Using the Cloake board method to raise queens
The Cloake board, invented by Harry Cloake of New Zealand, is a piece of beekeeping equipment used to raise queens. The Cloake board method of queen rearing is popular with newer beekeepers because it...
View ArticleWhy every beekeeper should have a nuc
The term “nuc” is short for nucleus colony. A nucleus colony is just a very small colony of a few thousand bees and a queen. Nuc boxes—the structures that hold a nucleus colony—come in all shapes and...
View ArticleHow to mark a queen
Many experienced beekeepers mark a queen by holding onto her legs with one hand and quickly dabbing the paint with the other hand. It looks easy and takes only a moment. But unfortunately that method...
View ArticleHow to start a queen in a two-frame nuc
I had a request to write about how I start queens using a two-frame mating box such as the Brushy Mountain “Queen Castle.” The Queen Castle is a standard size deep brood box that can be divided into...
View ArticleWednesday words: queen-rearing terminology
Before you begin queen rearing, it helps to understand the lingo. Authors of queen-rearing instructions often use a variety of synonyms which make a confusing subject even more difficult. Below are...
View ArticleQueen rearing vs queen breeding
A tweet from the Sheffield Honey Company reminded me that I should clarify the difference between queen rearing and queen breeding–and they are absolutely right. Most of us who rear queens do it to...
View ArticleBanking frames hold multiple queens
For short term storage, queen bees can be kept in a banking frame. This is a simple device made by installing a horizontal bar into a regular frame, creating a space that is just large enough to hold...
View ArticleUsing the Cloake board method to raise queens
The Cloake board, invented by Harry Cloake of New Zealand, is a piece of beekeeping equipment used to raise queens. The Cloake board method of queen rearing is popular with newer beekeepers because it...
View ArticleWhy every beekeeper should use a nuc
The term “nuc” is short for nucleus colony. A nucleus colony is just a very small colony of a few thousand bees and a queen. A beekeeper can find many ways to use a nuc. Nuc boxes, the structures that...
View ArticleHow to mark a queen
Many experienced beekeepers mark a queen by holding onto her legs with one hand and quickly dabbing the paint with the other hand. It looks easy and takes only a moment. But unfortunately that method...
View ArticleHow to start a queen in a two-frame nuc
I had a request to write about how I start queens using a two-frame mating box such as the Brushy Mountain “Queen Castle.” The Queen Castle is a standard size deep brood box that can be divided into...
View ArticleWednesday words: queen-rearing terminology
Before you begin queen rearing, it helps to understand the lingo. Authors of queen-rearing instructions often use a variety of synonyms which make a confusing subject even more difficult. Below are...
View ArticleQueen rearing vs queen breeding
A tweet from the Sheffield Honey Company reminded me that I should clarify the difference between queen rearing and queen breeding–and they are absolutely right. Most of us who rear queens do it to...
View ArticleBanking frames hold multiple queens
For short term storage, queen bees can be kept in a banking frame. This is a simple device made by installing a horizontal bar into a regular frame, creating a space that is just large enough to hold...
View ArticleUsing the Cloake board method to raise queens
The Cloake board, invented by Harry Cloake of New Zealand, is a piece of beekeeping equipment used to raise queens. The Cloake board method of queen rearing is popular with newer beekeepers because it...
View ArticleWhy every beekeeper should use a nuc
The term “nuc” is short for nucleus colony. A nucleus colony is just a very small colony of a few thousand bees and a queen. A beekeeper can find many ways to use a nuc. Nuc boxes, the structures that...
View ArticleHow to mark a queen
Many experienced beekeepers mark a queen by holding onto her legs with one hand and quickly dabbing the paint with the other hand. It looks easy and takes only a moment. But unfortunately that method...
View ArticleHow to start a queen in a two-frame nuc
I had a request to write about how I start queens using a two-frame mating box such as the Brushy Mountain “Queen Castle.” The Queen Castle is a standard size deep brood box that can be divided into...
View ArticleWednesday words: queen-rearing terminology
Before you begin queen rearing, it helps to understand the lingo. Authors of queen-rearing instructions often use a variety of synonyms which make a confusing subject even more difficult. Below are...
View ArticleQueen rearing vs queen breeding
A tweet from the Sheffield Honey Company reminded me that I should clarify the difference between queen rearing and queen breeding–and they are absolutely right. Most of us who rear queens do it to...
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