Bartering Honey and Bee Products at Farmers Markets and Homestead Swaps
What the IRS actually says about bartered honey being taxable, where honey sits legally as a raw agricultural product, and how vendor trading really works at farmers markets.
Beekeeping Articles (Page 4)
Read MoreBartering Honey and Bee Products at Farmers Markets and Homestead Swaps
Beekeeping Trailers and Hive-Hauling Equipment: A Buying Guide
A practical comparison of trailer types, capacity, load-securing, and loading equipment for beekeepers moving colonies for pollination or apiary relocation.
Reading Your Hive’s Weight Curve: What Scale Data Actually Means
A hive scale is only useful once you know how to read the curve it produces: this guide explains normal daily swings, seasonal patterns, and the specific weight signatures worth investigating.
How Spanish Researchers Became the First to Eradicate Asian Hornets in Europe
A University of the Balearic Islands team achieved Europe's first confirmed eradication of an established Asian hornet population, earning the 2026 Golden Bee Award.
The 2025-2026 US Colony Loss Survey: What Beekeepers Actually Reported
US beekeepers reported losing 39.9% of managed colonies between April 2025 and April 2026, per the annual Auburn University-led national survey.
Queen Cell Architecture Shapes Queen Bees, New Research Shows
A 2026 study finds that the queen cell's own construction and chemistry, built by a specialized group of worker bees, directly shapes queen development.
US Honey Production Fell 14% in 2025: What the New USDA Data Shows
USDA's newest report shows US honey production fell 14% in 2025 to 116 million pounds, even as prices rose 27% to a record $3.05 per pound.
The EU’s New Honey Labeling Law: What Changed in June 2026
Since June 14, 2026, EU rules require every blended honey to list its countries of origin by weight, replacing vague labels like 'blend of EU honeys.'
Bumblebees Just Passed a Classic Animal Intelligence Test
A 2026 study in Science found bumblebees can spontaneously solve a brand-new problem using a movable object as a tool, with no prior training at all.
The Brain Circuit That Decides a Worker Bee’s Job, According to New Research
A 2026 study identifies a specific brain circuit, tied to the doublesex gene, that helps determine which job an aging worker bee takes on in the colony.
Scientists Engineered Yeast to Replace Bee Pollen — Here’s What They Found
Oxford researchers engineered yeast to supply six sterols bees can only get from pollen — and colonies fed the diet raised far more brood than those without it.
How Many Bee Species Are There? The New 2026 Global Count
A 2026 global statistical analysis estimates there are between roughly 24,700 and 26,200 bee species worldwide — thousands more than the commonly cited figure.
Andrena Cenizophila: The New Bee Species That Only Visits One Texas Shrub
A newly described solitary bee from southwestern Texas depends on a single shrub species for all its pollen — a rare degree of specialization for any bee.
Building a Honey and Wax Storage Room for a Homestead
Why a root cellar is actually the wrong climate for stored honey and wax, and the real temperature, humidity, fire-safety, and pest-proofing targets to build around instead.
Canning With Honey Instead of Sugar: A Homesteader’s Real Guide
How much sugar honey can safely replace in home canning, the real conversion ratio, and what NCHFP and Penn State Extension guidance actually says about the limits.
Bees and Backyard Chickens: Real Compatibility, Water, and Coop Placement
Chickens and bees genuinely coexist well on the same homestead - the one real friction point is shared water access, and it has a simple fix.
How Much Land Do You Need to Keep Bees on a Homestead
Two hives need about 200 square feet of yard, but each colony needs 2 to 5 acres of nearby bloom. A sourced table shows the land needed for 2, 5, 10 and 25 hives.
Off-Grid Beekeeping Equipment: Power, Extraction, and Access Without Mains Electricity
A manual extractor, a small solar setup, and two logistics problems solved: which off-grid beekeeping equipment genuinely needs power, and how to handle inspection access and bee delivery on a remote property.
Bees on a Homestead: The Real Economics and Workload
What it actually costs, how many hours a week it takes, and when a hive pays for itself compared to chickens, goats, and a garden on a self-sufficient homestead.
Why Cemeteries and Churchyards Are Becoming Real Pollinator Habitat
UK burial grounds preserve rare unimproved grassland by accident, and a growing movement — echoed at US cemeteries — is managing it for pollinators on purpose.
How US Golf Courses Are Becoming Certified Pollinator Habitat
Over 1,650 U.S. golf courses participate in a certification program turning rough and out-of-play acreage into real, documented pollinator habitat.
The Wilsonville Bee Kill: How One Pesticide Spraying Killed Tens of Thousands of Bumblebees
In 2013, a single pesticide application on blooming linden trees killed tens of thousands of bumblebees in Wilsonville, Oregon — here's what happened.
No Mow May: Does Skipping Spring Mowing Really Help Bees?
No Mow May spread from the UK to dozens of U.S. towns — but the study behind its most-cited bee statistic was later retracted. Here's what's real.
Agrivoltaics: How Solar Farms Are Becoming Real Pollinator Habitat
Research at Minnesota solar facilities found native bees increased 20-fold after native plantings replaced turf — how agrivoltaics creates real habitat.
True Source Certified: What the Honey Fraud-Prevention Label Actually Means
What the True Source Certified seal on a honey jar actually verifies — and why it's a fraud-prevention label, not a quality or purity guarantee.