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FISometimes the best advice is to ignore advice. 🐝
I know there are super experienced and knowledgeable apiasts out there who know way more than I do about keeping honeybees. BUT, I’ve been studying my hives, tracking their habits, and making changes based on that….and it’s led to a 100% survival rate this year. And it was insanely cold—a really tough one.
Hive inspections are often more for the keepers than the bees. Bees don’t like interference. It sets them back days when you open boxes, break comb, and disturb the tidiness and workflow. You also always kill a few bees in the process which is super sad so the more you can avoid that the better!
You can tell a lot about bee activity from observing the entrance of the hive. If they’re sick, you’ll notice. If you suspect swarm activity, you can prepare to try to catch them and make a new hive when they do—or set up pheromones in a new box to attract them there. Or… let them go! I don’t fear swarms, but allow them to happen to continue the spread of strong genetics.
Honeybees absolutely need to be treated for mites, but I use apivar strips twice per year for that which are minimally invasive.
Bees also will eat sugar but that’s not a healthy alternative to honey. Sugar syrup isn’t antimicrobial or healing. If it’s a new hive, I’ll give them a little spring syrup to help them draw out comb, but that’s the only time I do. Would you survive the winter better in bags of chips or Whole Foods? That’s how I look at it.
I’ve had better luck by listening to my bees about where they want to be in the hive. They don’t like the bottom box. They want to be in attic space that stays warm.
I truly keep bees because I find them fascinating and love the symbiosis between a group of hard working women and my garden. Honey is just a bonus, and I always leave way more than they need because I also suspect it helps insulate the hive and reduce energy waste during cold months.
What works in your garden that isn’t recommended? Gardening and beekeeping are ever evolving, so it’s important to listen to natural cues instead of always defaulting to the internet.
#honeybees #beekeeping #apiary #cottagegarden #organicgarden
@figmentcottagegardens
