Archives

Ag Valuation Questionnaire – Collin County – 2025

Clients in Collin County now have a questionnaire to fill out for their annual ag valuation for honeybees. Here are some of the answers I can provide for you for filling that out – for properties where I am managing bees on your land:

 

When did you obtain equipment – (when placed on your […]

Urgent: Nationwide Bee Losses in Winter of 2024-2025

2-7-2025 10pm

If you have not heard – over the last month – as many beekeepers prepare to send bees to California for Almond pollination – it’s being found that the normal approximate annual attrition rate of honeybee colonies of 40% – is this year – being seen in the range of 50%-80% and in […]

Simple Hive Stands

These hive stands are strong, hold the hives to a proper height for easy inspections – and are quick to make with simple tools.

Most of the ones I make are 8′ long – and hold 4 hives easily – or 5 that are pretty tight. So I use 2 stands for most be yards […]

Pollinator Plants for Texas

Many property owners ask me about what to plant to help feed the bees. The short answer – is to plant for ALL the pollinators (butterflies, moths, wasps, bees (including native species as well as the honeybees used in agriculture for pollination services and honey production).

Though I separate this list to categories […]

Fencing the Bees

Some customers who may have other livestock on properties – or in fields that aren’t fenced to keep the public out – may be asked to provide fencing around the hives. Here are some samples that a few of my clients have put around the bees to protect from cattle, horses, humans, goats, and sheep. […]

2025 Texas Legislation to watch

12-11-2024 : Legislation that may affect beekeeping and associated agriculture operations in Texas during their 89th Legislature session:

Searches in Legiscan were for keywords: Honey, Bees, Honeybees

https://legiscan.com/gaits/search – Specify Texas as your state and if asked – 89th Legislature.

 

HB 519 – ( Mary Gonzales – D ) Defines honeybee producer of honey […]

Equipment Build – Solar Wax Melter (Broke Boy SWM)

Broke Boy Solar Wax Melter – BBSWM

This solar wax melter is one that was cobbled together in the time-frame of about 2012. I call it the “Broke Boy Solar Wax Melter”.

Commercially sold solar wax melters for the hobby market – are currently (2024) marketed at prices ranging from $170-$350. For something that is […]

Rainfall and the Effects on Nectar

In North Texas – the 2024 spring season gave me a false hope of being a good honey production year. The first weeks in March provided the beginning of a decent nectar flow from the plants that were in bloom leading up to that week. Several hives proved to me that nectar was being brought […]

DIY Winter Nutrition Bricks for the Bees

For colonies that are more active, and may eat through their natural stores – I make winter nutrition bricks. They initially have a consistency of damp sand, and are dehydrated into bricks that I place on top of the frames of the bee hives.

Here’s my particular recipe. Everyone who makes their own – has […]

Sowing the seeds….

This winter I am planning to add seeds to several bee yards. I encourage every property owner that I manage bees for – to plant wildflower seeds to promote forage to help the bees. In locations where no additional seeding has been offered to the Earth, I am doing some tests – with a goal […]