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Robbing
Anyone who has witnessed an epic battle between honey bees at the entrance to a beehive understands the seriousness: it is intense! What is happening, and why? What are consequences – to the attacker and to the attacked? Does this behavior require intervention from the beekeeper? Most environments will experience nectar dearths – times of…
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Bald Brood: Understanding the Problem and Solutions
Bald brood is a relatively common issue that impacts developing honey bee pupae. Beekeepers often observe linear rows of uncapped brood cells, with exposed larvae still developing inside. But what exactly causes this phenomenon, and how can beekeepers address it? Causes of Bald Brood Impact on Bees Differentiating Bald Brood from Hygienic Behavior Remember, maintaining healthy…
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Walk-Away Splits
Due to time limitations, it may be advantageous for a beekeeper to use the ‘walk-away’ split method as a swarm prevention method and/or for starting a new hive. I have found this method to be easy and mostly carefree. After describing the method and process to a friend, I began to wonder how I could…
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Preparing For Spring!
No matter the month, Oklahoma weather can be wacky! For example, as I write this post, it is the first of March and winter is slowly releasing its grip, making way for warmer temperatures. But, Spring has not yet “sprung”! As a reminder: last week we saw high temperatures in the mid-80s then a cold…
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An Apiaries Archive: The Importance of Keeping Records
After reading a blog article from Bee Informed Partnership titled “Committing to Keeping Better Records”, I was reminded of the importance for keeping a record of activities in my apiary. The author reminds us that record keeping is an essential part of beekeeping as it allows us to more accurately track our beehives and colonies.…
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Beehive Sensors: An Overview of Current “Smart Hive” Technology
For years I have been curious about how sensors placed in beehives could provide a beekeeper with more information about how their colonies live and behave to both internal and external factors. Think: genius hive! [1] In general, sensors can collect information, communicate information or can both collect and share information. The Internet of Things…
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Beekeeping Calendar
A beekeeping calendar provides the beekeeper with a planning and information tool: activities to consider in an effort to maintain a thriving apiary and when to watch for pests and diseases plus blooming plants and trees. Those of us lucky enough to live in Oklahoma understand our weather is another factor that must be considered:…
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Winterizing Your Beehive
Preparation for winter (“overwintering“) and winter management is critical to the survival of honey bee colonies. As a beekeeper, your apiary management strategy should be to help bees stay healthy, lessen the burden of winter feeding and reduce winter losses. The best-managed hives are ready for winter well ahead of the first frost in fall.…