How To Handle Swarm Season
Three swarms last year You could write a book on the subject of ‘how to handle swarm season’, and several people have. In the one thousand or so words allotted to this blog post, I shall therefore have to miss…
Tag: Swarm prevention
The ever popular Demaree method revisited
George Demaree One of my most-read articles concerns a form of swarm prevention that first saw light 131 years ago in the American Bee Journal. I’m not convinced that mine is even a good article, but anything to do with…
Swarm Prevention And Honey
The Mole and The Walrus After three days in a row of beekeeping, I found myself having a 'power nap'. It's hard work after a winter of inactivity. My son, the mole, has been my superstar assistant, which is remarkable…
Achieve More For Less
Barrels of honey at Olivarez Honey Bees, Orland, California Beekeepers invest a considerable amount of money in their equipment. Hives, frames, foundation, bee suits, smokers, extractors, warming cabinets, mating nucs and so on, ad nauseam, all add up to a…
Let’s Talk About Swarms
They can't possibly be my bees! I've written about swarming quite a bit in the past. I'm not sure how many people who read my stuff are beginners, but I'm going to assume it's not the majority. You probably all…
Demaree
Demaree Method Many very experienced beekeepers in the UK advocate using the Demaree Method of swarm prevention for people with a small number of hives. George Demaree (1832–1915) from Kentucky first published his approach in an article in the American…
How to stop Swarming
Walrus and honeybees How to stop swarming? Answer: you can't! At least not completely. However, beekeepers have to try to stop their bees swarming. If you lose swarms, you will not make as much honey as you could do. You…
The Eternal Question
2013 Swarm How to prevent swarming? I previously wrote about some potential factors involved in the swarming of honey bees and why swarm prevention and control are so important for the beekeeper. The idea that we can prevent swarms is…