Recent content by Michael Palmer

Finished unwrapping hives today. The bees are looking good. Lots with 8-12 frames of bees. Maple almost finished. Pussy Willow in full bloom. Daffodils just opening. Getting through a very wet mud season...the fifth season of the year.

I trap a hundred pounds of pollen every year, using it to feed cell builders. The pollen is stored in the freezer until used. I expect it will remain good for a year or more

What is Pete's variation?

Watch my presentation at the National Honey Show. "Seasonal Management of Double Nuclei" I hope this video answers your questions. If not, ask...

I've split honey bee colonies many thousands of times. I have always left the parent queen in her hive, and removed enough brood and bees to create a strong nuc and discourage them from beginning swarm preps. I think some do remove the old queen to the nuc, but that's once the bees have already...

I prefer the lime flow for my comb honey. Excellent flavour and slow to crystallize.

As much as I want to go out to the apiaries today, I guess it's another day in the shop. Getting an April snowstorm. Looks like we're going to get 8-12 inches. Maybe next week...after the total eclipse which passes directly over our house. I plan on being in an apiary to video the bees'...

I use the Seresto collar on my dog and our cat that spends most of his time outdoors. We have a serious Lyme problem here. With no protection the animals come home covered with engorged ticks. The collar remains active for 6-8 months. The collar's active ingredients are imidacloprid and...

Have you ever had your dog die from Lyme disease? Not nice.

In 2017, I was a member of the Vermont Pollinator Protection Committee. Our final decision about neonics was to ban outdoor homeowner use, regulate agricultural use using an IPM approach. Pet flea and tick treatments were approved. The homeowner ban became law and those products are no longer...

Bill H-706 in the Vermont House of Representatives, the anti-neonic bill, has passed 112-29. After seeing my bees poisoned by maize seeds coated by Clothianadin there is hope. Now the bill goes to the Vermont Senate. This will be more difficult. Trapped pollen in my Cell Building apiary had...

I ripped out all the knuckle busting castellations years ago. My knuckles continue to thank me year after year.

Oops, sorry for bringing Vermont terminology into it. Sugar makers are farmers who produce maple syrup. Typically in Vermont, half the syrup is made in March and half in April. This year some made syrup in January, and now it's just about over. Our local climate has gone crazy warm. Speaking...

Well, I may as well just retire. Now I've seen it all. Pollen on PI day...3/14. I think it's Silver Maple, but I see no maple trees in bloom. Not even any swollen buds. The sugar makers are still boiling sap. Crazy

Whatever happened to Stocks on the public green.