Hilary Kearney – Keeping Backyard Bees https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com Tue, 23 Jun 2020 21:51:21 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5 https://i2.wp.com/www.keepingbackyardbees.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/favicon.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Hilary Kearney – Keeping Backyard Bees https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com 32 32 Protect Your Bees from Hot Weather https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/protect-your-bees-in-hot-weather-zbwz1807zsau/ https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/protect-your-bees-in-hot-weather-zbwz1807zsau/#comments Tue, 23 Jun 2020 20:31:29 +0000 https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/?p=4010 When temperatures rise to extremely high levels, your bees may be at risk. The world is suffering from higher than normal temperatures as the climate crisis rages on, but some beekeepers are also suffering colony losses. Most of the time, bees are best able to control the temperature inside the hive themselves, but when thermostats […]

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]]> https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/protect-your-bees-in-hot-weather-zbwz1807zsau/feed/ 6 Identifying Different Types of Bees https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/identifying-different-types-of-bees-zbwz2003zsau/ https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/identifying-different-types-of-bees-zbwz2003zsau/#respond Mon, 30 Mar 2020 19:41:18 +0000 https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/?p=5173 With over 4,000 species of native bees in North America, many people understandably have trouble identifying one from the other. What’s more, curious naturalists often mistake other types of pollinators for bees. It’s easy to confuse a fly or a wasp with a bee because they all share similar coloring and markings. So, how can […]

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]]> https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/identifying-different-types-of-bees-zbwz2003zsau/feed/ 0 Comparing Bumblebees With Honeybees https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/comparing-bumble-bees-with-honey-bees-zbwz1909zsau/ https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/comparing-bumble-bees-with-honey-bees-zbwz1909zsau/#comments Tue, 03 Sep 2019 00:51:10 +0000 https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/?p=4447 Honeybees and bumblebees are the two most well-known bee species. Many people assume that the two live very similarly or that what is true of honey bees is also true of bumblebees, but they have some fascinating differences. Read on to find out how bumblebees differ from honeybees. Bee colonies Bumblebees and honeybees both live […]

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]]> https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/comparing-bumble-bees-with-honey-bees-zbwz1909zsau/feed/ 5 The Best Beehives for Beginners https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/beehive-for-beginners-zbw1908ztil/ https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/beehive-for-beginners-zbw1908ztil/#comments Wed, 21 Aug 2019 18:33:33 +0000 https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/?p=4439 I can see in their face that they expect a finite answer. They want my blessing or a warning against a certain hive style, but they are destined for disappointment. As with so many questions in beekeeping, my answer is not a simple "yes" or "no". Read on for an exploration of this common query.

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]]> https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/beehive-for-beginners-zbw1908ztil/feed/ 11 How to Make a Swarm Catching Kit https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/how-to-make-a-swarm-catching-kit-zbwz1904zsau/ https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/how-to-make-a-swarm-catching-kit-zbwz1904zsau/#comments Tue, 09 Apr 2019 01:13:23 +0000 https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/?p=4363 When swarm season comes, you never know when you’ll get the call for bee rescue and there’s no worse feeling than missing the opportunity to catch a swarm because it left before you arrived. That’s why I always keep a swarm catching kit in my car! Read on to find out what to include in your own kit […]

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]]> https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/how-to-make-a-swarm-catching-kit-zbwz1904zsau/feed/ 3 How to Clean a Dead Hive https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/how-to-clean-a-dead-hive-zbwz1902sau/ https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/how-to-clean-a-dead-hive-zbwz1902sau/#comments Tue, 05 Feb 2019 18:47:42 +0000 https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/?p=4240 When the worst happens and you lose a hive, it’s hard to know what to do with what’s left behind. Do you try to save the comb so that you can reuse it on another hive? How do you deal with a moth or beetle invasion? What kind of things are safe to use for […]

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]]> https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/how-to-clean-a-dead-hive-zbwz1902sau/feed/ 6 How to Find a Queen Bee https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/how-to-find-a-queen-bee-zbwz1901zsau/ https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/how-to-find-a-queen-bee-zbwz1901zsau/#comments Wed, 16 Jan 2019 03:52:47 +0000 https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/?p=4234 Finding the queen bee in your hives can be challenging — even for veteran beekeepers. Some queens are plump and shine like a gold beacon on the frame, while others seem to have camouflage. Not only does your ability to find her depend on her size and color, but her behavior, too. Some queens flaunt themselves […]

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]]> https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/how-to-find-a-queen-bee-zbwz1901zsau/feed/ 16 How to Keep Argentine Ants Out of Your Beehive https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/how-to-keep-argentine-ants-out-of-your-beehive-zbwz1809zsau/ https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/how-to-keep-argentine-ants-out-of-your-beehive-zbwz1809zsau/#comments Fri, 14 Sep 2018 21:06:56 +0000 https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/?p=4094 If you live in an area with the invasive Argentine ants, chances are you have issues with them getting into your hives. These non-native pests have colonized most of California and the southern parts of the U.S. Their massive super-colonies make them difficult to control, especially in the bee yard. These ants can easily overwhelm […]

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]]> https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/how-to-keep-argentine-ants-out-of-your-beehive-zbwz1809zsau/feed/ 4 5 Questions to Ask Before Catching a Swarm https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/5-questions-to-ask-before-catching-a-swarm-zbwz1804zsau/ https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/5-questions-to-ask-before-catching-a-swarm-zbwz1804zsau/#comments Mon, 30 Apr 2018 23:55:58 +0000 https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/?p=3962 Catching a swarm is one of my favorite parts of beekeeping. Even though my phone rings off the hook in spring with live bee removal requests, I still feel a thrill when someone calls about a swarm. Most beekeepers love to catch swarms because they are docile and easy to remove. But, even the most […]

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]]> https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/5-questions-to-ask-before-catching-a-swarm-zbwz1804zsau/feed/ 2 How to Choose the Best Beekeeping Gloves https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/how-to-choose-the-best-beekeeping-gloves-zbwz1804zsau/ https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/how-to-choose-the-best-beekeeping-gloves-zbwz1804zsau/#comments Wed, 04 Apr 2018 20:47:10 +0000 https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/?p=3919 Many experienced beekeepers go without gloves and for good reason— they are cumbersome! These beekeepers trade comfort and dexterity for the occasional sting. But, if you are a new beekeeper or in an Africanized Honey Bee zone, you are probably in for more than just an occasional sting. Personally, I rarely work without gloves. So, […]

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