Guides
Plain-language answers on starting, inspecting, mites, swarms, harvest and selling honey.
GuideHow to start beekeeping: a first-year timeline
How to start beekeeping in the US: check local rules, order bees by winter, pick a hive, buy the core gear and follow…
GuideHow much does it cost to start beekeeping?
The cost to start beekeeping, item by item: what one hive needs, what a Mississippi State extension budget shows, and…
GuidePackage bees vs nucs vs swarms: which should you start with?
Package bees vs nucs vs swarms compared: what each contains, how fast it builds up, disease and queen risks, when to…
GuideHow to install a package of bees, step by step
How to install a package of bees: prepare the hive, spray and shake the bees, place the queen cage, feed 1:1 syrup and…
GuideHow to inspect a beehive: a step-by-step checklist
How to inspect a beehive: when to open it, how to use smoke, what to look for on each frame (eggs, brood, stores,…
GuideBeekeeping calendar by US region: month-by-month tasks
A beekeeping calendar for six US regions: when to order bees, inspect, add supers, harvest, treat mites and winterize,…
GuideVarroa mite treatment: thresholds and EPA-registered options
Varroa mite treatment by season: HBHC 9th-edition thresholds, which EPA-registered products work with honey supers on,…
GuideHow to do an alcohol wash mite count, step by step
How to do an alcohol wash: collect about 300 bees from the brood nest, shake in alcohol, count the mites and compare…
GuideHow to prevent swarms: space, splits and timing
How to prevent swarms: spot the signs early, give room before the bees need it, reverse or open the brood nest, and…
GuideHow to catch a swarm of bees safely
How to catch a swarm: what to bring, how to box a cluster on a branch, how to set bait hives with lures, and when to…
GuideHow to winterize a beehive: stores, moisture and mites
How to winterize a beehive: get mites down by late summer, reach your regional honey target, fit mouse guards, control…
GuideHow to extract honey, with or without an extractor
How to extract honey step by step: when frames are ready, clearing bees, uncapping, spinning or crush and strain,…
GuideHoney moisture and refractometers: test before you bottle
Honey moisture decides whether your jars keep or ferment. See the USDA 18.6% Grade A line, how to calibrate a…
GuideHow to render beeswax from cappings and old comb
How to render beeswax from cappings and old comb: wash, melt over water, strain and mold clean blocks, plus…
GuideHow to make beeswax candles: rolled, poured and molded
How to make beeswax candles three ways: rolled sheets, poured containers and molds. Wick sizing, test burns, safety…
GuideHow to sell honey at farmers markets: rules, booth and jars
How to sell honey at a farmers market: check your state's rules, label every jar, pick jar sizes, price from your own…
GuideHoney labeling rules: what a honey label must say
Honey label requirements in plain English: FDA honey naming rules, net weight, your name and address, nutrition…
GuideBeekeeping laws by state: registration and apiary programs
Beekeeping laws by state: a 50-state table linking each apiary program we could verify, what registration means and…
GuideHive problems: a beekeeper's troubleshooting guide
Hive problems from queenless colonies and laying workers to robbing, beetles, wax moths and foulbrood: what you see,…
GuideBee-friendly plants: a season-by-season planting guide
Bee-friendly plants for every season, from early willows to fall goldenrod and asters, with regional native lists,…
GuideBee sting safety for beekeepers: gear, smoke and calm hands
Bee sting safety for beekeepers: suit and veil fit, gloves, smoke and calm handling, what to do after a sting, and…
GuideHow to spot a fake Flow Hive before you buy
How to spot a fake Flow Hive: the listing words, roof vents, frame counts, prices and sellers that give knockoffs…
GuideBeekeeping glossary: 100+ beekeeping terms explained
Beekeeping glossary with 132 terms in plain English: colony and castes, hive parts, tools, honey, the beekeeping year,…