For Island Beekeepers, a New Life After Colony Collapse Disorder

It has been a harrowing two decades for the European honeybee, and the thousands of apiarists who keep them. A host of factors likely contributed to the phenomenon, but on the Vineyard one pest has risen above the rest to become enemy number one: the indomitable varroa mite.

Read More

The Sweet Science of Beekeeping
Holly Pretsky

Vineyard Haven beekeeper Tim Colon received more calls than usual this year from startled Islanders reporting swarms of bees. A swarm is awe-inspiring to witness.

Read More

Bee Business
Suzan Bellincampi

Carpenter bees are coming out of the woodwork.

Read More

Welcoming Bees to the Backyard
Suzan Bellincampi

Native bees deserve much credit, and are impressive in their pollinating talent, diversity and sheer numbers.

Read More

The Buzz on Native Bees

A discussion next week will look at the importance of native bees and how to create a welcoming habitat for them.

Read More

To Bee or Not to Bee? Ask the Yellow Jackets
Suzan Bellincampi

Wasps, especially yellow jackets, have been out in full force, and folks are noticing and fearing them.

Read More

Bee Happy
Lynne Irons

What I don’t know is a lot! For example, all the petals of the echinacea are being eaten by a tiny worm. I can barely see it with my reading glasses. Sadly, only the center of the blossom remains on many of the flowers. I had several varieties in different colors. Honestly, it is always something!

Read More

Busy as a Bee
Lynne Irons

Big doings out at Bayes-Norton Farm. I’ve been watching all week and wondering if the garden is being expanded or a if a house is on the way. Those big machines sure make short work of land clearing. I was thinking about our ancestors doing the same task with nothing but beasts of burden and pure brawn. They couldn’t stop by for take-out on the way home either.

Read More

The Berries and the Bees
Suzan Bellincampi

Pollinators, start your engines!

I am hoping for a bounteous blueberry crop this year. Though only time will tell, we can get a hint as to what is to come by looking at the spring flowers that the blueberry bushes have started to produce.

Read More

Every Last Bee
Remy Tumin

Every morning since April 24, Paul Goldstein has set out 30 colored soufflé cups with soapy water in them, a technique called bee bowling.

Read More

Pages