Contributed by Dr. Dewey Caron May and Memorial Day bracket this busy bee month. I start analyzing the pnwhoneybeesurvey responses this month, including those from SOBA members. Results will be posted as soon as I can get them gathered and analyzed. Thanks to all Southern Oregon beekeepers who filled in […]
Now that you’ve installed your NUC into a nest box, what comes next? When and how do you do your first inspection? It’s best to leave the bees alone for at least 2 weeks after installation, except to add more syrup as necessary. I prefer using jar feeders above the […]
RoundUp has been in the news quite a lot lately – and the news is alarming. RoundUp has been declared a probable carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), an arm of the World Health Organisation (WHO). (news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/04/150422-glyphosate-roundup-herbicide-weeds/) Retail stores across Europe are taking glyphosate – the main ingredient of Monsanto’s […]
Peter Lindtner’s book Garden Plants for Honey Bees provides a beautiful guide to improving bee forage in your garden. He has a list of plants suitable for hobby beekeepers with 1-3 colonies and only 1/4 acre garden. Here is the list – with permission from the author: Suggested Bee Pasture
Contributed by Marianne Heater We are getting our annual fake out February here in Southern Oregon and my beehives are coming alive. Bees are out foraging on alder, hawthorne, early blooming rosemary and crocus. They are busy bringing in pollen that is creamy yellow in color as well as gray […]
Contributed by Ellen Wright Fencing is an important part of creating an apiary if you share your yard with bears. It is expensive and disheartening to have your apiary destroyed by one. You can build an electric bear fence using a solar charger that delivers an annoying but safe shock. The key is […]
When purchasing hive components, be aware that there can be differences in the dimensions of the boxes from different manufacturers. It is best to check with the supplier to make sure the boxes are compatible with your existing equipment.
What hive components should you have ready for your first bees? Well, as in everything that has to do with keeping bees, there is no ‘right’ answer. All beekeeping is local, and the configuration described here is suited to backyard beekeepers in southern Oregon, where we have hot dry summers […]
The slatted rack is used for better overwintering and for swarm control. It is considered an essential hive component by some beekeepers. The slatted rack is placed between the screened bottom board and the bottom hive body.
After the daytime temperatures fall below about 60 degrees it’s time to stop using a liquid syrup to feed the bees, and to remove any remaining pollen patties from the hive. In our area that generally means early October. Bees don’t take up syrup when it is below 50 degrees, and […]
Contributed by Dewey M. Caron In 2015, I surveyed 250 Oregon backyard beekeepers during April asking about overwintering losses, colony feeding, sanitation and varroa control efforts (The 2015 survey questions are posted on the website pnwhoneybeesurvey.com/annual-surveys/). Loss levels statewide were 27% for both 8-and 10-frame Langstroth hive beekeepers, double that number for […]
Type Latin Name Common Name Drought Tolerant Deer Resistant Perennial Aster amellus Michaelmas Daisy/Purple Aster Teucrium chamaedrys Wall Germander X Echinacea purpurea Coneflower Gaillardia aristata e.g. Arizona Sun Eutrochium purpureum Joe-Pye Weed Rudbeckia hirta Black-eyed Susan Achillea millefolium Yarrow X Eschscholzia californica CA Poppy […]
