I love honeybee crafts of all kinds, but typically beehive crafts look more like Winnie The Pooh beehives hanging from trees. These really look more like paper wasp nests if you think about it, and…
If you have a bee colony, you are naturally invested in those bees’ health and vigor — I can tell you from experience that it’s very disheartening to go out to your bee hive for an inspection only to find they are in poor health, dying, or have outright absconded. So, one might think, “It’s a good thing to give my bees sugar water — my hummingbirds love it!” And one would sort of be correct. But here’s the thing — bees are different, and so their care must reflect that. There are a few reasons why you’d want to supplement their food source with sugar water, but it’s important to know what those are, when it’s a good time to feed them, and how you should feed them. When Sugar Water is Good for Bees Hint: The answer is not, “whenever you feel like it” or “because it seems like a good idea.” You know how, when you’re pruning a tree, you always prune with a purpose and a goal in mind? The same is true for feeding your bees. And above all, do not believe posts on social media urging you to put out bowls of sugar water or syrup on your patio or in your garden (we’ll get to that in a minute, but trust me, it’s a bad idea). So under what conditions is it recommended to feed your bees? When you get a new colony of bees and they need a little help to get going — there’s no stored food in their hive yet, so giving them some sugar syrup can be a good thing. When it’s the middle of the winter and the bees don’t have enough stored food in their hive — and there are no flowers around to feed them. Bees that run out of food can die within a few days, and it’s up to you to monitor the situation to avoid this happening. How You Should Feed Them Back to the social media posts about putting out bowls of sugar water or spoon feeding syrup to exhausted bees — don’t believe everything you read online, because in this case, it can do much more harm than good. Why? Bees that have access to sugar syrup won’t forage for nectar in flowers — they’ll take the path of least resistance. It’s almost never necessary (apart from the reasons above) to feed them. If a bee looks exhausted, there’s a high likelihood it’s simply at the end of its lifecycle. Feeding it sugar syrup on a spoon won’t change that outcome. Putting sugar syrup out in the open doesn’t only feed your bees, it feeds bees from other hives. Then they all go back home and bring their friends back for the free meal, and now you’ve got lots of bees on your back patio. No, thank you! Bees take the sugar syrup back to the hive and store it with their honey, effectively watering down the honey. Nobody wants watered down honey, neither the bees or you. So, how should you feed them (if you determined that it’s necessary, of course)? Place it in the hive, and do it in the evening when the bees are calm. If you’re not a beekeeper, then your takeaway here is, “Don’t feed the bees sugar syrup.” Back away from the sugar syrup, friends — it’s not necessary! ...But I’m Worried About Declining Bee Populations! I know you are, but here’s the thing — the honeybee population is actually not declining, it’s slightly rising. While it’s a bit of a complicated issue, the phrase “colony collapse disorder” or CCD has been used incorrectly to describe the death of some bee populations by, say, infestations of mites or other health challenges. CCD has not been a huge issue in the bee world since 2011. So, right now the bees are just fine. But if you’d like to do your part to keep them healthy and make sure they have plenty to eat, first — thank you! Share The Garden Love
Most urban beekeeping kits will feature a Langstroth hive. Langstroth hives are the most commonly used type of beehive today.
With growing concern over the declining population of pollinators, it’s nice to know which veggies are self pollinating plants and which ones rely exclusively on wind or insect pollinators. Most of us are familiar with the role that pollinators like bees, wasps, and other bugs have in the process of pollination. Pollination refers to the...
There are many steps gardeners can take to improve the habitat for bees. Here's how to attract them to your garden.
In this series, backyard beekeeping for beginners, I hope to share some important things to think about before beginning the journey of keeping bees.
Here is one of those tasks that I have always delegated to the hubby on the homestead, but this year I decided to join in the fun. As a result, I have finally learnt how to extract honey from beehive frames. For some strange reason, I always thought it was more complicated than it turned
It can be very confusing…
Pollinators—the wildlife that shuffle pollen between flowers—are being decimated. But they may still thrive with enough help from urban humans.
Bee balm (Monarda), is also known as Oswego tea, horsemint, and bergamot. It’s a member of the mint family (Lamiaceae) and a versatile perennial plant. The plant attracts pollinators, and is a good addition to homemade potpourris and lotions. Bee balm flowers are so captivating that they add color and beauty to any garden. Native […]
Build learning & a love of bees with kid-friendly facts about bumblebees, honeybees, bee conservation, and more. | 2 Bee Facts for Kids PDFs
Bee propolis is a valuable product from the beehive. Learn how beekeepers can harvest propolis for personal use or to sell for extra income.
We talked with Erika Thompson of Texas Bee Works about her weirdest bee removal this year and how working with bees has changed the way she eats.
Infographic: Bee products are amongst the most highly coveted natural health products.
Bee propolis is a valuable product from the beehive. Learn how beekeepers can harvest propolis for personal use or to sell for extra income.
Most bees have no way to combat varroa mites, and that's where you as the beekeeper need to take a hand. Defend your bees through a combination of controls.
I am so excited to finally release A Years Journey In Beekeeping: The Beekeepers Calendar! You'll find 37 pages filled with detailed information to help make this the best beekeeping season yet.
It's the superfood you've been overlooking.
If you study a honeycomb, you'll notice that it's composed solely of hexagonal designs in wax. Why, of all the possible shapes, why do bees prefer them?
Beekeeping. With the rapid decline of bee populations, many are jumping into the world of beekeeping. Ponder these 15 important considerations.
How does one become a beekeeper? There are many ways to start beekeeping, however, by taking certain steps ahead of time you'll maximize your success, save money, and have more fun!
More than 1/3 of the global food supply depends on pollinators
In this series, backyard beekeeping for beginners, I hope to share some important things to think about before beginning the journey of keeping bees.
Discover why encouraging bees to make honeycomb is crucial for both colony vitality and successful honey harvests.
Don't want to spend a ton of money on getting bees? I can tell you how to get free bees! I let you in on a secret- it's swarms!
Explore the different types of bees, their unique traits, and fascinating facts. Enhance your vocabulary and knowledge about these essential insects.
This fascinating hobby not only rewards you with honey, it's beneficial to the environment, too. Here's how to start and maintain your own bee colony.
Have you ever thought about ways that you can make yourself more self-sufficient? Well if you haven’t, then you definitely should. There are a number of
Learn how to grow, harvest, and dry bee balm (wild bergamot), plus 8 creative ways to use it!
Learn how to identify the different types of bee brood in a beehive. This helps beekeepers evaluate the status of the colony.
Owning bees: 7 things to consider and two things you need adequate of before owning bees. Here is the "class schedule" for beekeepers.
Learn fun facts about different types of bees on The Good and the Beautiful blog. Explore honeybees, bumblebees, and more.
https://vimeo.com/569512038/1a290a6680 Bees are essential to keep our ecosystem running as we know it, these master pollinators play a huge role in supporting the growth of trees, flowers, and other plants that serve as food + shelter for all living beings. They contribute to complex, interconnected ecosystems that allow a diverse number of different species to
If you are a gardener by hobby and a nature enthusiast by heart, chances are that you are already familiar with the concept of insect hotels (also known as bee hotels). Offering a sanctuary to bene…
Hive frame sterilisation, with a boiling solution of cleaning soda, is simple and effective for the small-scale beekeeper.
Need to feed your honey bees? This guide will help you choose the correct syrup, how to mix it and how to feed it to your colonies!
Some fruits and vegetables require pollination by insects in order to produce. Others do not. Find out which veggies don't need pollinators plus related tips.
