Scientific Beekeeping News

Scientific Beekeeping Web News Feed

• An Experiment to Improve Pollen Sub: Part 2

  Beekeeper-Funded Research An Experiment to Improve Pollen Sub: Part 2 Randy Oliver ScientificBeekeeping.com First published in ABJ May 2020   In my last article I laid out the reason that I ran this experiment, and my two suspects for being the limiting nutrient in the artificial diet – the lack of an important sterol and/or a […]

  The post An Experiment to Improve Pollen Sub: Part 2 appeared first on Scientific Beekeeping.

• An Experiment to Improve Pollen Sub: Part 1

  Beekeeper-Funded Research An Experiment to Improve Pollen Sub: Part 1 Randy Oliver ScientificBeekeeping.com First published in ABJ April 2020   In my location, we may not see a drop of rain all summer long, so our colonies become pollen-starved. In order to prepare strong colonies for almond pollination, I used to move them to better forage […]

  The post An Experiment to Improve Pollen Sub: Part 1 appeared first on Scientific Beekeeping.

• Questions on Amitraz

  Questions on Amitraz Randy Oliver ScientificBeekeeping.com First published in ABJ March 2020 This past year, some beekeepers asked me a couple of questions about amitraz. So I ran some quick cage trials to obtain answers. The results surprised me. Amitraz is a highly-effective acaricide (something that kills mites and ticks), and is widely used by […]

  The post Questions on Amitraz appeared first on Scientific Beekeeping.

• First year beekeeping

  Updated 2 June 2020.  I continually update this page, so please refer to the current version.  For mite treatment options, search “Varroa Mite Management” Beekeeping in a Nutshell I’ve attempted to distill 50 year’s of beekeeping experience into a short set of instructions for starting out with bees in the Sierra Foothills.  This page provides […]

  The post First year beekeeping appeared first on Scientific Beekeeping.

• Fair demo cage

  The post Fair demo cage appeared first on Scientific Beekeeping.

• Nosema: Part 7C — The Prevention of Dysentery

  Contents Review.. 1 Balancing moisture elimination and heat loss. 2 Broodrearing in the winter cluster. 3 So let’s do the arithmetic!. 5 Practical applications. 5 Optimal Cluster size. 5 Winter stores ― honey and beebread. 8 Hive placement. 8 Hive insulation. 9 Hive ventilation. 10 Literature cited. 11 Nosema and Dysentery: 7c The Prevention of […]

  The post Nosema: Part 7C — The Prevention of Dysentery appeared first on Scientific Beekeeping.

• Nuc, package, and queen sales and pick up instructions

  Revised 16 January 2020 Now taking orders for 2020 Bee Sales by Golden West Apiaries We are a small short-staffed family business, not nearly as polished as the “big boys,” but we do proudly produce and sell top-quality nucs, and a limited number of packages and queens. Eric, Randy, and Ian CONTACT AND ORDERING Eric […]

  The post Nuc, package, and queen sales and pick up instructions appeared first on Scientific Beekeeping.

• Practical Beekeeping Management

  I find that many of the best management resources for professional beekeepers interested in best management practices for their managed livestock were written long ago, before all the hoopla about “The Decline of Bees.”  Those practices still apply — other than varroa mite, little has changed about beekeeping.  So the update is to keep varroa infestation […]

  The post Practical Beekeeping Management appeared first on Scientific Beekeeping.

• Overwintering of Honey Bee Colonies

  Overwintering of honey bee colonies This subject has long generated endless debate among beekeepers.  There are a few excellent resources by those who have collected hard data: Dr. Floyd Moeller was a USDA researcher who performed extensive field research to test various beekeeping management practices. This excellent publication covers practices to improve overwintering success, and […]

  The post Overwintering of Honey Bee Colonies appeared first on Scientific Beekeeping.

• The Causes of Dysentery in Honey Bees:  Part 2

  Contents The bees’ need for water. 1 Water and the winter cluster. 1 Water Balance. 2 Water homeostasis and buffering in the winter cluster. 3 Water in the gut. 3 Atmosphere and Humidity within the winter cluster. 3 Evaporation via respiration. 5 Defecation/Dysentery. 6 Literature cited. 8     Nosema and Dysentery: 7b The Causes […]

  The post The Causes of Dysentery in Honey Bees:  Part 2 appeared first on Scientific Beekeeping.