February 19, 2024

Honey extractors evolved in America as the fledgling apiculture industry began to see the value of these machines. To understand that historical development from primary sources, I collect honey extractors, study them, and search how their original design functioned in the old bee literature. I had to find one important design: an 1870s Novice Honey Extractor. A.I. Root made this…

Q  Oxalic acid chemistry  I would like to know if the oxalic acid treatment involves a liquid phase before vaporization or if oxalic acid sublimes, going directly from solid to vapor. I am not a chemist, and there is a lot of confusion on this topic in the available information. Marie-Hélène Majeau Québec, November A My team and I get…

Here’s a quiz: What do ketchup, yogurt, gelatin, and heather honey have in common? You got it! They are all thixotropic liquids. Thixotropic materials are thick and viscous when motionless but become thinner when agitated. At my home, we always keep a humongous bottle of ketchup on the kitchen counter. After leaving it untouched for several days, you can invert…

By now, you’re either itching to get out to your bee yard, or you’re cuddled up cozy with no desire to brave the elements. While the sun rises and sets, the days are getting longer, and Baby New Year brood is emerging. If you haven’t yet performed your first inspection of 2024, now is the time to look at the…

In last month’s column I described how the current pesticide risk assessment process for pollinators is inadequate in the United States, Europe, and other areas. I used the word “inadequate” because we know that pesticides are currently contributing to annual honey bee colony losses and declines of wild pollinators. In this month’s column I’m going to highlight a paper that…