Follow Your Bee’s Natural Instincts
The best beekeeper I have ever known always told me that to be a good beekeeper one does not make the bees do what you want; you have to understand what the bees are doing and adapt your management of the hive to reach your goal. In the April 2020 issue of American Bee Journal, Meghan Milbrath, Extension Specialist at Michigan State University, does an excellent job explaining bee behavior prior to swarming. In her article “Beekeeping Basics, Don’t Be Surprised by Swarms” on page 381, she outlines what the bees do naturally and the signs that lead to swarming. She outlines what a beekeeper can do to manage this swarm tendency for their own benefit to achieve a more productive apiary. As we enter swarm season, take a few moments to review this article. This month’s American Bee Journal is available free on line at https://americanbeejournal.com/free-april-2020-abj-download/ .
by Tim Scheer
Posted 4/4/2020