping warm. I also live in Michigan, where most people have trouble keeping warm at least a few months out of the year.Unfortunately, that meant I overreacted the fir…
Charlotte Hubbard 8 years ago
Storing Supers for the Season

Storing Supers for the Season

If it was a good year, you pulled honey. Perhaps you pulled early summer, and the honey supers went back on the hive for refilling. Or maybe it wasn’t until the end of the season that you removed supers, and they weren’t…
Mann Lake 8 years ago
How Much Land to Feed One Bee Colony?

How Much Land to Feed One Bee Colony?

Conventional wisdom suggests that to nourish one colony of honey bees, it takes one acre of blossoming trees, shrubs, or flowers to thrive. To promote the growth of healthy colonies, you should plan to have at least 2…
Mann Lake 8 years ago