Douglas Farm

"The Apiary Inspectors of America (AIA) and USDA-ARS Beltsville Honey Bee Lab conducted a survey between September 2008 and early April 2009 to estimate colony loses across the country. Over 20% of the country’s estimated 2.3 million colonies were surveyed. A total loss of 28.6% of managed honey bee colonies was recorded.

This compares to losses of 35.8% and 31.8% recorded respectively in the winters of 2007/2008 and 2006/2007. While a decrease in total losses is enco...

2 Great Videos to check out, 1st in 2009 - Where my Bees at?

Music Video Directed by Max Lanman Music Video Produced by Connor Lanman Original Song Produced by James Lanman Lyrics for Do The Honey Bee Co-written by Max Lanman, James Lanman, and Connor Lanman

[verse 1] What up everybody? What up...

1. Baking soda is poisonous to ants, spinkle it around your plants to ensure ants will stay away. (But it will change the ground ph so use caution (blue berries will not like it).
2. Instant Grits, instant rice or instant cream of wheat can be sprinkled around plants or hives. Keep it dry, replace if the rain gets it wet. The ant will eat a piece of whichever you sprinkle, drink water and the grain expands and kills the ant.
3. You can use instant coffee grounds, chili powder, ci...

A dark clowd decents upon the beekeeping industry, but this isn't a new swarm blocking out the sun as they search out a new home, this is death and absence.

The results from the NJ beekeepers winter loss survey indicates the death rate has doubled during the winter of 2008 when compared to the winter of 2007.

The Death toll rises in the EU. Pesident of Apimondia, Gilles Ratia states "with this level of mortality, European beekeepers can only survive anoth...

Source: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/394053_honey30.asp

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Meryl Schenker / P-I