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In my darker honeys I often get 2 color tones of crystalization, darker and lighter, looking quite lovely, like marble. But why? Different honey sources? Air?

Also, when my blackberry honey...

Two questions:
1) I keep reading about queen cut molds that people use to create wax cell cups for grafting (I do understand that 5/16 dowel, rounded, can do this, but I was hoping for a number of...

Thank you - I'll incorporate your suggestions on the next round. I fed the cell starter and finisher, but not the hive when the queen was laying the cells from which I would graft - I'll do that...

First attempt at queen rearing. Didn't work out. Background: I went over the notes here, my notes, my books. I'm using a cloke board. Lots of bees. Queen definitly moved in the cell builder...

Thank you - that's great

I just read about this: the chamomile tea, one other herb (sorry, notes not here), and sea salt as a boost for syrup. I can find lots of mentions of the general idea, but nothing on how much per...

Thank you both...I'll pour them in.

I know, 2 different techniques, both need tons of bees. Given that the hive which will have the hopkins frame above or will become the starter/finisher does not have enough bees:

Can I shake...

Thank you all so much. That's great. I get it! I'll give it a try this year.

I've been reading posts all over the web. So if someone could let me know where I've got it wrong, that would be great.

1) the bees need a starter strip at the top. Anything that hangs down 1/4...

That's what I found as well - studies paid for by the manufacturer... But thank you for the response.

Thank you both for the information. Now I get the "size is related to growth space, not genes" concept. And the link was facinating.

Just wondering if anyone knows of anyone/organization/educational institution doing comparisons on the pollen subsitutes (yes, yes, yes, real pollen from a known source is better).

As an aside,...

squkcrk -
I hope someone answers your question. That's where I was going with the genetics question...do the bees get smaller on small cell? And if used comb gets smaller in diameter over the...

Thanks for clearing that up

I think Kieck's right - if you want to go with all natural, just take a deep breath and chant "If they die I didn't want them anyway". The Russians may surprise you. They build up very slowly. I...

I keep RussianXSurvivor Stock in the NW corner of Washington in the Mountians (that's a reference to cold - it was snowing today). I do feed mine from extraction time to the first super. They don't...

Pondering small cell but I've two questions:

1) If your bees are all regressed to small cell, but you're doing open mating, and the queen mates with drones that are not from small cell hives -...

Started reading this thread out of curiosity, now interested.
Small Cell Question: Can you have hives with two different sizes of cell in the same yard? Each hive would have only one size, but...

Thanks Ray - That makes sense...guess I was just getting it too complicated in my mind.

Hello – My question is about the bee yards needed for queen rearing. I’ve read a number of excellent books, and informative posts on this and other sites, but I’m wondering if I’ve got the idea...

Thank you all for your very informative answers.

Why is it better to use a purchased breeder queen for queen rearing, rather than a queen that was purchased from someone who produces their queens from a breeder queen?

Thank you for all the good advice. I'll leave the little ladies alone to get on with life until it's time to take the honey. Thanks again -- Karen

Confusion for a new person: Some say: check the hive regularly to make sure the queen is there and she's laying. Other's say: Every time you open a hive it sets the bees back by a week. I know...