This interview should result in a lot of feedback. I learned quite a bit in this one.
Tag: treatment-free
South Africa and Varroa Mites
I finally got a chance to do something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. I got to sit down and talk with a real South African beekeeper about the impact of varroa mites, and their current indifference to them. Enjoy!
Skip down to the part about mites: https://www.arc.agric.za/arc-ppri/Pages/Insect%20Ecology/Honeybee-Pests-and-Diseases.aspx
Me, in the News!
A few weeks ago, I was featured on the local, and Philadelphia news (on the same day!). I actually got to tell the truth about honeybees, and didn’t regurgitate the same 3 talking points every other beekeeper says when a camera is recording them.
Below is the link to the Philadelphia Action News broadcast which was a little more standard.
https://6abc.com/berks-county-beekeeper-pennsylvania-bees-bee-removal-bruce-rodriguez/10651843/
What do you think? How did I do?
First feral honeybee Swarm of 2021
Earth day brought 48°F for the high temperature, and my first swarm call of the year that I could comfortably drive to. The swarm issued from a tree that has had a honeybee colony in it for a few years. Despite the cold, the bees were relatively well-behaved, and went right into the hive. I noticed several other trees that looked hollow on my way off the property. I expect to return in a few days for secondary swarms.
The difference between colony “death” and “loss”.
In a recent livestream on my YouTube channel I discussed why I don’t call the death of a colony a “loss” in my operation. Skip to the 3:45 mark to get to the good part. I’d love to hear your feedback as always.
Warm-up at the bee yard.
Honeybees foraging on lichen?
Today I made an interesting discovery in my neighbor’s yard. As I was walking around the bee yard, I heard loud buzzing in the distance. I thought it could be a very late swarm or absconsion. The video below is what I found.
Bee Talk with Biology Instructor Casie Berkhouse
In this episode, I speak with Casie Berkhouse, a biology instructor and beekeeper from Northern Pennsylvania. This episode, like most others, is unedited and completely unscripted. As always, I’d love to hear your feedback! Leave me a message. I will definitely get back to you.
Awesome honeybee tree relocation!
My latest (and most awesome) tree colony relocation is at the top of this playlist. I made this playlist so people could see how many tree colonies I deal with, and that they are not rare.
Overwinter setup for honeybees in Pennsylvania.
What I’m sharing here is not what I’ve heard or something I’ve read somewhere. This is what I actually do, and have done for years. I’ve done all the silly, tedious stuff. Don’t waste your time.
Berks County PA Honey Bee Removal 19601 