Category Archives: Uncategorized

The western honey bee colony in my observation beehive built quite a bit of burr (cross-/brace-) comb attached to both the face of the brood comb and the glass/plastic of the beehive since there was quite a bit of space … Continue reading →

Yesterday I got a call about a colony of Japanese honey bees (Apis cerana japonica) that had been built under the eave of a house in Nishi Urube, Fukuoka, Kyushu, Japan. We did not know until we got there to … Continue reading →

Yesterday at lunch I mentioned to Kamitani sensei that we had not received any calls about bee swarms lately, and last night he sent me an email telling me that he got a call right after I left to go … Continue reading →

It seems like I am incapable of retaining lessons learned from the past. Every two or three years I have to relearn old lessons. So it goes like this: the evening of Memorial day I sealed up the hive in … Continue reading →

During the week I was out of the country, another swarm moved into some supers in my backyard. There was a crack between two of the supers that let them in. So that’s the third of the season without even … Continue reading →

Of course there can always be an alternative explanation for almost everything that happens, especially when one claims it is an answer to prayer, but I believe in the power of prayers and I would be remiss not to thank … Continue reading →

Me and Paul Larsen inspecting our hives in his backyard.

Last season felt like the rise and fall of my bee empire. In early 2013 I studiously put together boxes and frames. I had about 7 or 8 hives going into the spring. I was prepared for my most epic … Continue reading →

Last week I received two phone calls from government offices regarding people who had honey bee swarms in their yards here in Fukuoka. On Wednesday we got a call from an older lady who lives on the first floor in … Continue reading →

Pictured is the type of swarm catching box I use when I go out to catch a swarm of honey bees. Swarming is the way a bee colony reproduces. They basically split into two colonies–one in the original location with … Continue reading →