Swarm season hits fast and doesn’t wait. One minute you’re scrolling your phone, the next you’re getting a call that there’s a cluster of bees hanging from a swing set, a tree limb, or worse, buried deep in someone’s outdoor grill. The last thing you want to do is scramble around trying to find what … Read more
Lighting a bee smoker seems simple—until you’re standing in your bee yard with a handful of smoldering burlap and a hive full of increasingly annoyed honey bees. If you’ve ever struggled to keep your smoker going long enough to finish an inspection, you’re not alone. In this post, I’ll walk you through how I light … Read more
Once you’ve confirmed varroa mites are present in your hive, the next step is figuring out how to manage them. There’s no single silver bullet, but there are several treatment options available—each with pros, cons, and considerations. This post will give you a quick overview of a few of the more common varroa mite treatments … Read more
Starting beekeeping can feel overwhelming when it comes to gear. This checklist covers the essentials you actually need to get started, plus a few extras that are nice to have once you’re more comfortable in the hive. Everything here is based on what works in real beekeeping, not just what looks good online. Protective Gear … Read more
Let’s be honest: the internet is full of beekeeping gear recommendations from people who’ve never opened a hive. This list is different. I’ve been keeping bees for almost 15 years, and every item below is something I personally own and actually use season after season. These tools aren’t just helpful—they’re reliable, affordable, and tested in … Read more