Alt: Gardening: Bees

See this at: beemaster.com| Added on 07/10/08

Over 250 pages and 1350 photos So please look around . | Beemaster's Cookbook Forum Returning with a complete new forum engine, secure and jam packed with hundreds of recipes and growing - our International Cookbook Forum will temp you with... See more

Over 250 pages and 1350 photos So please look around . | Beemaster's Cookbook Forum Returning with a complete new forum engine, secure and jam packed with hundreds of recipes and growing - our International Cookbook Forum will temp you with everything imaginable treat from appetizer to complete dinners and everything in between. Our forum is designed for you to add all your own wonderful recipes to share with our World Wide Audience. You will find recipes from the finest restaurants to the oldest family treasures passed on from Mom to Daughter for generations. Don't miss this fully moderated and easy to use recipe site - you will not go hungry with this collection - ever! See less

See this at: biobees.com| Added on 07/10/08

This site is about sustainable, chemical-free, small-scale, 'organic' beekeeping, using simple equipment that almost anyone can make at home. If you have not yet heard of 'top bar hives', then this is a place to learn about them. Be sure to join our... See more

This site is about sustainable, chemical-free, small-scale, 'organic' beekeeping, using simple equipment that almost anyone can make at home. If you have not yet heard of 'top bar hives', then this is a place to learn about them. Be sure to join our beekeeping forum to share low-impact beekeeping information from around the world. See less

See this at: beesource.com| Added on 07/10/08

Welcome to the Beesource Beekeeping Forums. | If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,... See more

Welcome to the Beesource Beekeeping Forums. | If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. See less

See this at: beesfordevelopment.o...| Added on 08/20/08

Beekeepers often feed sugar to bees before or during dearth periods. In temperate regions, the dearth period is winter, when temperatures fall to 0°C or below. However, in the tropics dearth periods occur either during dry periods or prolonged rainy... See more

Beekeepers often feed sugar to bees before or during dearth periods. In temperate regions, the dearth period is winter, when temperatures fall to 0°C or below. However, in the tropics dearth periods occur either during dry periods or prolonged rainy periods. The dearth period is a time of lower activity, when few or no bee plants are in flower. During this time tropical bee colonies might migrate or abscond from the hive in search of sites with better conditions for survival. That means a big loss of colonies might occur. One way to stop this is to feed the bees with sugar syrup. Sugar is used as the best substitute material for nectar although some other feeds with high sugar contents can also be used. These include date fruits, sweet bananas and sugar cane juice. In temperate regions there are various techniques for feeding sugar to bees. The purpose of our project has been to develop a feeding technique appropriate for the kind of top-bar hives and bees used in Tanzania. The choice... See less

See this at: biobees.com| Added on 05/09/08

* Free introduction to The Barefoot Beekeeper Free download from Lulu.com * Free introduction to Top Bar Beekeeping Article by Phil Chandler * Beekeeping For All David Heaf's translation into English of Abbé Warré's classic book on the vertical top... See more

* Free introduction to The Barefoot Beekeeper Free download from Lulu.com * Free introduction to Top Bar Beekeeping Article by Phil Chandler * Beekeeping For All David Heaf's translation into English of Abbé Warré's classic book on the vertical top bar hive. * Hive Temperatures - W E Dunham Observations from the Department of Zoology and Entomology, Ohio State University, Columbus, 1926 * Beekeeping: Natural, Simple and Ecological Translated by David Heaf from Bienenzucht. Naturgerecht einfach und erfolgsicher by Johann Thür * Natural Cell Size Shows how cell size has/has not changed over the last 100 years or so. Translated by David Heaf from the original German article Natürliche Zellgröße by Eric Zeissloff See less

See this at: outdoorplace.org| Added on 05/09/08

The comb in top bar hives is more fragile than in standard hives, because it doesn't have wooden frames surrounding the comb. Care must be taken not to turn the comb sideways. The comb must be handled in ways that use the comb's own geometric... See more

The comb in top bar hives is more fragile than in standard hives, because it doesn't have wooden frames surrounding the comb. Care must be taken not to turn the comb sideways. The comb must be handled in ways that use the comb's own geometric strength to advantage. It can even be turned upside down. Practice makes for good handling! Extracting honey from a top bar hive is done by cutting the comb off the top-bar, leaving about 1/2 inch of comb so that the bees will be able to rebuild correctly. Top bar hives are not a new idea. The picture on the right shows a Greek movable comb hive described in the year 1682, nearly two centuries before Lorenzo Langstroth is credited with popularizing the "bee space". The woven wicker basket walls of this hive slope inward similar to today's top bar hives. The sticks on top were placed about one and a half inches apart and were rounded on their underside, so the bees would build comb in the desirable direction. A basket lid (not shown) normally... See less

See this at: en.wikipedia.org| Added on 05/09/08

Jump to: navigation, search Greek top-bar hive with movable comb, described in 1682 Top-bar hives are a style of beehive used for beekeeping. They are especially useful in areas where resources are limited, but are also increasingly popular among... See more

Jump to: navigation, search Greek top-bar hive with movable comb, described in 1682 Top-bar hives are a style of beehive used for beekeeping. They are especially useful in areas where resources are limited, but are also increasingly popular among hobby beekeepers in industrialized nations. This article is primarily concerned with the application of these hives in non-traditional settings, such as prosperous countries as they offer particular advantages to beginning hobby beekeepers. [1] See less

See this at: biobees.com| Added on 05/07/08

The Barefoot Beekeeper is a revolutionary book about 'sustainable', chemical-free beekeeping, showing how it can be simplified and made accessible to all, including people with disabilities, as with this method there is no heavy lifting involved. The... See more

The Barefoot Beekeeper is a revolutionary book about 'sustainable', chemical-free beekeeping, showing how it can be simplified and made accessible to all, including people with disabilities, as with this method there is no heavy lifting involved. The author strips away all unnecessary complication and confusion, demonstrating that 'modern' beekeeping methods are largely to blame for the poor state of health of the honeybee and that the commercialization of beekeeping marked the start of the disease and parasite problems that honeybees have been trying to deal with ever since. The author advocates small-scale, sustainable beekeeping, with minimal disturbance to the bees and more time spent observing and learning from them. This book shows how you can make everything you need to keep bees yourself, using recycled materials and simple tools: you do not need to buy any additional equipment at all, nor do you need synthetic medications or other chemicals. The second edition contains 17 more... See less

See this at: backyardhive.com| Added on 05/07/08

Thanks for getting us started with the Backyard Hive. As you know, we thought about it for a long time and we are SO glad we got one this year. It has been absolutely fascinating for the whole family to watch our bees start to build their combs and... See more

Thanks for getting us started with the Backyard Hive. As you know, we thought about it for a long time and we are SO glad we got one this year. It has been absolutely fascinating for the whole family to watch our bees start to build their combs and to watch the hive grow in size. We look through the window almost every day and there is always something new to see. We should harvest our first full comb of Dart Family Honey in the next few weeks! The kids are excited, but I can barely contain myself. Our friends and neighbors are almost as into it as we are. We think we've started something in Portland :-)" See less

See this at: groovygreen.com| Added on 05/07/08

Here at Groovy Green we are all about really making change. We look for opportunities to become more self sufficient and provide as well as preserve more food for ourselves. Chickens are a recent addition to our urban homestead, our garden is growing... See more

Here at Groovy Green we are all about really making change. We look for opportunities to become more self sufficient and provide as well as preserve more food for ourselves. Chickens are a recent addition to our urban homestead, our garden is growing and we are having a general blast with all the new changes here. I have always been a big fan of honey, I have it on my toast, in my peppermint tea, on a bowl of granola and we even bake with it. Now we try our best to by our honey from local beekeepers, recently I have developed a bit of an interest in raising bees here at the house. While watching the Global Gardener video recently, I was introduced to the top bar hive. A top bar hive is heavily used for honey production in Africa and is gaining favor in backyards around the world. This is not a new method but rather has been around for centuries, and is said to be gentler on the bees and not a resource intensive when it comes to building the hives or in their maintenance. If producing... See less

See this at: motherearthnews.com| Added on 06/12/08

My enterprise began some time ago, when an evening's conversation turned to the subject of bees. On the spur of the moment, I thumbed through the yellow pages to "Beekeepers" . . . and dialed the first number I saw. That impromptu call resulted in a... See more

My enterprise began some time ago, when an evening's conversation turned to the subject of bees. On the spur of the moment, I thumbed through the yellow pages to "Beekeepers" . . . and dialed the first number I saw. That impromptu call resulted in a half-hour's discussion about bees and how to get them free! It seems that my informant and his mother owned several hives in the country, and—every spring—these folks would be called upon to remove swarms of wild bees that had gathered in nearby cities. It was, of course, an easy matter for the experienced beekeepers to collect such "wandering hives" and sell them to beginning "honey farmers". I was excited by the prospect of producing my own honey, and asked the 'keeper to phone me the next time a swarm was reported. See less

Highlights: Canadian subs: 1 year, $15.50 (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, $18.00. U.S. funds. Canadian Subscribers - Click Here Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here

See this at: motherearthnews.com| Added on 06/12/08

Be A Backyard Beekeeper! But can you do it naturally? For the first time in 20 years, the answer is yes. Until the mid-1980s, some beekeepers avoided using chemicals inside beehives, but then a quarantine violation led to the importation of the... See more

Be A Backyard Beekeeper! But can you do it naturally? For the first time in 20 years, the answer is yes. Until the mid-1980s, some beekeepers avoided using chemicals inside beehives, but then a quarantine violation led to the importation of the varroa mite, a devastating tick-like honeybee parasite. At about the same time, much tinier terrors called tracheal mites began ravaging hives throughout the country. To save their bees from these and other pests, many beekeepers turned to chemical controls, which worked for a while. Then two things happened: many populations of varroa mites became resistant to the two main pesticides used to control them, and entomologists discovered that feeding bees fatty patties made of sugar and shortening suppressed tracheal mites to tolerable levels. In addition, products that utilize the mite-minimizing properties of essential oils (such as thymol-based Api-Life VAR) and spearmint and lemongrass Honey-B-Healthy) can effectively suppress mites in small... See less

Highlights: Canadian subs: 1 year, $15.50 (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, $18.00. U.S. funds. Canadian Subscribers - Click Here Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here

See this at: beesource.com| Added on 05/09/08

Recently posted in the Bee Forum: Hiding hives in an urban neighborhood--your advice please. Has anyone successfully designed a hive into the edge of their garage or other outbuilding. I am building a new home in an urban neighborhood and am... See more

Recently posted in the Bee Forum: Hiding hives in an urban neighborhood--your advice please. Has anyone successfully designed a hive into the edge of their garage or other outbuilding. I am building a new home in an urban neighborhood and am wondering if I could design an inside hive with an exterior entrance (like in the garage)so that it would not be visible and panick the neighbors. More in this thread..... See less

See this at: backyardhive.com| Added on 05/07/08

Are you an accomplished woodworker with some time on your hands? If so, you may want to build your own topbar hive the BackYardHive way. We have just uploaded a downloadable PDF document that provides all of the measurements, specifications, and... See more

Are you an accomplished woodworker with some time on your hands? If so, you may want to build your own topbar hive the BackYardHive way. We have just uploaded a downloadable PDF document that provides all of the measurements, specifications, and materials you will need. Of, course, we can't supply the time, tools, and expertise, but if you are ready to tackle the project, these plans will help. Download BackYardHive Plans for the Do-It-Yourself Beekeeper Note: You will need Acrobat Reader to open this file. You can download Acrobat Reader for free. See less

See this at: beesource.com| Added on 04/27/07

Posting Rules | You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts

Posting Rules | You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts See less

See this at: beemaster.com| Added on 04/27/07

I'm proud to offer this FULL FEATURED Message forum for all members and visitors to this site, Backyard Beekeepers, Students and teachers, and anyone with questions about Beekeeping or Honeybees. Thousands of members and 30 thousand + posts world... See more

I'm proud to offer this FULL FEATURED Message forum for all members and visitors to this site, Backyard Beekeepers, Students and teachers, and anyone with questions about Beekeeping or Honeybees. Thousands of members and 30 thousand + posts world wide and growing!!! This massive forum is the Internet's No. 1 Rated Beekeeping Gathering Spot with more than 100 countries interacting in a family friendly environment. Whether you are just doing a homework assignment or interested in sharing your decades of experience - this forum is where you want to meet and interact with thousands of other members and guests. Here you can post and reply to questions, start and take place in polls, interact with other members with private messaging, internal emails, share incredible images, chat live, read other member's beekeeping journals and much much more. Complete search able data base. Clubs welcome - fully moderated and 100% family friendly. 2006 raked No. 1 Beekeeping Forum on the Internet, Google,... See less

See this at: forums.gardenweb.com| Added on 04/27/07

On-Topic Discussions [Switch to: Gallery] * Dead hive....what to do now? * Posted by: instar8 Z 5 N.IN on Thu, Apr 19, 07 at 15:25 * 5 follow-ups, last one posted on Thu, Apr 26, 07 at 16:58 * My 3rd year of Mason bees!!!! * Posted by: lanternboy Z8... See more

On-Topic Discussions [Switch to: Gallery] * Dead hive....what to do now? * Posted by: instar8 Z 5 N.IN on Thu, Apr 19, 07 at 15:25 * 5 follow-ups, last one posted on Thu, Apr 26, 07 at 16:58 * My 3rd year of Mason bees!!!! * Posted by: lanternboy Z8 WA on Thu, Apr 19, 07 at 15:31 * 7 follow-ups, last one posted on Thu, Apr 26, 07 at 16:24 * installed packages today * Posted by: tonybeeguy on Sat, Apr 14, 07 at 19:04 * 4 follow-ups, last one posted on Thu, Apr 26, 07 at 8:39 * Colony Collapse Disorder * Posted by: westender z7 Atlanta GA on Mon, Feb 12, 07 at 15:12 * 35 follow-ups, last one posted on Thu, Apr 26, 07 at 2:36 * Honey Bee Hive * Posted by: casey04 humid ms on Sun, Apr 22, 07 at 10:15 * 3 follow-ups, last one posted on Wed, Apr 25, 07 at 17:04 * sure they are honey bees, 610 area code * Posted by: gailuvscats on Sun, Apr 22, 07 at 19:42 * 10 follow-ups, last one posted on Wed, Apr 25, 07 at 8:27 * A few bee questions * Posted by: rudysmallfry z6 on Tue, Apr 24, 07 at 20:33... See less

See this at: beemaster.com| Added on 04/27/07

Keep in mind the following. It is highly recommended that you inspect the colonies on warm and sunny days. The reason: the bees will be busy foraging and a large percentage of bees will be away from the hive. Also, keep to the back or the side of the... See more

Keep in mind the following. It is highly recommended that you inspect the colonies on warm and sunny days. The reason: the bees will be busy foraging and a large percentage of bees will be away from the hive. Also, keep to the back or the side of the entrance. Staying directly in front of the entrance will on cause the bees to constantly bump into you as they exit and return to the hive. After placing all your tools within reach, light the smoker as described above and send several slow puffs of smoke into the entrance of the hive. Wait a minute and repeat this process. Next remove the outer lid and shoot smoke into the hole in the inner cover. Again wait a minute and bellow smoke into the entrance and inner cover. After a minute or two remove the inner cover using the hive tool. Lets assume your colonies are only one deep super in size, meaning your eggs cells, honey stores and queen are all in one single box. This way we can use the most caution when approaching the hive. If you have... See less

See this at: beemaster.com| Added on 04/27/07

For starters, lets assume you do not have a swarm yet, but you are looking. Two really great places to improve your chances of getting swarms are 1) advertise in a local news paper that you will remove swarms for free and 2) contact the local police... See more

For starters, lets assume you do not have a swarm yet, but you are looking. Two really great places to improve your chances of getting swarms are 1) advertise in a local news paper that you will remove swarms for free and 2) contact the local police department and advise them of that you are available to remove swarms if they receive calls concerning them in your area. After finding a swarm the fun begins. But it can also be lots of work. You will need to consider a few important issues before you capture the swarm. Below, I cover all the important things that must be done in order to make the swarms transaction from temporary home to your nuc ( 5 framed box ) or full sized super. Please read and consider whether you are ready for capturing swarms. Swarms are very gentle because they are homeless and the queen is usually buried deep in the solid mass of bees. They are easily captured and usually accept anything that resembles a suitable home. But keep in mind the immediate needs of the... See less

See this at: news.bbc.co.uk| Added on 09/24/07

The honeybee decline can be traced back at least 20 years, and the introduction of the parasitic varroa mite is one of the principal causes. But in 2004, beekeepers began seeing and reporting a new and serious phenomenon, in which entire colonies... See more

The honeybee decline can be traced back at least 20 years, and the introduction of the parasitic varroa mite is one of the principal causes. But in 2004, beekeepers began seeing and reporting a new and serious phenomenon, in which entire colonies would desert their hives, leaving behind their brood and stocks of food - a syndrome that was later labelled Colony Collapse Disorder. Theories on what is causing it have ranged from mobile phone radiation to pesticides, from genetically modified crops to climate change. Disease remained a strong contender though, particularly in the light of the known impact of mites such as the varroa. And genetics offered the opportunity to analyse what organisms were living with and on the bees. "The genome of the honeybee had just been completed," noted Diana Cox-Foster, an entomologist from Penn State University. "So it was possible to do the (genetic) sequencing and then eliminate the genetic material of the bees." The scientists' trawl revealed a... See less

See this at: spiegel.de| Added on 04/09/07

Walter Haefeker is a man who is used to painting grim scenarios. He sits on the board of directors of the German Beekeepers Association (DBIB) and is vice president of the European Professional Beekeepers Association. And because griping is part of a... See more

Walter Haefeker is a man who is used to painting grim scenarios. He sits on the board of directors of the German Beekeepers Association (DBIB) and is vice president of the European Professional Beekeepers Association. And because griping is part of a lobbyist's trade, it is practically his professional duty to warn that "the very existence of beekeeping is at stake." The problem, says Haefeker, has a number of causes, one being the varroa mite, introduced from Asia, and another is the widespread practice in agriculture of spraying wildflowers with herbicides and practicing monoculture. Another possible cause, according to Haefeker, is the controversial and growing use of genetic engineering in agriculture. As far back as 2005, Haefeker ended an article he contributed to the journal Der Kritischer Agrarbericht (Critical Agricultural Report) with an Albert Einstein quote: "If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe then man would only have four years of life left. No more bees,... See less

See this at: news.bbc.co.uk| Added on 02/27/07

Honeybees are vanishing at an alarming rate from 24 US states, threatening the production of numerous crops. The cause of the losses, which range from 30% to more than 70%, is a mystery, but experts are investigating several theories. American bee... See more

Honeybees are vanishing at an alarming rate from 24 US states, threatening the production of numerous crops. The cause of the losses, which range from 30% to more than 70%, is a mystery, but experts are investigating several theories. American bee colonies have been hit by regional crises before, but keepers say this is the first national crisis. Bees pollinate more than $14bn (£7bn) worth of US seeds and crops each year, mostly fruits, vegetables and nuts. The mystery disappearances highlight the important link that honeybees play in the chain that brings fruit and vegetables to supermarkets and dinner tables. The crisis threatens numerous crops, from avocados to kiwis and California almonds - one of the most profitable in the US. "I have never seen anything like it," California beekeeper David Bradshaw, 50, told the New York Times. "Box after box after box are just empty. There's nobody home." See less

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