Author Archives: AmericanHeritageApiary

Tomorrow I have a bunch of packages to install for honey production, making mating nucs, and general queen production! Today I need to mix up 30-40 gallons of spring feed and get my vice-grips and knife I use. I will hopefully be getting started on my packages nice and early and will go live onContinue reading “Package Install Final Prep”

With the weather improving and all the queens sold or set it’s time to graft some more queens!

May 1st I have a BUNCH of packages to get up and running for honey, nucs, and making queens. Spent some time Saturday filling feeders and getting a few more nucs ready. Unfortunately the go-pro battery died about 25 minutes in.

What do I like to have with me when I’m working hives? -butane torch and a back up lighter to tend to my smoker -sharpie to put notes on hive lid, pen for notes, and paint pen for marking queens -hair roller cage to temporarily put a queen in when making a split or toContinue reading “Bee Jacket Pockets”

Used some of the down time to clean up an area to store equipment in a barn on one of the farms I have bees on. Turned out great!

Cold weather has moved in with some pending snow making for a slow week. It’s the final calm before the storm. Packages arrive May 1st, queen cells need to be set, builders set up etc. I did take advantage of some nice weather to paint some supers I got from hillco. Very nice supers, goodContinue reading “Slow Week”

What is it: VSH is a trait that is expressed in honey bees where they will remove the varroa destructor mite infested cells from the brood nest. It is a physical and natural way for a hive to control mite populations. This enables the hive to thrive throughout the honey production season keeping mites inContinue reading “Varroa Sensitive Hygiene (VSH)”

19 of 20 of the grafts were successful! I still had 3 cells that weren’t capped. I did mess up one of the uncapped cells but put it back in to see if they save it or not. 16 cells into the incubator!