top of page
Welcome to
THE BUZZ
What's the Buzz?
The Buzz is a beekeeping blog by Master Beekeeper, Christine McDonald.
Through these articles, I share my experiences and advice in a way that is concise and easy to understand. If you would like me to speak at an upcoming club meeting or event, you can learn more about my speaking engagements here. And if you've found this valuable and would like to buy me a cup of tea, you can do so here.
Bee well!
Search
Queen Cells in my Nuc!
Getting a nuc is exciting, whether you're a brand new beekeeper just starting out or a veteran expanding your apiary or replacing winter...
rushingriverapiaries
May 21, 20233 min read
Making Splits Q&A
Ahh, spring is in the air, the bees are flying, and holy &$^#@ is that a swarm cell already!? Making splits can help you grow your...
rushingriverapiaries
May 5, 20231 min read
Harvest that leftover honey!
We are finding that our hives have tons of honey leftover this spring, which is not a terrible problem to have, expect that it IS a...
rushingriverapiaries
Apr 22, 20232 min read
To Flip or Not to Flip
Reversing boxes in the spring is a somewhat controversial move among beekeepers. In this article, I will explain the purpose of...
rushingriverapiaries
Apr 8, 20232 min read
Swarm Prevention
Operation keep the bees out of the trees usually starts when the first dandelions pop up. In this article, I will go through the steps...
rushingriverapiaries
Jan 28, 20233 min read
Chalkbrood
Chalkbrood is a fungal disease that can appear very alarming, but is usually overcome easily by your bees with a bit of intervention. We...
rushingriverapiaries
Jan 16, 20232 min read
Your Bee Equipment Order List
It's that time of year! Time to start preparing for the bee season ahead. Bees don't tend to wait around for their keepers to catch up,...
rushingriverapiaries
Jan 4, 20233 min read
Newbees, Start Here!
Your bees are on the way. Sh!t's about to get real. Here is a small collection of the very basics of getting started with bees. How to...
rushingriverapiaries
Jun 26, 20221 min read
My Bees Won't Draw Comb
There are three things required to make fresh wax: young bees, lots of nectar, and heat. If any one of these is missing, your bees won't...
rushingriverapiaries
Jun 25, 20223 min read
The Quick & Dirty
Sometimes you're in a hurry. It might be because you have a lot of hives and need to work efficiently. It might be because you fly away...
rushingriverapiaries
Jun 2, 20221 min read
The Basics of Making A Split
Making splits can be a strategy to grow your apiary, a way to earn back a bit of the small fortune you've spent on bees (if you sell the...
rushingriverapiaries
May 31, 20223 min read
When to Split a Hive
Timing is everything, especially when it comes to bees. This article will help you decide when is the best time to split your hive, or...
rushingriverapiaries
Apr 22, 20222 min read
Reversing the Brood Chambers
Reversing the brood chambers is a classic spring move. Over the winter, bees move up from the bottom box into the top box as they...
rushingriverapiaries
Apr 13, 20221 min read
Boosting a Weak Nuc Above a Strong Hive
Coming out of winter, we had a handful of nucs that were not building up like they should be. They were queenright, but just had too...
rushingriverapiaries
Mar 28, 20222 min read
bottom of page