Surrey Beekeepers Association

06/05/2026

06/05/2026

06/05/2026

05/31/2026

Time to plant those flowers…. Reminder DO NOT SPRAY…. This kills the honeybees too . 😔

05/30/2026

Practical Bee Award Webinar

Award-winning beekeeper Aaron Weber shares a simple queen-rearing system that converts capped swarm cells into bankable virgin queens using EZPZ Swarm Cells and mating nucs on June 12th from 6-7 pm CDT.

For more information and to register, please visit: https://streamyard.com/watch/x2ppspab3CKv

This information is courtesy of the American Beekeeping Federation

05/30/2026

If you think the only way to beat Varroa and Tropi mites is by pumping continuous chemical treatments into your hives, you are missing the most powerful biological weapon in your arsenal.

Let's talk about the intentional brood break (I'll leave you a pro tip somewhere at the end :) ).

I strongly think that forcing a temporary halt in the colony's reproductive cycle is the absolute golden key to resetting your mite loads without wearing out your bees.

The biology here is brutally simple because Varroa and Tropi mites can only multiply inside the safety of capped brood cells.

When you let your queen lay eggs nonstop all summer, you are providing the parasites with a luxurious, endless breeding ground.

By taking control and creating an artificial brood break, you completely disrupt this reproductive conveyor belt.

How do you actually execute this?

The easiest method is to capture your queen and lock her inside a small isolation cage right in the center of the brood nest for 21 to 24 days (do not take her out of the hive please, just cage her in a square).

During this isolation period, all the existing capped brood will emerge, leaving the hive completely clean of any capped cells.

What happens to the mites then?

Without any pupae to hide under, every single Varroa and Tropi mite inside that hive is forced out onto the bodies of the adult bees.

They are exposed, vulnerable, and have absolutely nowhere to hide.

At this point, if you apply a single dose of oxalic acid at the exact moment the hive hits absolute zero capped brood, you will achieve a devastating kill rate that purifies the colony.

It's really important to do this treatment when ALL the bees are inside the hive (at dusk or dawn).

In my opinion, the perfect timing for this operation is mid to late summer, right after you harvest your main honey flow in early August.

This aligns perfectly with the natural summer dearth when the colony is already slowing down, and it prepares them cleanly for raising a healthy winter generation.

If you still have some nectar around and wish to gather the extra honey, you can take out some capped brood from the assist hives and pump fresh bees into the production hives, but be careful so they all hatch before you apply the treatment.

The truth is that a well timed brood break saves your bees from chemical exhaustion and snaps the back of the Varroa population when it hurts them the most.

Thank you for reading 📖
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic 🧡
Please leave a like if you've found this interesting 🐝

Happy beekeeping and full barrels 🐝🍯

05/26/2026

‎🐝✨ Tiny wings. Massive impact.
‎Bees may be small, but they carry the future of our planet on their backs. From pollinating the foods we eat to keeping nature alive and thriving, these incredible creatures are responsible for protecting ecosystems around the world. 🌎💛
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‎Without bees, flowers fade, crops disappear, and life as we know it changes forever. Today is a reminder that even the smallest living beings can make the biggest difference.
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‎Let’s protect our pollinators, plant more flowers, avoid harmful pesticides, and spread awareness — because saving bees means saving Earth itself. 🌼🐝🇺🇸
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‎Every bee matters. Every flower matters. Every action matters. ✨🐝

05/26/2026

HOW TO SAVE THE BEES!

05/26/2026

This question came from a 14-year-old follower:
“How does a honey bee actually find flowers with nectar and pollen?”
Honestly friends… the answer is pretty incredible.

When a honey bee flies, the movement of her wings through the air creates a tiny positive electrical charge on her body.
Flowers, on the other hand, usually carry a slight negative charge.
Because opposite charges attract, pollen can actually “jump” from the flower onto the bee.

How amazing is that?
Some research even suggests the tiny hairs on a bee’s body respond to these electrical fields, helping the bee detect flowers rich in nectar and pollen more efficiently.
Bee Haven 2026
Bees are not just seeing or smelling flowers…
they are actually sensing tiny electrical signals too.

Nature never stops amazing me 🐝🐝

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