Three Honey Butters

Honey Almond Butter
1/2 cup honey
4oz (1/2 cup) almond paste
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

In a small bowl, blend honey and almond paste together with elecric

mixer.  Beat in butter until creamy. 

 Serving Size: 2 Tablespoons
Nutrition: Calories 178, Total Fat 10, Protein 2, Cholesterol 15, Carbs 23, Sodium 61, Dietary Fiber 2


Cremed Honey Butter
3/4 cup cremed honey, softened if necessary
3/4 cup butter or margarine, room temperature
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional

Mix cremed honey and butter together.  Add cinnamon if desired.  Blend
thoroughly and keep refrigerated.
Serving Size 2 tablespoons, makes 12 servings


Honey Butter
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel

In a bowl, combing butter or margarine, honey and lemon peel.  Stir until well blended.



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Winter Time

January is a good time to do some catching up.  Pull out those bee magazines you haven't finished reading or hit the internet and do some research.  Check your stored equipment for any that may need repairs.

Inspect all wooden equipment for rot.  Even with multiple coats of paint, years of exposure can lead to rotten wood which can create openings for tiny pests that can weaken a hive.  Check screened bottom boards for tears and patch any cuts or holes.

Old comb can be dark brown or black.  All of these should be replaced.  These frames have been used so many times over the years that they are not really in the best condition to be used anymore.  As eggs are layed and bees develop, tiny amounts of residue are left in the cells.  Over time, that residue builds up and reduces the amount of space in each cell.  Give those babies a healthy place to grow by replacing that old comb.

This link is about the necessary cleansing flights on a warm afternoon in a Maine December: A Warm Winter Afternoon  Flight


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Wax Moths

If you've kept bees for a while, you may have experienced the unwelcome Wax Moth.  If you're a newbee, and haven't had them yet, that's a good thing but it's important to learn about them so if they move in, hopefully you can catch them early before they totally destroy your hive.

They often invade a weak hive and once they get a good foothold inside, it is often to late to save it.  They also target hives that are stressed or queenless.  Generally, a strong hive is the best defense against wax moths.

Their larvae burrows grooves into the wood and comb.  They spin webbing throughout the hive and leave waste everywhere.  Given enough time, they will totally decimate comb and foundation.

Wax moths do not like sunlight.  If we discover they have ruined a hive, we will leave the supers on their side in the sunshine for several days til the moths and larvae are gone.

There are different pests and diseases that can turn a hive into a nasty mess and wax moth destruction is easily identifiable.  If you've never seen it up close, study pictures of it so if you spot it in your hive, hopefully you can nip it in the bud before it gets out of control. 

If you do manage to rid a hive of the moths and larvae, you're next step needs to be figure out why that hive is weak or stressed and see if you can help it make a comeback.

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A New Year

At this time of year, there are no drones left in the hive.  They get kicked out as winter approaches, the ladies don't want to waste their precious honey stores on the boys.  However, worker brood may start to appear, spring isn't that far away and the guys will be needed again. 

The bees typically don't like to go outside on days with temperatures below 45 to 50 degrees.  They like to stay warm.  Right now, the girls are surrounding the queen in a ball-shaped cluster to keep her warm and maintain an overall temp of about 93 degrees.  The way they do this is by moving constantly from the center of the cluster to the outside and back again.  Their constant movement acts like a heater.

They'll be eating a lot of honey stores now, if they are low, be sure help them out with a supplement of sugar water.  We only put this in when the the outside temperature is at least 50.  If you open the lid when it's too cold, it makes them have to work so much harder to get the hive temp back up and keep it up.

On the days they do leave the hive, they have to leave for cleansing flights.  If you have snow around your hives, be sure to keep the entrances clear for this and proper ventilation.


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