VarroaDestructor Articles

Protect drawn comb with freezing, pest-tight storage and regular checks; keep empty equipment dry and disease-suspect equipment isolated.

Storing Drawn Comb and Empty Equipment

Protect drawn comb and empty equipment during storage, including pest prevention and inspection.

When to renew brood comb, date frames and rotate gradually while protecting brood, food and laying space.

Comb Replacement and Frame Rotation

Plan gradual comb replacement, date frames and protect brood, food reserves and laying space.

Compare the signs for adding brood space versus nectar storage, with frame-count guides, foundation considerations and swarm cautions.

Does Your Hive Need Another Box? — Brood Box or Honey Super

Assess colony space and understand when another brood box or honey super may be useful.

When a queen excluder helps, correct placement, foundation acceptance, checks before fitting and removal for winter.

Queen Excluders — When to Use One and When to Leave It Off

Understand when a queen excluder can help and what to consider before fitting or removing one.

Choose clean fuel, light a smoker, apply cool smoke gently and extinguish embers safely.

Using a Bee Smoker — Fuel, Technique and Safety

Review smoker fuel, lighting, gentle use and fire precautions before opening a hive.

Fact-check sheet examining claims about charred hive boxes, decay, water resistance, cracking and summer heat.

Charred Hive Boxes — Protection or Hype?

Examine claims about charred hive boxes and the evidence needed to judge their practical value.