Nearly four out of every ten honey bee colonies kept in America died last year, and the little backyard hives fared worse than the giant commercial ones. The U.S. Beekeeping Survey, led by Auburn University, put annual losses at 39.9 percent from April 2025 to April 2026, and found that beekeepers with fewer than 50…
A backyard beehive will not save the bees, it will rarely save you money on honey, and, in several states, you are out of compliance with the law the moment you set up a single unregistered colony. That is not what the glossy starter kits promise. They sell a daydream: a humming garden, jars of…
Adding a bee hotel to your garden is a wonderful way to support native pollinators. Unlike honeybees that live in large hives, most of our native bees are solitary. They spend their lives diligently pollinating our flowers and food crops, and all they need is a safe place to lay their eggs. Many store-bought bee…
As the growing your own food movement gains momentum, many people are considering keeping bees in their backyard. People who are entertaining this idea have questions about starting this endeavor. One of the main questions asked is about the safety aspect of keeping bees. Can you keep bees safely in your backyard? It is safe…
Do you need a full bee suit? If you have started the fine art of beekeeping, you may have questioned whether or not you really need to wear a full bee suit. The truth is, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer, but rather a matter of opinion and location. Still, we have some facts that you…
Beekeeping can be an incredibly rewarding experience: not only do you get sweet, golden honey from your own backyard hives, but the bees also pollinate native flowers and important food crops, like those in your vegetable beds or orchard. Plus, there’s nothing quite like sitting in a garden full of beautiful flowers and listening to…
If you are a new beekeeper, you may wonder why it is necessary to mark your queen bees, which we will explain and the best method to do this. The challenge with marking your queen is to use a method that will not harm the queen and one that will stay on the queen for…
Many new beekeepers get their first colony of bees in the form of packaged bees that they have ordered from a supplier. The package will include a colony of bees, a queen, and a feeder containing sugar water to sustain the bees during their journey. Once they arrive at your location, you may wonder when…
Mann Lake is one of the premier beekeeping suppliers, producing and distributing some of the most highly regarded supplies in the industry. This company offers a wide range of beekeeping supplies and materials, but are they any good? What are the most popular Mann Lake beekeeping supplies, and are they worthwhile? Mann Lake supplies all…