Bees

More than 150 species of mason bees live in North America. If you have a nest living in one of your house walls, you’ll notice the hole they use to get inside is plugged with mud. While they are…

"The Secret Life of Bees" is a novel by Sue Monk Kidd about a 14-year-old girl living in the American South in 1964. The book covers themes of self-discovery, growing up and race relations,…

Bees are an essential part of nature, but they can certainly be a nuisance. If you’ve got a colony of bees that’s decided to call your sprinkler system home, this can not only make…

A property full of clover (Trifolium repens) will attract bees. Bees are beneficial insects because they assist in pollinating your flowers. Clover takes little effort to grow and has distinctive…

Children are often fascinated by real life bumble bees, spending hours staring at them in backyards. Perhaps their contrasting colors and buzzing sounds intrigue children. Their love for everything…

The bumble bee doily adds an elegant touch to any home decor. The crocheted accessory brings past memories into the present day by creating vintage patterns to adorn a tabletop or occasional chair.…

Bumblebee crafts are suitable for kids of all ages if the craft is tailored to their skill set. Break out your favorite craft supplies and create buzzy bee crafts to brighten up a dull afternoon.…

The Buzz Bee Double Shot is a toy shotgun that shoots foam darts similar to Nerf. The gun uses shells that eject from the barrel after the gun is fired. Modifying the toy gun is simple and can be…

The United States Department of Agriculture estimates that more than 211,000 people keep honeybees in the United States. A small percentage of those beekeepers maintain hives for commercial use. For…

Bees are important to the earth's ecology because they pollinate flowers, and fireplaces are important since they keep homes warm during cold weather. Although they are both important, bees and…

In a 1976 Handbook from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, writer S. E. McGregor states, "...it appears that perhaps one-third of our total diet is dependent, directly or indirectly, upon…

Africanized honey bees, or "killer bees," are a version of the honey bee species discovered in the United States in 1990. While their stings pack less potency than those of other honey bees, they tend…

Pumpkin vines displaying mildew typically suggests that the plant has contracted a fungal disease called powdery mildew. Powdery mildew is a common disease that affects all varieties of cucurbits.…

Flying critters are a nuisance when you're trying to enjoy a picnic. Especially annoying are wasps and yellow jackets, which have the propensity to sting even when unprovoked. Instead of battling…

There are at least 250 species of bumble bees, all of which are highly social members of the genus Bombus. They live in large colonies, often with hundreds of members, and their activities are…

Beekeeping is a historical craft and an agricultural method of husbandry or farming. It involves housing and tending colonies of bees and harvesting honey and beeswax. Beekeepers are also called…

Anybody who's ever been stung by a bee will tell you: bee stings hurt. Over time, some people develop a phobia of bees. Many people have an allergic reaction when stung, which if left untreated can…

The soffit is the area where a roof extends past the outside wall of a house. The soffit serves as an attractive place for bees to form a nest. Bees like to make their home under the soffit because…

Bees, a form of insect commonly seen in many countries, fascinate animal lovers partly because of their interesting development cycle, which takes place in their colonies. Bees have a relatively short…

Queen bees have very different lives from their worker bee counterparts, which explains the life span difference. The life span difference is also dependent on many other factors such as type of bee.…

If you like to spend time out on your deck during the summer months, chances are you've been bothered by mosquitoes and possibly bees too. While swarms of bees are not very common, they can become a…

A beekeeper may need to move a hive to provide the bees with a new pollen source or to provide the hive with adequate sunlight because the current location is now overgrown and too shady. Whatever…

The "Balance Bubble Plus" mini-game in Nintendo's "Wii Fit Plus" is the advanced version of "Balance Bubble" from the original "Wii Fit." A Wii Balance Board is a required peripheral to play "Balance…

Earwigs are not native to the United States, but were introduced in the early 20th century. Honeybees also were introduced from Europe, but at an earlier date, probably in the 17th century. Earwigs…

Nucleus bee colonies provide beekeepers with a method of housing swarms or starting new colonies themselves. The logic behind creating new hives of bees with a new queen comes from the necessity of…

It sometimes becomes necessary to move your beehive. You should always move it when you notice fewer foraging bees returning to the hive, or when the amount of pollen being stored dwindles. Taking a…

Thorough grooming is an essential part of everyday horse care. Grooming includes cleaning the horse's feet to keep them free of dirt and stones, and brushing the coat to keep it looking glossy and…

Owls, as nocturnal birds of prey that stay awake in the night, exist on all the continents except for Antarctica. These solitary, winged carnivores belong to the scientific order Strigiformes, which…

Honey is produced by worker bees who gather pollen and return it to the honeycomb, placing it in its cells, allowing it it process into raw honey. The honeycomb is much more than just a place where…

A bee farmer will produce not only honey, but pollen, propolis and nucleus colonies for sale. A bee farmer is not a novice but an experienced keeper who has decided to turn his hobby into a business.…

There are several ways to feed honeybees without the need for a commercial feeder. Honeybees will need to be fed a 50/50 solution of water and sugar when the colony is too small to support itself, and…

Mail order honey bees -- or more correctly -- Internet order honey bees, are common purchases for new beekeepers, orchard owners and people who are having trouble getting fruits and vegetables to…

When a beekeeper wants to keep the bees inside their hive, whether to move them to a new location or to keep them indoors during winter, they use a screen called an excluder. You can easily make your…

Beelining is the ancient art of following a bee back to its hive. Used for untold ages, it takes advantage of the fact that a bee, once full of honey, will fly a "beeline" back to the hive in the…

Breeding bees is complicated. In order to maintain a genetic record, the ideal is to know which drones the queen bred with, and when. Genetic selection for queens that will lay heavily, not lay all…

A bee swarm forms when a group of honey bees have multiple mature queens. One queen stays in the current colony home, and the other takes half of the worker bees and flies away to establish a new…

The genus Numenius consists of eight known bird species commonly known as curlews found in Europe, Asia and the Americas. Only the long-billed curlew spends any time in Florida, often wintering in the…

Our world depends on honeybees. They pollinate much of our food plants, and without them the ecosystem would collapse. Honeybees have a deeply complex interaction with one another that is called a…

As a large state, Texas has many characteristics that make it unique. One of these characteristics is bumblebees. Home to seven different species of bees, Texas is one of the states working hardest to…

Birds of prey, like all flying birds, have a highly efficient respiratory system designed to pump pure oxygen into the blood. This design is necessary because flight puts extreme pressure on the body…

Birds of prey, also known as raptors, are a type of bird that use their feet (as opposed to their beaks) to capture their prey. Birds of prey are carnivores, or meat-eaters, that generally have…

Bees need nectar in order for them to stay alive. If the bees do not have enough nectar, the beekeeper needs to feed the hive. When the nectar supply diminishes in the winter, the bees have difficulty…

North Carolina is home to 28 bird of prey species, ranging from large eagles to small, lightweight kites. The varied habitats and small wildlife attract many birds of prey to the state. Using sharp…

During the cold winter months, most bee breeds hibernate except for honeybees. Honeybees remain active all winter and keep warm by huddling in a circle around the queen bee and vibrating their bodies.…

Attracted to the decomposing carbohydrate matter in manure, flies can be a common and persistent problem around horse pastures. Most flies found around horse pastures are common houseflies seeking…

"Killer" bees are actually Africanized honey bees, a hybrid between bees brought from southern Africa by a group of Brazilian scientists and our European honey bee. They sport the name "killer"…

Keeping bees can be a cheap and easy way to ensure you have a supply of fresh, local honey. Your garden will also benefit from the proximity of so many pollinators. The 21st century has seen a decline…

Birds of prey feed on small animals, insects and fish. They use their strong talons (claws) and hooked bills to catch, kill and eat mice, fish, frogs and even kittens. There are several birds of prey…

Beekeeping gives you access to fresh honey and to keeps crops pollinated. Caring for Honeybees requires the knowledge of how to move and work around the bees, feeding the bees every two weeks and…

The thought of moving a beehive can be overwhelming and slightly scary, but moving a beehive does not have to be a dangerous task if you plan ahead carefully and use the right equipment. It's a fact…

Pollen contains healthy vitamins and nutrients that many people make a regular part of their diets. It is also useful for maintaining the health of various animals including livestock and horses. To…

Honey bees have been recognized as important and contributory since the ancient times. People in ancient Egypt saw the bees as crucial figures and would treat them highly. The honey from the bees…

The Department for Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division, of Georgia lists 23 birds of prey that reside throughout the state. Raptors make up less than 10 percent of the bird population in…

The word "raptor" is a Latin word, meaning "to carry away." This is precisely what birds of prey do; they carry away their prey. People watch in awe as an eagle soars across the sky or a hawk swoops…

A third of U.S. crops are dependent on the bee population, according to Walter Leal of the UC Davis Department of Entomology. Honeybees pollinate faster than other insects, and play a large role in…

Bees prepare propolis by combining beeswax and other secretions with resins from the buds of cone-bearing trees. They use propolis to glue their hives together and protect it from bacteria and…

Horse flies are a common pest that bite people, horses and livestock. Insect repellent is often an ineffective option, due to the large area in need of protection and the possibility that harsh…

In a typical bee hive setup, two hive bodies typically form the brood chamber of the hive. In these boxes, the queen raises her young to keep the colony strong. As a colony matures, older queens may…

Laying-worker bees lay eggs in the absence of a queen bee. With the queen gone, the worker bees develop ovaries and are capable of laying eggs. The eggs the laying-worker bees lay are not fertilized…

Bees provide honey and pollinate hundreds of food crops including almonds, apples, citrus and vegetables. In 2006, beekeepers and scientists noticed a decline in the bee population. Because of bees'…

Keeping bees can be an entertaining and modestly lucrative hobby. Bees can provide honey and wax, and they can help a healthy garden by pollinating flowering plants and trees. The practice of…

Top bar hives are an alternative to traditional frame hives for beekeeping. In a top bar hive, the bees build so their honeycombs hang from parallel bars hanging along the top of the hive. Top bar…

Bears can do extensive damage to single hives and entire apiaries. They are well known for overturning hives, smashing hive bodies, devouring brood and honey, and scattering frames and hive debris up…

Millions of people keep bees as a hobby. If you keep even just a single hive, you can produce 50 to 100 pounds of honey each year. Consider the challenges of beekeeping before taking it up.

Beekeepers in Massachusetts must follow state laws to keep contagious diseases from spreading to other colonies. Beekeepers who notice the presence of an infectious disease in the bee colonies must…

A top-bar beehive is a type of man-made hive that originated in Africa. It consists an open cavity, such as a hollow box, covered with bars placed side-by-side --- hence the term "top bar." The bees…

In nature, bees have a fascinating, meticulous way of forming their beehives, which serve as their homes, their protection and their source of life. Also available are artificial beehives that humans…

Africanized honey bees first appeared in the Americas by ship from Africa, hence the name given to the non-native bee. The Africanized honey bee species is a hybrid of the African honey bee and the…

Connecticut residents may keep and maintain honeybee hives throughout the state, so long as registration and inspection laws are followed. Knowing the laws helps prevent fines and aids in the…

Arkansas has laws in place to oversee beekeepers and apiaries (areas where bees are kept). The Arkansas State Plant Board oversees all honeybee regulations and sends inspectors to apiaries to ensure…

Thanks to a resurgence in organic farming, recent news items concerning the vulnerability of the bee population, and the viability and health benefits of honey as a natural sweetener and food…

Carpenter bees, like most organisms, rely on oxygen to convert chemicals into usable energy. Carpenter bees, like all flying insects, have a unique mechanism for attaining oxygen for gas exchange…

Pollens provide the best nutrients for bees, having the right combination of proteins, vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates. However, sometimes the pollen supply drops or the weather makes it…

According to historical records, honeybees were present in Pennsylvania as early as 1698. Today, Pennsylvania boasts a lively beekeeping community, supported by associations and important to the…

As simple as a beehive is -- little more than a box full of wood frames -- the bees that thrive inside are instrumental in creating honey and to our food supply. Creating a beehive to house a colony…

Beekeeping is especially suited to Pennsylvania. The state has a temperate climate and abundant vegetation similar to the honeybee's native European habitat. Beekeepers in Pennsylvania must follow…

The queen bee can live for three to five years and is the only bee with developed ovaries for reproduction. A new queen is chosen after the old one dies or has become unproductive.

Keeping healthy and productive bees can be hard, and sometimes painful, work. However, gathering your first honey of the season makes all that work worthwhile. Familiarize yourself with the basics of…

Bee hummingbirds, native to Cuba, are the smallest bird in the world, measuring about 2 inches (5 cm) and weighing 0.06 oz. (1.8 g). They have made a number of morphological adaptations as a species…

Beekeeping is a hobby that is fascinating, educational and provides you with delicious fresh honey. The construction of a beehive is quite simple: It is basically a wooden box that holds frames on…

The planting of shrubs is a great way to enhance the look of a yard. Yet with any sort of garden addition comes a new army of insects to invade and wreck havoc. There are flowering shrubs that…

Bees typically use the sun to point them in the right direction in their daily ventures in search of flowers. They can also be drawn to porch lights along the way, in their effort to find food.

Although honeybees work hard to feed their colonies, supplementation can help them survive periods of stress and famine. Bees gather nectar and pollen from blossoming flowers and trees. During the…

The queen bee is the most important bee in the hive. She is the bee that births all other bees that live in the hive. Although she begins her life as any other larva, she is nurtured to queen status…

Beehives have been kept since ancient times. Bees are social insects with a host of abilities: They produce royal jelly, wax, "bee bread," sticky traps made from propolis to halt invasions and, of…

Honeybees have been fascinating humans since the discovery of honey as an edible substance. Honey is a thick liquid produced by certain kinds of bees when they repeatedly regurgitate flower nectar.…

Honeybees are insects that create honey, a delicious food that mankind has valued since early times. Beekeepers today raise honeybees in an apiary so that they can collect honey and beeswax more…

The working bee hive contains a colony of bees made of thousands of female workers, several male drones, and only one queen bee. The queen is responsible for the continued life of the hive by laying…

Beekeeping can be a rewarding and productive hobby, but buying a premade beehive can often be a costly investment. A more economical approach to novice beekeeping is to build your own hive. Honey…

Insects are an important part of nature. Different insects perform different duties. However, for a number of reasons you may want to trap insects. For example, if you want to study a particular…

Many gardeners and hobbyists feed honeybees to keep them in the area so they will help pollinate flowers, creating a generally healthier garden and natural environment. There are a number of different…

Raw honey is honey that has not been heated, pasteurized or adulterated with other ingredients. Historically, it has been used to treat many ailments and it can be used for dogs as well as for people.…

Many people are afraid of bugs. Anytime they see an insect, the first instinct is to smash it. But most insects are perfectly harmless and actually are important parts of the ecosystem. Some insects,…

While bees naturally feed on pollen and nectar, beekeepers often provide supplemental feeding to their beehives during the winter and early spring when pollen and nectar are not available naturally,…

A honey bee feeder can be used to supplement a bee's diet in fall or summer. Feeders are especially important for people who keep bee hives, as bees need to have a ready source of nutrition when…

Bee hives have changed over the years. They have progressed from simple boxes to the more complex commercial hives used today. Whatever type of hive you prefer, they are necessary if you wish to…

You may want to remove an old queen from a beehive and introduce a new queen to your beehive in order to produce more larve when an old queen is aged. Queen bees like to hide, and your hive may be…

As a highly organized society, honey bees have been of interest to humans for thousands of years. People have written more about honey bees than any other species of insect, according to Great Plains…

There are three different social classifications within bee hives, and it is typically the same as long as the bees are colony bees. There is the queen at the very top of the totem pole. There is…

Asian giant hornet (giant sparrow hornet, Vespa mandarinia) and Asian hornet (Vespa velutina nigrithorax) attacks will kill off entire honeybee hives in a matter of hours. They are voracious predators…

As more people take up beekeeping for a hobby or a living, more plastic beehive frames are sold. Although the frames come unwaxed, you must apply a thin coating of wax to the frame so the bees will…

Honey bees need to find nectar not only to make the honey that humans enjoy, but also to sustain the hive. There are certain times of the year, however, when pollen and nectar to make that honey is…

Beekeeping is a good way to teach children about how food is made. It demonstrates how bees take pollen and turn it into a food source for their own survival. Beekeeping also teaches children about…

Bee pollen has been hailed since ancient times as a wonder food and was even prescribed by Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine. It is estimated that without bee pollination, over 100,000…

Honey bee colonies are exotic pets, raised and maintained for the purpose of honey production and for pollination of local food-producing crops. You may be one of the many bee farmers who uses a…

The complexity in the structure of a beehive is created by the bees, but the man-made structure itself is simple and straight forward in materials as well as process. There need not be any secrets in…

Carpenter bees are interesting insects, and they get their name carpenter for a reason. These bees drill holes into wood for shelter and nesting. The carpenter bee is similar to a bumblebee in many…

If you keep bees, it's important to maintain their food source year-round. This is especially true in autumn and winter, when flowers and their nectar are in shorter supply. You should also make…

Honey bees collect pollen on their legs from the stamens of flowers from which they are gathering nectar. When combined with the bee's enzymes, the pollen becomes what we know as bee pollen, which has…

Bee propolis is a substance bees collect from plants that is thought to be beneficial in many health concerns. It comes in many forms such as lotions, ointments, powder, capsule and tablet, and it is…

If you love honey, you may want to harvest your own. This means building and maintaining a honeybee hive. But building the hive is just the first step; you'll need specialized equipment for your…

Bee pollen is a complete food containing all the nutrients necessary for sustaining life. These nutrients include varying amounts of essential amino acids, all B vitamins, lecithin, trace minerals,…

Honey bees are social insects that live in large groups in hives. During the summer, 40,000 to 80,000 honey bees may occupy a single hive. There are three types of honey bees: workers, drones and…

Bees are susceptible to a number of diseases. If you are an experienced beekeeper or just starting out, you will need to be aware of these diseases and how to prevent or avoid them. One way to do that…

Originating from southeast Asia, Varroa mites have spread to most of North America and pose a significant threat to the health of honey bee populations. Varroa mites are an ecto-parasite of many bee…

While air pollution has not been directly linked to the phenomenon of colony collapse disorder (CCD), where honeybees are abandoning healthy hives, air pollution is definitely a stress on the honeybee…

Bee pollen contains all the nutrients necessary for the body to thrive---high concentrations of B complex vitamins, along with Vitamins A, C, D and E. Bee pollen provides the body with natural energy…

Beekeeping can be a hobby if you have one or two beehives, or it can be a flourishing enterprise. If you are venturing into beekeeping, you will need a beehive where the bees will build their honey…

With warmer weather comes bees--and with bees--unfortunately may come bee stings. Pets are not any more immune to bee stings than people. In fact, since they have a fondness for snapping at insects,…

The beehive, as commonly referred to by beekeepers and consumers, is the enclosed home of honeybees. Beehives can be either man-made (as they are in the commercial honey industry) or naturally…

A bee's a bee, right? Not really. There are 20,000 species of bees, all part of the suborder Apocrita, which belongs to the insect order Hymenopterra. The ability to identify different types of bees…

Common hornets are the boldfaced hornet and the European hornet. The boldfaced hornet builds gray nests in trees and shrubs, so it's likely that you have hornets living around your house in your yard.…

Orioles are beautiful, bright orange and black birds that whistle cheery notes. Orioles feed on insects, flower nectar, and fruits, but if you have a special oriole feeder they will gladly come and…

Dogs are more likely than humans to get stung by bees because they like to play with anything that moves, including bees and their hives. But dogs are just as likely to be allergic to those stings and…