Author Archives: "BUGGING" YOU FROM FRIDAY HARBOR!

About "BUGGING" YOU FROM FRIDAY HARBOR!

I am a graduate student studying Entomology via a distance education program through the University of Florida. In 2009, I moved to San Juan Island, WA. In my free time, I enjoy photography and my work can be viewed at http://www.facebook.com/thephotobug. I am available for local onsite beekeeping consultation and hive inspection or phone/skype consults as well as limited availablilty for photography sessions including portrait, family, or events. Contact me for fees or to schedule an appointment at cyndibrast@me.com Member Washington State Beekeepers Association

Hive Consult

Posted on August 24, 2012

Last week I went out to do a consult for someone needing a little help with their beehive. They needed help finding the queen and wanted a general assessment as to the health of their colony. The first thing I … Continue reading →

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Paper Bagging It…

Posted on August 10, 2012

Will it work?  Surely something so simple would merely be anecdotal…an old “wives” tale perhaps?  A brown paper bag to get rid of the yellow jackets visiting my beehive!  Certainly I am skeptical, but after a week of trying out … Continue reading →

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Long Live the Queen!

Posted on July 27, 2012

Two days ago on July 24, 2012, I noticed an unusual amount of activity right outside of my hive.  Maybe for someone else’s hive this would be perfectly normal, but for my struggling colony, seeing so many of my bees … Continue reading →

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Scales? July 23, 2012 Hive Check

Posted on July 24, 2012

Catchy heading!  Read all the way to the end to find out more…or not, since I have no idea what I saw on the back of that little bee’s thorax.  Definitely looking for input here.  Hopefully it isn’t anything that … Continue reading →

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Do Honey Bees Like Honeydew?

Posted on July 15, 2012

A most interesting thing I learned about today!  This morning when I had a conversation with my friend/bee-mentor about my new queen, we digressed into talking about nectar sources for the bees.  She mentioned that she’d read something about honey … Continue reading →

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Her Highness Takes Flight!

Posted on July 15, 2012

If you read my last post, you know I discovered two queen cells in my hive and yesterday when I checked, they’d both been opened.  Without actually “bee-ing” in the hive myself, I could only surmise that my colony had … Continue reading →

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July 12, 2012: Bee-wildered! Queen Cell and Deformed Wing Virus.

Posted on July 12, 2012

I am trying to check my hive at least twice a week to monitor how things are going, especially after seeing the varroa mites since installing the second package of bees and new queen.  The temperature here on the island … Continue reading →

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Little Bee Loves the Mustard

Posted on June 29, 2012

We had some sunshine for a few moments yesterday morning…and my bees were happy to be out enjoying the warmth!

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Counting Varroa Mites

Posted on June 29, 2012

Yesterday I went out to check and see how effective my Hopguard strip is at repelling those varroa mites.  My Country Rubes screened bottom board has access at the back of the hive where I’ve placed a sheet of gridded … Continue reading →

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Hopguard, Honey B Healthy and Yummy Smells of Lemon Balm

Posted on June 25, 2012

Reblogged from cynthiabrast: June 24, 2012 The sun is out today!  We’ve had almost a whole month of gloomy weather that many on the island have dubbed the month “June-u-ary!”    Perhaps the next few weeks will be warmer and the … Continue reading →

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