Flowers Feed Bees All flowers are not created equal when it comes to honeybees. Plants have flowers with different shapes, colors, scents, and seasons, all to attract different pollinators. From the plants perspective, they are simply trying to spread their genes so that their species can survive and thrive. From…
Arizona Beekeeping
What to do about Wax Moths
Wax Moths Before becoming a beekeeper you probably never ever heard about wax moths. Well, if you have been keeping bees longer than 14 minutes then you know about Wax Moths, and that they are not our friends. There are two species of wax moths actually The Greater Wax Moth, Galleria…
“Can I Keep These Bees?” And Other Bee Removal Questions
If you live in Arizona, the chances that you will come across a beehive in your yard or house are probably higher than other places in the country. Our dominant feral honeybees are the African subspecies Apis mellifera, scutellata. This type of honeybee reproduces 10 times more often than Western…
Arizona Beekeeping in May 2023
May is here and that means temps are rising. This month we need to make sure our hives have shade, especially in the afternoon. We also need to have a reliable water in place for our bees. As backyard beekeepers we need to do everything we can to accommodate the needs…
Arizona Beekeeping in March 2023
Yay! Spring is here and the days are simply beautiful. The mornings are a little chilly, but the sun is out and we have had some rain that makes the flowers bloom. It doesn’t get better than this here in central Arizona. Beekeepers are splitting their hives to sell to…
What Do Honeybees Eat?
Honeybees eat honey, right? Well, yes, but that’s just part of the story. Bees need Carbohydrates (from nectar or honey), Protein, Fats, Minerals (from pollen), Salts, and Water. If you look at a frame of bees you will see that it has a pattern to it. There will be honey…
Honeybee Facts for Beekeepers
Did you know that there are more than 20,000 species of bees in the world? Not all of them produce honey. In fact, depending on which scientists you talk with, there have only been about 7-11 species of honeybees in existence. Today there are about 7 or 8 surviving species…
Where to put your backyard hive
Where to place your hive is one of the first things to consider when deciding to get bees. This has certainly crossed your mind a few times by now. You can get pretty creative if you are desperate to get bees, and some of you may find that you are…
How to prepare for your first beehive
How exciting! You are getting bees! If you’ve never kept bees before then you are probably a little nervous. That is totally understandable. For most of us one bee flying around the house can cause a panic attack, so knowing that you are going to be caring for tens of…
Butterfly Wonderland Honeybees
Butterfly Wonderland in Scottsdale, Arizona has more than just butterflies. In fact, I like to call it Honeybee Wonderland because I get to take care of the two honeybee hives there and it’s super fun. Last year I got to help the former entomologist, Dayna Cooper, do a trapout of…