29/11/2023
The public has played an important role in the eradication of the Yellow-legged Hornet from Georgia.
We want to remind you to report suspected sightings to us via the online form ⬇️
https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/7b8255c0dbbd41daadd269d0ae2eb36a
01/04/2023
It’s time again to rally and support the beekeeping community! We formally request the help of every beekeeper: you, your neighbors, your bee club, and all the beekeepers you know.
The survey is open and accepting responses from April 1st to April 30th, 2023. Please take a moment to submit your response to help us continue to inform beekeepers, researchers, policymakers, and the greater public about the impacts on honey bee colony health.
Visit beeinformed.org to join the effort, learn more, and take the survey!
We rely on word of mouth to reach as many beekeepers as possible. Please share this survey announcement far and wide with your beekeeping friends and local club members!
https://beeinformed.org/take-survey/
Bee Informed Partnership Loss and Management Survey – Bee Informed Partnership
Bee Informed Partnership Loss and Management Survey The 2022-2023 Loss and Management Survey is live (April 1st to April 30th)! link below 2023 Special Management Focus: Pest Management In response to beekeeper feedback, we shortened the management section by focusing on a main management topic e...
14/03/2023
Expect many swarms this year. After about 12 weeks of continuous nectar flow most colonies are very strong and preparing to swarm. I'm making swarm prevention splits as needed.
I caught this swarm on Saturday.
14/12/2022
A book for the beekeeper that is still mastering the art of finding a queen honey bee.
QueenSpotting: Meet the Remarkable Queen Bee and Discover the Drama at the Heart of the Hive; Includes 48 Queenspotting Challenges
QueenSpotting: Meet the Remarkable Queen Bee and Discover the Drama at the Heart of the Hive; Includes 48 Queenspotting Challenges
08/12/2022
Today is the Feast Day of Saint Ambrose in the Catholic Church. He is the Patron Saint of honey bees, mead makers, and beekeepers.
It is said that his father found an infant Saint Ambrose with a swarm of bees on his face.
A bishop and educator, he was known to speak with the eloquence of a “honeyed tongue”. Saint Ambrose is usually depicted with a bee hive.
Ambrosia is another name used for bee bread, which is the combination of fermented pollen and nectar found in the honey comb. It is used as the main source of nutrition in the hive. Ambrosia received its name from Saint Ambrose.
-Queen Lucy
05/12/2022
There are more honey bee colonies in the United States now compared to the first decade of this century. The honey bee does not need to be saved...
15/06/2022
Yesterday I configured this hive for grafting today. The workers are festooning in the empty area where the frame of queen cups will go.
01/06/2022
Store your extra honey in the freezer.
"Cold honey degrades slower than warm honey and freezing temperatures are actually your best defense against deterioration."
Processing Honey: A Closer Look | Bee Culture
March 27, 2018 Processing Honey: A Closer Look By: Bob Binnie The debate on what constitutes good food seems to be endless. Diets abound with notions that are as varied as the people expounding their virtues. This has put honey on some food hit lists being described as “just another sugar.” Noth...
20/03/2022
DO YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BEEKEEPING?
This marks the 30th year of the Young Harris College / University of Georgia Beekeeping Institute and the best part, we will be meeting in person at Young Harris College! Below is the link to our fabulous program with over over 90 bee related lectures and workshops, improved honey show with $1000 in cash prizes, local and national vendors, training and certification for the Georgia Master Beekeeping Program, Welsh Honey Judge, and the newly added Honey Bee Control and Removal Operator. This year will also include a Thursday cake and ice-cream anniversary gathering, along with a Friday night social and dinner, with live music and awards, so bring your dancing shoes. Registration will be hopefully open on Tuesday, March 22, 2022, but check out our program for now! We look forward to seeing you this May!
Click below for the website and view the program.
https://bees.caes.uga.edu/yhc-uga-beekeeping-institute.html
Young Harris Institute | Honey Bee Program
11/03/2022
Patience New Beekeeper
Three weeks ago, I found a hive with no brood. There were plenty of workers but no brood. I was patient and let them raise a queen.
Yesterday I inspected again and found multiple frames of uncapped brood.
I found a colony yesterday with a few uncapped queen cells. After the cold snap, I’ll make up some splits with the queen cells.
05/03/2022
I have swarm traps up waiting for swarms to move in.
I could put a sign out front of them.
Apartment available, free rent, furnished, move in today.
04/03/2022
In fishing - big bait = big fish
In beekeeping - big brood nest = big honey harvest
I have inspected all my hives for a second time. They vary from weak to very strong. One double deep colony had ten deep frames of brood. All the brood frames were moved to the bottom deep.
I have added empty drawn comb as needed to give them more room to store nectar and for the queen to lay.
(CAUTION) With warmer weather and larger population of workers, I can do this in March in the Piedmont of Georgia. In February this could damage the colony significantly.
I am moving brood to one super and then placing that super on the bottom board. For example, I find seven shallow frames of brood in the two supers above the deep super. I put all the brood frames in the middle of one super and placed that shallow super on the bottom board. The deep super with brood frames goes on top of the shallow super. I can open up the brood nest in the deep because the heat from below will keep the brood in the deep warm.
What is opening up the brood nest? Placing frames of empty drawn comb in-between frames of brood. The queen has more cells to lay in making a larger population and helping to prevent swarming. It is more difficult for the workers to backfill the brood nest.
Strong colonies are storing nectar in empty drawn comb, which the colony needs prior to swarming. After a swarm leaves a colony there are only a few foragers for about a month. The colony needs the stored nectar to survive.
There are exceptions but most colonies will not make beeswax and new comb for about a month.
The warm temperatures will end next weekend with below freezing lows Sunday morning March 13th. Daylight saving time starts on the 13th.
I expect to hear of swarms in the area any day now.
We are about three weeks from the start of the main nectar flow.
06/02/2022
Do you want to learn more about beekeeping?
2022 Young Harris Beekeeping Institute registration will open soon!
It’s our goal to bring the best beekeeping educators and scientists in the English-speaking world for our participants. Each year we strive to present an educational event that meets the needs of everyone, whether an experienced beekeeper or a new beginner. The result is quite simply one of the best beekeeping educational events in North America.
https://bees.caes.uga.edu/yhc-uga-beekeeping-institute.html
Young Harris Institute | Honey Bee Program
25/01/2022
I inspected some of my hives today. I found a dead colony. I'll reuse the frames of drawn comb in other hives. Some of the hives had 5 deep frames of brood, some had less. I'll be returning tomorrow to feed five hives using the mountain camp method. It's a little too chilly for syrup.
I set up my solar wax melter today. The sun was strong enough to make a little wax.
20/01/2022
A photo of 32 oz GLASS jar full of honey frozen for three months at zero Fahrenheit. The glass did not break.
I have not opened it so I don't know if it is very thick or solid.
It's part of a long-term experiment to determine if freezing honey suspends crystallization. To put it another way. If the honey would crystalize in 12 months when it goes into the freeze, will it take 12 months to crystalize after removal from the freezer?
17/01/2022
Do you want to learn? Spend the day in Macon on February 19, 2022, starting at 9:00 AM at the Georgia Beekeepers meeting.
Click on the link to register.
https://gba17.wildapricot.org/event-4617168
Georgia Beekeepers Association - GBA Spring 2022 Conference
You'll see on the left side of the page a column entitled "Base fee." In that column choose the option that fits your situation (GBA Member, Nonmember, etc). Click on your registration type. Then scroll down to the bottom of that column and choose REGISTER to begin the registration process.