Small cell bees are hygienic A research team at the University of Lublin, Poland, has been studying bees on small cells. One of the experiments concerns the clearance of dead capped brood (needle-killed pupae), a trait that is important for
Breed varroa-resistant bees! The study of EurBeST states that varroa-resistant bees are important for beekeeping. In 2017, the European Commission appointed an international group of bee researchers led by the German Bee Institute in Kirchhain to find out more about
Traits for Varroa resistance We have found in our Varroa resistant project in our local bee club that when you begin a project like this, checking the varroa level is the most important tool, if you plan to treat colonies
Spring cleaning of varroa The most important time for monitoring the varroa levelis in spring. (Other times can also be important!) Last year I realized that the varroa level can differ quite a lot for the same colony just a week
Courses with speakers are a good activity for beekeeping associations. Some time ago I lectured in a small town in eastern Sweden. I meet many nice people and personal stories. For example, the best coffee I’ve been having for a
Some years ago, varroa resistance had risen noticeably on my Elgon bees. Then I started to give away some breeder queens to the neighboring beekeepers. And they promised to graft from them to make new queens. In particular, Stig-Åke Gerdvall
– African bees are resistant to Varroa mites, or become resistant in about 5 years after the mite has come to their hives, in Africa and Americas – Italian bees on an isolated island close to the cost of Brazil
Besides detecting mites in brood and clean them from there, grooming mites from each other and bite them is also an important trait for bees fighting mites. Here a mite that has got some legs bitten. It will soon die
I have just returned home from the annual meeting of our local bee association. Susanna Kivling spoke about the Beescanning project, beescanning.com We were also discussing to establish an Elgon mating place for queens of the members. The best report
The feeders I use. The gate has the angled plastic cover inserted when feeding to protect the bees from entering the whole area of the sugar solution A few days ago I removed the last feeder after giving the