Blue Sky Bee Supply Blog

How do I use SuperDFM-HoneyBee?Feed SuperDFM-HoneyBee dry every time you provide supplemental feeding for the bees. Alternatively, inoculate the hives using MicroCloud attachment without opening the hive.How often should SuperDFM-HoneyBee be used?SuperDFM-HoneyBee is recommended monthly during the colonies' active time. At the least, administer SuperDFM every time supplemental feeding is needed.How do I apply SuperDFM in a top bar hive?Dust the DFM on top of the bees near the brood. One tablesp …

Queen Rearing via the Notching MethodRoy HendricksonThe ability to rear queens is absolutely essential to the long term success of any beekeeping program. Grafting is the standard method by which large numbers of queens are produced from a specific genetic source. It’s quick, simple and efficient. However, if you just have a couple of colonies in the backyard, or if you only need a few queens at any given time, grafting is simply not very practical. If you fall into either of these categories, y …

‘No Mow May:’ How Wisconsin residents can help pollinatorsBy Spencer TracyMILWAUKEE – April showers bring May flowers, and those flowers will need help from humans during a movement known as “No Mow May.”The initiative started in Appleton and has since bloomed across Wisconsin. Organizations like the Urban Ecology Center encourage residents to let their grass grow.The idea behind No Mow May is simple – don’t mow your lawn. That way, pollinators like bees and butterflies can have an early food so …

WASHINGTON, An invasive pest that directly attacks pollinators indirectly threatens plant health—and U.S. agriculture. That’s where USDA’s Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program comes in. The Plant Protection Act (PPA) authorizes us to regulate direct and indirect plant pests. That’s a critical responsibility when it comes to pollinators because bee pollination is responsible for $15+ billion in added crop value—particularly for specialty crops such as almonds and other nuts, berries, fru …

New Asian giant hornet guide to help beekeepersBy Scott Weybright, College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource SciencesThe Asian giant hornet is the world’s largest species of hornet (photo courtesy WSDA).Beekeepers have a new resource if they suspect the invasive Asian giant hornet is attacking their honey bee colonies.Two Washington State University scientists wrote Distinguishing Asian Giant Hornet Damage to Honey Bee Colonies, a free-to-download publication from WSU Extension.“We wa …