Producers of Virginia Honey & Local Queens

Oxalic Acid Dribble Using a Spray Bottle

Preparing for Pollination Season at Gees Bees Spring is right around the corner, and that means one thing in the bee yard— it’s time to get ready for packages. Before the bees even arrive, the work starts by getting the hives set, leveled, and placed exactly where they’ll spend the season. Why Set Hives Before the Bees Arrive? One of the most overlooked parts of beekeeping is timing. When your packages show up, things move fast. The last thing you want to be doing is figuring

If you’re a beekeeper, you already know that losses happen. Whether it’s due to harsh winters, pesticide exposure, or unexpected colony collapse, losing bees isn’t just frustrating; it’s also expensive. That's where the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) comes in. What Is ELAP? The USDA Farm Service Agency Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) is designed to help producers recover

I discovered these queen catchers online. I had purchased several of their queen cages and gave them a shot, They worked really well and decided to get the queen catchers. I was very pleased with the fit and finish of the item. I know as I use them, it will get easier. I think next time I will load the nurse bees into the catcher first and then add the queen. It makes putting a queen in a cage....EZPZ... (see what I did there??) You can find all of their products at https:/

Replacing a queen is a normal part of beekeeping. Queens can fail, become poorly mated, stop laying consistently, or simply need to be upgraded for better genetics. The challenge is not placing a new queen into a hive — the real challenge is getting the colony to accept her . If a hive does not accept a new queen, the workers will kill her. Before releasing a queen, I always recommend doing a simple acceptance check. It only takes a few minutes and can save you from losing an

Guard bees protect the hive by recognizing intruders, sounding alarms, and defending against predators. Learn how bees become guards and why they are vital to the colony.