A honeybee colony is a remarkable example of organization and efficiency. Tens of thousands of bees live and work together as a self-sustaining community, with each bee performing specialized duties that support the survival of the colony. One of their most important responsibilities is constructing honeycomb. Although bees instinctively build comb on their own, beekeepers can take several steps to encourage faster comb production. This article explores practical ways to help honeybees build comb more […]

Brace comb is one of the many types of comb (see bridge comb, cross comb) that is built in places beekeepers do not expect or want honeycomb to be built by honey bees. As its name suggests, brace comb is drawn by honey bees in beehives to support regular honeycomb from falling. It usually attaches to the sides of the beehive.

Brace comb can be built in any type of beehive but is usually more common in top bar and Warré hives. This is because Langstroth beehives have beehive frames whose sides present a barrier between honeycombs and brace comb that bees might draw. In Warré and top bar hives, there are no frames used, and so bees find it easy to draw comb onto the sides of the beehive.

Comb in unwanted places in a beehive is not entirely unusual in beekeeping. It is more of a norm than the exception. Every beekeeper encounters such honeycomb in beekeeping. Vigilance against unwanted comb is the best respite, you want to see it early and take care of it before it gets out of hand. In this article, we’ll discuss how you can deal with brace comb.

Honey bees naturally build honeycomb both inside managed hives and in the wild. Under normal conditions, comb is constructed in straight, vertical sheets that maintain a consistent width. Occasionally, however, bees build comb that extends sideways and connects two or more frames instead of remaining within a single frame. This type of irregular comb is known as bridge comb. Beekeepers may also encounter comb built in other unintended locations within the hive. Along with brace […]

Any beekeeper, especially a beginner, hopes to avoid finding burr comb in a beehive. Burr comb develops when the gaps between frames are larger than the proper bee space. Frames should be evenly spaced, with enough room for bees to move freely between the combs and other parts of the hive. If the spacing is either too wide or too narrow, the bees will respond by altering the space to suit their needs. Burr comb […]

Cross comb is honeycomb that honey bees build between two adjacent beehive frames instead of keeping it within a single frame. It develops when bees extend comb sideways until it reaches and attaches to the neighboring frame, causing the comb on both frames to become joined. As one of the most common forms of misplaced comb, cross comb can interfere with normal hive management if it is allowed to develop. Honey bees construct honeycomb primarily […]

Beekeeping faces threats from many pests, diseases, and predators. Beehives made of wood face threats from termites. Protecting beehives from termites reduces the operating cost of beekeeping, leading to higher earnings. Beekeeping is a popular commercial activity in the United States and many other places worldwide. Termites are one of the major pests identified as affecting beekeeping. Beekeepers need not worry however, as there are various simple methods to prevent termites from attacking wooden beehives.

The task of disposing of a beehive is never an easy one given the fact that honeybees easily respond aggressively to any kind of intrusion. It is therefore wise to contact a professional if you are in doubt about how best to do it. The work requires the necessary equipment backed with know-how and experience. This makes it possible to dispose of the hive without harming the honeybees. Any beekeeper can however do this if trained on how to do it. We shall cover the safe ways of disposing of beehives. We however recommend that bees be left alone if they have not caused any trouble.

Keeping honeybee colonies for any purpose requires that you check on them and ensure they are doing well. This is called beehive maintenance in beekeeping. It is necessary in all beekeeping operations including in conservation beekeeping. Proper beehive maintenance enables the best health of honeybee colonies. It also promotes better production rates of the beekeeping operation. Maintenance practices vary widely from hygiene practices to those about the structural integrity of beehives. Both beginner and experienced beekeepers can perform proper beehive maintenance. In this beehive maintenance guide for beginners and experts, we outline the various activities you should carry out and their benefits too.

Whether commercial or just a hobby, beekeeping is a considerable investment of both time and money, and as with all considerable investments, you must put measures in place to protect it. Beekeepers the world over have experienced beehive theft either in part or in whole. As such, they must take measures to protect their valuable investment. Beekeepers that practice beehive theft prevention and security use a combination of measures to keep their hives safe. In a beehive, the most valuable items that are usually stolen are the bee colony itself and honey (thieves will take the frames and extract the honey from it). Beeswax and other accessories are of lesser monetary value. Thieves who have stolen beehives often sell the accessories to increase their income from each stolen beehive.

Beehives are increasing in value due to rises in the demand for honey. As a result, thieves will steal beehives to resell them later, after often repainting them. The impact of stolen beehives on a beekeeper includes financial and emotional loss. The image of the beekeeper also gets a beating.

It is important to keep in mind that beehive thieves are not average persons. They are people with beekeeping knowledge. Often, they will be intermediate or professional beekeepers. Additionally, a beehive thief often requires having a mode of transport nearby to use in carrying away heavy beehive boxes. Sometimes, beehive theft is an inside job. It is done by employees, or friends and relatives of employees. The employee in question may be current or former.

Maintaining hygiene in the beehive contributes greatly to having a honeybee colony that is healthy and productive. Hygiene prevents occurrence of diseases that affect honeybees. In a beekeeping operation, there are many aspects of hygiene. They encompass apiary hygiene, beehive hygiene, and the general hygiene of your beekeeping operation.

Honeybees clean their beehive or seal up unwanted materials in propolis and resins. Sometimes, however, you need to help the bees maintain the best hygiene levels in the beehive. Beehive hygiene is largely about cleanliness, and the environmental conditions inside the beehive. Here is all the information you need, and useful tips about maintaining hygiene in the beehive.