Hive Management

You open a hive that was occupied recently and find almost no bees. The obvious question is: why did my

Seeing bees bearding outside hive entrances can look alarming, especially when hundreds or thousands of workers cover the front of

Finding multiple eggs, scattered drone brood, or raised drone cappings in worker-sized cells can make a hive look seriously wrong.

Finding queen cells during a hive inspection creates an immediate question: What are the bees trying to do? They may

If you suddenly see heavy bee traffic around a hive, robbing bees may be your first concern. But a crowded

A queenless hive can be difficult to diagnose because the most obvious clue—failing to find the queen—is also one of

Finding webbing, tunnels, damaged comb, or pale caterpillar-like larvae inside a hive can be alarming. Wax moths can destroy valuable

Finding small dark beetles running across a frame or disappearing into the corners of a hive can be unsettling, especially

Knowing when to add a honey super helps a strong colony store incoming nectar before its working space becomes crowded.

A healthy queen is central to a productive honey bee colony. She lays the eggs that become the next generation