Bees in the wild make good use of whatever entrances to a space they can find. In the managed environment of our own beehives, however, entrance management is an important skill beekeeper can utilize. From the width of an entrance to their location and number, how your bees are getting

Would you like to be able to raise your own queens? The idea of raising your own queen isn’t one that comes to mind early for the new beekeeper. But as your experience grows it will soon become evident that there are many benefits to doing so. You’ll be able

Are you new to the beekeeping scene? Ango Apiculture was formed specifically to help potential new beekeepers take their first steps, as well as to support and inform those already enjoying their bees! But for the completely new beekeeper, those first steps are sometimes confusing. A large part of that

If you follow the conventional wisdom, you will pinch that intercaste queen immediately and replace her with a “real queen.” A quick internet search for intercaste queen yields descriptions like “a useless, mutated bee,” “a reject,” “no good at all,” and “they have no purpose.” Nothing could be further from

An Informed Approach To Choosing the Right Beehive In this article, we are going to discuss the various types of beehives, a little about their history, and how to select the one that’s right for you. Flying “Outside the Swarm” is not about following trendy philosophies. We are not old school, nor

Lazy Days of Summer? On the first day of summer, the longest day has passed. School is out, vacations, camping trips, and bar-b-ques are planned. Those long hot summer days at the beach, the pool, or the lakeside many have dreamt of are upon us. For heaven’s sake who among

Calm bees and calm beekeepers There are few things more relaxing to a beekeeper than setting a chair close to the hive on a summer day and watching the beautiful activity to and from the entrance. The activity of workers leaving and returning to the hive is a gloriously comforting

Spring is the busiest time of year for both the bees and the beekeeper.  A strong, healthy colony will feel the natural urge to reproduce and will prepare to do so as soon as conditions are right.  Swarming is how Apis Mellifera reproduces and is one of the first issues

Landing boards and wee porches are unnecessary for honey bees. Nevertheless, the subject is polarizing. Some beekeepers swear by them, others hate them. So what are the issues? I dislike the argument that if wild colonies don’t need landing boards, then no colonies do. However, it’s a good place to

A keen awareness of the level of Varroa mites in the hive is a primary concern for most beekeepers. There are numerous ways to measure the mite load, with methods like the sugar and ether rolls being popular. In recent years, one of the more popular treatments is the application