Tag Archives: hives

Bee Health Survey & Tropilaelaps Mites

Brookfield Farm participates in the USDA survey of honey bee pests and diseases : the search for exotic pests including the asian Tropilaelaps mite. Continue reading

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Over-night beehive splits – what a difference a day makes this spring

Weather changes during the making of over-night splits at Brookfield Farm in Maple Falls. Shots of splits being made in the sun at one of Bruce Bowen’s bee yards. How over-night splits are created to make new nucs at Brookfield Farm Continue reading

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American Foulbrood – Deceptive and Deadly

American Foulbrood diagnosed in one hive at Brookfield Farm. How diagnosed. What was done. Lessons Learned. Continue reading

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Spring Hive Assessment at Brookfield Farm

How the honeybees are checked in the spring at Brookfield Farm Bees And Honey’s bee yards which are all near Maple Falls, Washington. And a video shot of the bee yard Continue reading

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Bring Out Your Dead : Winter Bee Hive Declines

Winter bee hive losses : what they mean to the beekeeper, what happens next. And my first video shot on an ipod – view of part of our farm bee yard and the beekeeper. Continue reading

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Building Boxes & When Orders Go Wrong

Building bee boxes in a small living room at Brookfield Farm, Maple Falls, Washington. Plus a tale of when orders go wrong. Continue reading

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Loading Honeybees for Almond Pollination

Loading 818 honeybee hives onto three trucks which then transported the bees to the California almonds for pollination. Bruce Bowen’s bees, Mount Vernon, Washington. Photos by Karen E. Bean, Brookfield Farm, Maple Falls, Washington. More photos than words on this posting. Continue reading

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Livestock Guard Dogs and Honeybees

Brookfield Farm’s use of livestock guard dogs to allow our bees to share the wilderness with all wildlife. Continue reading

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Preparing Honeybees to pollinate California almonds

Beekeeper Karen Bean helps Bruce Bowen and Pat Ray prepare honeybees which will go to California for almond pollination. How hives are moved, by forklift and hand dolly; how honey bound hives are corrected; how pallets are cleaned; and just how much wool Bean can get under a bee suit are covered. Continue reading

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Checking Hives In The Winter

Checking honeybees in winter to determine which hives will go to California to pollinate almonds. Tips from beekeeper Bruce Bowen and one from beekeeper Karen Bean on what to look for when checking winter bee hive clusters. Continue reading

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