BeeKeepClub Resources and Guides for Beekeepers

Among the many predatory animals that are bad news for honeybees, bears rank quite high. Whether a grizzly or black bear, honeybees do not look forward to the day a bear visits their beehive. At best, the bear gets to the brood quickly and eats their fill and then leaves the beehive. In most cases however, a honeybee colony is lost when a bear attacks a beehive. While the bear eats honey, its main target is usually the larvae in the brood chambers. The high protein content of larvae and honeybee eggs makes them prime targets for bears. This article looks at how bears damage beehives and the honeybee colonies in them. It also shares tips on how to protect honeybees from bears.

Wax spur embedders are great for wiring frames. Wired beehive frames are part of both traditional and modern beekeeping. A wired frame is strong and keeps its foundation straight. Supported foundation is readily accepted by honeybees than other foundation. Let us look at the best wax spur embedders available right …

Beekeepers are faced with many choices about which beekeeping equipment to use. These decisions are best made with information and experience. One important decision is whether to practice the use of beehive foundation in beekeeping. Let us take a look at what beehive foundation is, its use in beekeeping and …

The Bee Smart 800 Ventilated Beekeeping Suit is carefully designed to keep bees away from beekeepers. It boasts three layer mesh ventilation to keep you cool under the suit. It features a removable round veil. Let’s check it out and see if it’s worth considering. About the Bee Smart 800 Ventilated …

The Forest Beekeeping Clear View Ventilated Jacket with Fencing Veil is lightweight and that gives you great protection from bee stings. Forest Beekeeping Supply has specialized in beekeeping protective wear. The company manufactures beekeeping suits, jackets and accessories such as gloves. The jacket is built for use by both professional …

Good hygiene is a key factor in beekeeping. In a beehive, the frames are one of the important items you should clean. Both experienced and beginner beekeepers need to know how to clean beehive frames. They can then reuse the frames in their beehives with little risk of spreading diseases and sure that they are controlling pests of honeybees. Some beehive frames are best destroyed by fire and other destruction methods. These are the frames that have contagious diseases of bee colonies such as foulbrood. It is especially important to clean beehive frames when moving them between honeybee colonies. Some colonies that appear healthy at first, may in fact harbor disease-causing organisms that can infect a weak colony. Do not put off cleaning beehive frames for any reason, especially if you plan to use them in another colony. It is great if you schedule and carry out beehive frame cleaning soon after harvesting honey. This gives your frames ample time to dry properly before the next use. You are also able to repair any damaged frames and replace those that cannot be reused; all this done in time before honey flow season.

Beekeepers are offered two types of frames - those made using wood and those made using plastic wooden. Wood is natural and has traditionally been used to make beehive frames. Advances and innovation in apiculture has led to the advent of plastic frames. You may use the two types of frames together or use only one type of frame. In this article we'll discuss the comparison of plastic beehive frames vs wood.

Langstroth beehives are synonymous with modern beekeeping. From the invention of the beehive, it has gripped the beekeeping industry like a giant. The iconic beehive provides a great home for honey bee colonies when built well. It is divided into the lower section, beehive boxes and the upper section. Langstroth beehives have several components that are held in it including beehive frames. This article guides you on how to make Langstroth beehive frames. The frames are held in beehive boxes that make up a beehive stack. We will look at deep beehive box frames, medium and shallow beehive box frames. The frames you make can be used in both 8-frame and 10-frame Langstroth beehive setups.

The deformed wing virus (DWV) is a viral infestation of the bee colony. It is also called the deformed wing disease and it affects honey bees worldwide. This virus presents multiple symptoms and deformities and is named after the most obvious one suffered by bees: wing deformation. This deformity is induced in the pupa stage of a honeybee’s lifecycle. Their wings become shrunken and deformed among other often visible developmental deformities. It has become a global crisis for the bees and also for us as humans, since our survival is tied to them.