Beginner's Pages

Announcements

Field sessions I will be offering the last formal field session this coming Saturday April 28–from 10 am ’til noon. Location–at my home at 14744 Meadow Dr., GV. Please bring a veil, smoker, and hive tool if you have them. I strongly encourage everyone to work without gloves. You are welcome to wear coveralls and… Read More »

Nuc Pickup & Instructions

NUC PICKUP INSTRUCTIONS–PLEASE READ ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM! Randy Oliver Golden West Apiaries 14744 Meadow Dr Grass Valley, CA 95945 530 277 4450 (mornings best) I produce “chemical-free*” nucs on high quality combs, with the queen mated and laying in the same “large” nuc—the queens are never caged nor banked. *We haven’t used… Read More »

First Year Care For Your Nuc

1) Congratulations, you’ve just purchased a quality nucleus colony with a newly-mated queen from selected stock! 2) Some nucs may have the queen caged—I will let you know. If so, remove the candy cap when you get home to allow the bees to chew through the candy and release the queen. 3) Install the nuc… Read More »

The “Rules” For Successful Beekeeping

Advice for recreational beekeepers Randy Oliver ScientificBeekeeping.com In my articles I chronicle my own process of self-education in becoming a successful beekeeper—which has been much more difficult since the invasion of varroa. The learning curve has been brutal—there were times when I thought that I was the worst beekeeper in the world (although that notion… Read More »

The Rules Redux

My recent article, “The Rules for Successful Beekeeping,” got more response (overwhelmingly favorable) than all my previous articles combined! (I’ve received requests to reprint it in several foreign countries, including a translation into Serbian!). What I also discovered is that there are a few beekeepers suffering from advanced cases of HDD—Humor Deficit Disorder. This is… Read More »