Harmony Hollow Apiaries

Ag Valuation with Honeybees

Agricultural Valuation – aka “Ag Exemption” – with Honey Bees

Do you own 5 to 20 acres? Are you interested in saving hundreds, maybe even thousands on your property taxes each year (especially by preventing rollback taxes!) ? Are you a land developer that has properties that need to maintain Ag Valuation until building can begin – years down the road?

If so, having honey bees can help you qualify. We (Rex Smith – Harmony Hollow Apiaries and Laura Winters of Birds and the Bees Apiary) perform agriculture maintenance with our hives to land owners for a reasonable management fee. We do everything to manage and maintain the bees, and once qualified, you reap the rewards that ag-valuation provides for your property for the use of your land.

Have our Honey Bee hives to qualify for an Ag Valuation and leave the Beekeeping to Harmony Hollow Apiary. Call Rex at 469-251-2BEE (2233) for more information and pricing.

December 2024 – It is time NOW to contact us about having bees placed in spring of 2025 – to continue (or start) your ag history and evaluating commitments for early 2025 ag placement. New commitment requests will be quoted and filled as livestock are available. (Do NOT Wait til April 2025 to ask about hives – it takes time to build up the livestock for each colony).

Requests in late March through May will be filled as available. State LATE deadline for 1-D-1 paperwork is April 30.

Texas law, effective January 1, 2012, made it possible for beekeeping to qualify for an Agricultural Valuation (commonly called “ag exemption” – see below) on property taxes. This is covered in the Tax Code under Chapter 23, Subchapter D, Sect. 23.51 (1) and (2).

An Agriculture Exemption is not actually an Exemption but rather a Special Valuation. If a portion or all of a property is deemed eligible to receive an Agricultural Valuation, that property will receive a Production Value along with its Market Value. The tax savings that a property receives depends on the current Market Value of the property and what type of Ag Valuation you are requesting. For example, Native Pasture areas may have a lower Ag valuation than Dry Crop areas and generally both are considerably lower than the market value that the taxes would normally be based on. That is dependent on county. (Some counties do not differentiate they type of agriculture activity, and have 1 rate for ag no matter the qualifying activity. Other counties have different rates for different activities).

There are several key phrases and requirements to this law. Sect. 23.51 (1) covers the definition of “qualified open-space land”. Specifics state land that has an established agricultural use history for five of the preceding seven years. Record keeping is critical. Registration and permitting with Texas Apiary Inspection Service (TAIS) helps establish this history. Wording of the law states agricultural use to the degree of intensity generally accepted in the area. Each local appraisal district sets their own standards as the accepted degree of intensity. Most appraisal districts use a minimum of six colonies (beehives) as a standard. That is the accepted definition of an apiary from Texas bee law under the Agriculture Code, Title 6, subtitle A, Chapter 131, Sect. 131.001 (2). (Which has just changed as of the 2023 Texas Legislative session- as they removed the number of hives definition).

Size of qualifying acreage is not less than 5 or more than 20 acres. Remember the definition of agriculture use. Losing an acre to a homestead exemption has to be accounted for on acreage. (check with your appraisal district to be sure, though -as I have heard of counties allowing the full acreage without removing an acre for the home)

Also, realize the landowner does not have to own the bees. You may hire the maintenance of bees from a beekeeper who owns the hives. Again, keep accurate and complete records. The wording of the law states “the use of land to raise or keep bees for pollination or for the production of human food or other tangible products having a commercial value.”

Lastly, it is important to stress the fact that each local appraisal district can set their own standards and requirements for the beekeeping valuation. Please contact your local appraisal district for guidance and minimum requirements. Some counties may want to see a copy of a bee maintenance agreement or land access agreement as part of your documentation before coming to evaluate your property for ag valuation. Some require a special report be submitted annually. Most county appraisal districts now have this information available on the county appraisal district website.

Benefits include:

Professional management and maintenance of beehives on your property
Annual Beekeeper Registration through the Texas Apiary Inspection Service (TAIS)
Pollination for your property
Contributing to the welfare of the honeybees
Annual Report listing harvested (and non-harvested if applicable) tangible products with commercial value.
Qualifying requirements for Harmony Hollow Apiary management include:

The site must be suitable for bees and provide the necessary elements for bees to thrive. A complimentary site visit will be scheduled for prospective clients. A Honeybee Management Plan is included – and lists expectations of flowering plants that the landowner should seed or plant – for the benefit of honeybees and ALL other native pollinators.

Harmony Hollow Apiary must have unrestricted access to the location of the hives at all times. (For locked properties – I can/will provide a lock to add to your chain of locks on a gate – or you can provide me with a gate code)

A 2-wheel drive vehicle must be able to access the area where the hives are located and park no further than 10 yards from the hives’ location.

Harmony Hollow Apiary reserves the rights of ownership to the bees, the equipment, and the products of the hives.

Honeybee Management Plan

Apiary Registration: As of 1 Sept 2023, Texas Apiary Inspection Service will no longer process “Apiary Registrations” – that has been changed in the last legislative session to “Beekeeper Registration”. The property owner can register as “the beekeeper”, or the beekeeper (if hired) can register as “the beekeeper” for the property. I personally register annually – and can list your property under my registration. The appraisal district MAY have upcoming guidelines listing who THEY want to see listed (either property owner, or hired beekeeper). That registration is NO LONGER FREE. It is now $35 per year.

https://txbeeinspection.tamu.edu/

For areas where you OWN the hives – You may need to pay the TAIS their fee ( $10) for them to issue a “brand ID number” to you. (Otherwise – mark the hives or the apiary with an identifying name/contact info – which is perfectly acceptable to law enforcement or TAIS)

For hives that Harmony Hollow Owns – our ID number is marked on the equipment.

Your county appraisal district will have the 1-D-1 Application for you to fill out for ag use of your land. Note: Placement and management of hives on your land is NOT a guarantee that the appraisal district will approve ag valuation for your property, nor is it a guarantee or a promise that there will be a honey harvest in any given year.

We are based near the Dallas, Texas Metroplex. However, we cover a large portion of North and East Texas. Contact us to reserve bees for your property.

Registered with Texas Apiary Inspection Service, Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University. Copy of past transport permits for Harmony Hollow Apiary are available here: http://www.bohemianutopia.com/permits/ (Note – as of Sept 1 2023 – There are no longer intrastate transport permits issued by TAIS).

I also recommend putting up a sign to warn people about the dangers of agribusiness (farm animals – which includes bees). Harmony Hollow has signs for locations where we own the bees – and signs are available at a cost of $20ea for locations where the property owner owns the bees)

Update – December 2024

Harmony Hollow and Birds and the Bees Apiary also offer services to build and maintain areas of food production – as Texas Property Tax Code also mentions that:

“Agricultural use” includes but is not limited to the following activities: …

… “producing crops for human food” …

“The term also includes the use of land to raise or keep bees for pollination or for the production of human food or other tangible products having a commercial value, provided that the land used is not less than 5 or more than 20 acres.”

Consultation and/or installation:

Wildflowers to seed the property
Trees that benefit both pollinators as well as humans for food
Garden Plots for “Producing crops for human food”

Sometimes – it’s necessary to have a fence surrounding the hives – to protect the bees from other livestock ( cattle, horses, goats, shep, etc) – or from humans. Click this link to a page with some sample fencing that my customers have provided – along with a sample of an effort that did not work so well:

Varroa Mite Management with your hives

Varroa mites are the latest finding in the plight of our agricultural (and hobby) European Honeybees. The Varroa Destructor is known to be a vector (carrier for diseases) for several viruses, including (but NOT limited to:)

SacBrood
Deformed Wing Virus (DWV)
Black Queen Cell Virus (BQCV)
Nosema Apis
Chronic Bee Paralysis Virus (CBPV)
Lake Sinai Virus 1, Lake Sinai Virus 2 (LSV1, LSV2)
Acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV)
Kashmir bee virus (KBV)
Kakugo Virus
Varroa Destructor Virus 1
Israel acute paralysis virus (IAPV)
Slow Bee Paralasys Virus (SBPV)

(list source: http://articles.extension.org/pages/71172/honey-bee-viruses-the-deadly-varroa-mite-associates )

While there is a rift in some beekeeping circles and groups about whether varroa mites can be managed with breeding “varroa resistant” or with “hygienic behavior” in bees – the fact remains that if bees are bred to coexist with – or to tolerate the varroa mites, then the colonies are subjected to a variety of possible diseases. Folks that are “treatment free” – should still perform varroa mite count tests – and not be disillusioned about the fact that mites are in your hives.

Another option is to use scientifically bred lines of queens that produce workers that do indeed perform hygienic behavior as a method of culling affected brood that has been infected with mite progeny (offspring) )from a reproductive foundress (female founding) mite. Research on this line of selective breeding can be found through Arista Bee Research Labs around the world.

A fantastic resource for learning to do mite-counts and various treatment methods is available at :
https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/varroa/ (link will open in new tab or window) This has been updated in June of 2018 – and also includes links to videos showing how to perform mite-counts as well as several treatment methods.

Monitoring methods

Varroa mites can be monitored with any of several methods.

Alcohol Wash (or soap/water wash)

Sugar Roll

My personal take on monitoring methods is this: If you are going to be taking measurements for ANY metrics – you want as accurate of a sampling as possible. I do NOT believe that a sugar-roll will give you as accurate results as other methods. Yes – that means that some bees will be sacrificed for the greater cause of knowing your mite loads. If you’re going to collect data – make sure it’s ACCURATE data.

Treatment Methods

Dealing with varroa is a delicate and tricky proposition – when it is considered that we are trying to eliminate a “bug ON a bug”. And the host bug (apis mellifera – or honeybee) we want to thrive and be healthy.

A variety of treatment methods can be employed. I’ll also say, though – that some have proven to be ineffective. See this video link for a quick overview.

VSH Lines of honeybees (Added Nov 2019)
Oxalic Acid (OA) Vaporizing
OA Fogging
OA Drizzle
OA Long Release (shop towel or Swedish sponge application)
Thermal Heat Treatment of the hive (added Jan 2019)
Apiguard
Formic Acid
Drone Brood Culling
Brood Break
Thymol (in various application methods)
Screened bottom boards (ineffective – not a control – but as a monitoring method)

There are many more treatment methods that were found on the internet while researching treatment methods. Some – such as using screened bottom boards – have been dis-proven to be effective by themselves – however MAY be an aide to help another method be more effective. Regardless – it is recommended that you employ at least two methods for varroa control.

Newer methods of applying Oxalic Acid are being experimented with by several researchers, including Randy Oliver of Scientific Beekeeping, and others in Central Texas.

Randy’s OA results are shown here: http://scientificbeekeeping.com/oxalic-shop-towel-updates/
and his 2022 end-of-year report is here: https://scientificbeekeeping.com/2022-extended-release-oxalic-oae-update-part-2/
and importantly: https://scientificbeekeeping.com/instructions-for-extended-release-oxalic-acid/

(Jan 2019) – Experiments with using thermal heat treatments of the hive have proved effective for varroa management. In essence, the hive is heated to 106 deg. F for about 2 hours. This mimics the temperature that is achieved in nature that is associated with hive overcrowding for swarming action. This temperature also is that which the varroa cannot survive. When the hive temperature is raised to 106 deg. F. – the mites attached to the bodies, and those that are in the brood cells are killed – thus breaking the mite’s life cycle – and allowing the colony to move forward with fresh brood that is healthy.

Sources:

Honeybee Health Coalition: https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/varroa/

Arista Bee Research Labs https://aristabeeresearch.org/

Randy Oliver – Scientific Beekeeping – https://scientificbeekeeping.com/2022-extended-release-oxalic-oae-update-part-2/

Mighty Mite Thermal Industries – https://www.beehivethermalindustries.com/how-it-works/

Dave Cushman – http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/varroatreatment.html

Photo from: https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2017/08/09/central-bee-health-threat-varroa-mite-parasite-may-manageable-using-oregano-oil/

Simple Hive Stands

These hive stands are strong, hold the hives to a proper height for easy inspections – and are quick to make with simple tools.

Most of the ones I make are 8′ long – and hold 4 hives easily – or 5 that are pretty tight. So I use 2 stands for most be yards – to hold up to 8(ish) colonies. For yards that only have 6 hives, I’ll use an 8′ and a 4′ hive stand.

The ingredients list for these stands are minimal. (2) 8′ (or 10′) 2×6 (or 2×8 or 2×10) Pressure treated pieces of lumber. Another cut to 14″ lengths as spacers… and an 8′ landscape timber cut to 20-inch lengths for the legs.

I * DO * paint the bottoms of the legs with a good exterior “oops” paint from the big box stores – to slow down any rot from ground contact.

Enjoy!

Pollinator Plants for Texas

Many property owners ask me about what to plant to help feed the bees. The short answer – is to plant for ALL the pollinators (butterflies, moths, wasps, bees (including native species as well as the honeybees used in agriculture for pollination services and honey production).

Though I separate this list to categories of trees vs bushes/wildflowers/Herbs/Vegetables/Fruits – know that they ALL benefit pollinator nutrition – and having a good variety of plants will ensure a variety of nutrition provided in the amino acids present in the pollen and nectar of the food offered to your pollinators.

I have a personal goal (or even mantra) – in the plants that suggest. They must accomplish at least 1 goal of feeding something.

Feeding wildlife (deer, hog, rabbits, native & domestic pollinators) etc, etc
Feeding Humans
Feeding MY bees

If what is planted can fill at least ONE of those goals – then grow it! This list is by no means all-inclusive – and will be edited to add more as we are educated on more varieties that people enjoy in our area of North Texas. I *know* there are more beneficial plants that would help the bees (and pollinators) – however, I am going to try to limit this list to those that grow well in this area – knowing our temperatures, soil types, and drought (and rain) levels through the year.

Trees

I LOVE the fruits produced by many trees.

Fig Trees – Though these are pollinated by a wasp – they sure benefit my taste buds and belly!

Persimmon Tree (American Persimmon or Texas Persimmon)

Mulberry Trees – These trees feed the bees, the birds (don’t you love the purple spots the birds leave on your car?), people, and more! They grow easily by grafting, or simply come up volunteer from bird droppings.

Pear Trees – Note that pear trees EASILY cross pollinate. So if you have a variety of “ornamental pear” tree – then it may negatively affect fruit-bearing pear trees and cause no fruits or deformed fruits to be set. Try to make sure you have edible fruit-bearing varieties that you plant.

Locust Tree (i.e. Honey Locust, Black Locust). These trees – for the duration of their bloom – make a WONDERFUL honey for the bees and other pollinators. Keep the plants in check, though – because the thorns the tree produces can be huge!

Chinese Tallow – Another plant that is a wonderful nectar producer. Some folks want to eradicate this tree… However – did you know that the Tallow Tree is Texas’ largest commercial honey producer? A mature tree can produce a barrel (about 700 lbs) of honey in the duration of it’s nectar flow.

Bushes / Vines

Ligustrum – This ornamental is a great producer of nectar for a short bloom period. It is VERY fragrant, and

Gourds – Gourds really seem to be a great plant for all teh pollinators – and produce a fun variety of fruit shapes that can be used for SO many projects.

Privet / Chinese Privet – Again – a VERY fragrant nectar producer that makes a light-colored honey – and the air is just abuzz when they are in bloom. Don’t let some folks tell you they should be removed because they think they’re “Non Native” or “invasive”. That’s horse-hockey. They simply are a well-adapting beneficial plant. 😉

Almond Verbena / White Almond Bush / Tree Verbena ( Aloysia virgata ) (Info from my friend Esther Betschart) a shrubby, flowering plant native to Argentina and Brazil. It’s known for its strong, sweet vanilla-almond fragrance that attracts pollinators like butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees. Here’s a quick overview of the plant:

Appearance: White flowers bloom throughout the summer on upright stems with dark green, sandpapery leaves.
Growth: Can be grown as a small tree or large bush, and prefers well-drained, clay soil.
Sunlight: Needs full sun but can tolerate part sun/shade.
Water: Requires medium watering.
Hardiness: Susceptible to freezing weather, and is hardy to zone 8b.
Propagation: Can be propagated by cuttings in spring or early summer.
Other names: White Almond Bush, Tree Verbena.

Holly

Wildflowers

Bee Balm / Horsemint / Monarda – These often come up volunteer in a field a year or so after being mowed or plowed. Bee balm is a bi0annual plant (only blooms every 2 years – or in it’s 2nd year of life) – so don’t be in a hurry to mow fields that have it! Bee Balm – as it’s name suggests – is a FANTASTIC producer of nectar for honey – as well as pollen for their protein source.

Green Antelopehorn Milkweed – This milkweed develops seed pods that resemble a green antelope horn – thus giving it it’s name. It feeds bees, monarch butterflies, swallowtail butterflies, and numerous beetles, moths, and other insects.

Garden Herbs

When left to go to bloom and seed – these garden herbs are ABSOLUTELY covered in pollinators when they are ready.

Dill

Fennell

Basil

Mustard / Wild Mustard – there are SO many pants in the mustard ( brassica ) family. Broccoli, Cauliflower, actual Mustard plant, etc. These typically reseed prolifically, and benefit all the bugs!

Arugula

ATREE and Beekeeping in India – West Bengal – Darjeeling Region

This is a work in progress as I have time to update from my recollection and notes from my trip to India for the month of October and early November 2016. Some photos are by freelance photographer Saad Amer – and are credited to him on each one. The remainder were taken by myself.

Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment ( ATREE ) provides initiatives to help rural residents in India to do better for themselves. A system of education to teach ecological methods of living and farming – with a goal of the residents being self-sufficient with new knowledge and skills to provide better living conditions and health.

One challenge ATREE took on – was better lung health. In areas where cattle dung is used for cooking (and home heating) fuel, the smoke is usually emitting directly to the living areas in the homes, and residents often have respiratory problems. ATREE provided ways for rocket-stoves to be installed into the homes. The rocket stoves burn hotter with the same fuel – fully burning it. The fumes/exhaust are also exhausted to the outside of the homes – removing the un-burned dung fumes from the living space – immediately improving the quality of the air breathed inside the homes.

Other initiatives that were/are in place:

Clean Water Initiatives – for both supply and discharge (sewer)
Composting – to improve soil nutrition
Worm Growing – (to aide in composting)
Mushroom Growing (the villages where I was – were on “Rishi Road”
Crop Farming to reduce landslides (choose crops with deeper root systems to hold soil)
Beekeeping

In 2016, I was invited to help an initiative led by the leadership of ATREE to assist in assessing the beekeeping and honeybee knowledge of the farmers in the mountainside villages, and to come up with a curriculum based on what their current knowledge is, and where I think it should be – for them to become self-sufficient with the raising of bees for their home-farm crop pollination. My trip to India was scheduled for the month of October 2016 – with my time in the Darjeeling area to be about 1 week to assess, and write a suggested curriculum.

After spending a week in Agra, (Uttar Pradesh (UP) state of India) – I flew from New Delhi to the Bagdogra Airport (military airport) in the Siliguri area of West Bengal. I was picked up at the airport by a member of the ATREE team, and the slow drive from Bagdogra airport to Darjeeling was started.

My lodging was arranged by ATREE for the week. I did not realize that everywhere I went – if staying in a “homestay” or a hotel/motel – I would need a paper copy of my passport to give them – as their government requires the documentation to be kept for visitors. Next trip – I’ll make sure to have plenty of copies with me.

In a country as large as India – they only have one time-zone. That way (as was explained to me – I’m not sure if they were joking or not) businessmen could not claim “Oh – I missed a meeting because I was in another time zone and didn’t realize time was different for the meeting” – when they’re all on one time zone – there’s one excuse eliminated from the possibilities. This is a long way of saying – the 2nd week in October – in the Himalayan foothills of Darjeeling and surrounding villages – the sun rose EARLY. I woke at 5am(ish) and went outside – and saw the glory of Mt Kangchenjunga in the distance to the North of Darjeeling.

Kangchenjunga at 6am from Darjeeling – Photo: Rex Smith

We are not too far from Mt K and Mt Everest.

Day 1 – Took us to the small villages of Upper Bhutia Busty as well as Lalung, then finally to Rampuria Forest Village – where I was hosted by a family for several nights.

Upper Bhutia Busty

Photo by: Saad Amir

Lalung

Photo by: Saad Amir

‘

Photo by: Saad Amir

Talking about the equipment, practices, and challenges – in Lalung Photo by: Saad Amir

Photo by: Saad Amir

Rampuria Forest Village

Photo by: Saad Amer

2025 – Central Texas Bee School – Brenham Tx

If you’re available to attend the Central Texas Bee School on March 1, 2025, it’s a great place and opportunity to learn more about bees and their management.

Rex Smith will be teaching (2) sessions – on performing hive inspections at the bee school.

https://centraltexasbeekeepers.org/bee-school/

Fencing the Bees

Some customers who may have other livestock on properties – or in fields that aren’t fenced to keep the public out – may be asked to provide fencing around the hives. Here are some samples that my clients have put around the bees to protect from cattle, horses, humans, goats, and sheep.

Whether the fence is around the entire field, or just around the hives – I can provide my own chain/lock to secure the fence gate.

Sectional cattle panels with gate This is probably the easiest fencing to put into place.

Wood Fence with gate: Good for places where posts in the ground are better – especially if in a publicly available spot.

Chain-Link Fence with gate: Good for places where posts in the ground are better – especially if in a publicly available spot.

And an example of what NOT to try to use to protect the beehives. Construction trash-fence zip-tied to t-posts. This does NOTHING to keep the horses and longhorn cattle out of the hives.

DO NOT DO THIS !!

2025 Texas Legislation to watch

12-11-2024 : Legislation that may affect beekeeping and associated agriculture operations in Texas during their 89th Legislature session:

Searches in Legiscan were for keywords: Honey, Bees, Honeybees

https://legiscan.com/gaits/search – Specify Texas as your state and if asked – 89th Legislature.

HB 519 – ( Mary Gonzales – D ) Defines honeybee producer of honey operation. Defines that local governments cannot require further regulation. This is for pure honey and honeycomb that has NOT been further adulterated (other ingredients or flavorings). This keeps honey production as a “raw agricultural commodity” and is in line with FDA rulings.
https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/HB519/2025
Harmony Hollow – SUPPORTS this legislation

HB 552 – ( Mary Gonzales – D ) Relating to a study by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service to determine standards for the appraisal for ad valorem tax purposes of certain agricultural land used to raise or keep bees.
https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/HB552/2025
Harmony Hollow – SUPPORTS this legislation

HB 1437 – ( Mary Gonzales – D ) Relating to the task force on pollinator health. Defines the team for this task force – as well as their mission.
https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/HB1437/2025
Harmony Hollow – SUPPORTS this legislation

SB 497 – ( Kevin Sparks – R ) Allows DURING A TIME OF DECLARED EMERGENCY – and via ISSUED PERMIT – vehicles to use red dyed fuel (that is not taxed) during the time of declared emergency – and in the area of the emergency declaration. Dyed sales of fuel need to be documented. Operation of normally off-road or equipment not meant for on-road use – must be done in a manner to prevent damage to the roadways.
https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/SB497/2025
Harmony Hollow – Neutral on this issue at this time

HB 2118 – ( Briscoe Cain – R ) Relating to the issuance of oversize or overweight permits for vehicles transporting agricultural commodities during or preceding a disaster.
https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/HB2118/2025
Harmony Hollow – Neutral on this issue at this time

HB 1113 – ( Briscoe Cain – R ) Allows for hemp to be added to Agricultural products and commodities in Texas – and allows for places of higher education to apply for a permit for research on hemp.
https://legiscan.com/TX/bill/HB1113/2025
Harmony Hollow – Neutral on this issue at this time

Equipment Build – Solar Wax Melter (Broke Boy SWM)

Broke Boy Solar Wax Melter – BBSWM

This solar wax melter is one that was cobbled together in the time-frame of about 2012. I call it the “Broke Boy Solar Wax Melter”.

Commercially sold solar wax melters for the hobby market – are currently (2024) marketed at prices ranging from $170-$350. For something that is essentially a box with a clear(ish) lid, and a tray. There are various ways the wax is melted, filtered, and put into a container – depending on how much money you want to spend.

My goal in building this melter – was to see how affordably I could build it, and it be effective. After all – we beekeepers are notorious for being… uh… “Frugal”.

Use what you have… maybe source things from garage sales.. or from thrift stores.

I bought a fairly large (45 Quart) styrofoam cooler from a retailer.. And a thick piece of plexiglass from a big-box home improvement store.

A box-cutter blade was used to cut the styrofoam to the size that allowed the plexiglass to fit on top – then foil tape was used to affix the “window” to the lid.

Pots and a vegetable steamer cage – sourced from thrift stores are used for wax melting. I line the steamer cage with paper towels, then fill it with the cleaned and dried wax cappings from extracting honey. The steamer cage is then set into a larger pot to catch the filtered wax.

Click Pic for YouTube Video

Rainfall and the Effects on Nectar

In North Texas – the 2024 spring season gave me a false hope of being a good honey production year. The first weeks in March provided the beginning of a decent nectar flow from the plants that were in bloom leading up to that week. Several hives proved to me that nectar was being brought in – with plenty of open cells of nectar being brought in to the hives.

Then it started to rain. and rain…. and rain….

I use an app called BushelFarm (formerly known as FarmLogs) to track rainfall amounts on specific property lots. BushelFarm is pretty darned accurate for rainfall numbers – and it gives a daily alert of rainfall, and tracks the amount (in the paid account version).

For the 103 calendar days from Feb 29 2024 to June 11 2024, there were 47 days of rain – that totaled to 40.76″ of rain. This averages to rain every 2.19 days.

In 1917, a report was issued in the Botanical Gazette – it is indicated that measured nectar from red clover and white clover have significant decreases in sugar concentrations on the day of a rain, as well as up to several days after a rain event.

It is said in North Texas – that it takes 3-4 days for our native plants to recover from a rain to thicken up the nectar it offers to pollinators. With an average of 2.19 days between rains – the plants never had a chance to significantly recover their nectar before another rain came along. The bees (and other pollinators) suffer shortages of natural forage (nectar) – and require being fed by the beekeeper to sustain their lives to the next season of potential available nectar – which is usually in late autumn when rains may induce another bloom from the plants available at that time.

Reported research results from :

https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdf/10.1086/332023

VOLUME LXIII NUMBER 4
T H E
BOTANICAL GAZETTE
APRIL 1917
ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES ON NECTAR
SECRETION
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE HULL BOTANICAL LABORATORY
Leslie Kenoyer

(from page 253)

RAINFALL
The author has shown in a statistical study (12) that heavy rainfall just before the secreting season is advantageous, as it gives the plants greater vigor. But during the season of greatest secretion good years are somewhat drier than poor. Also a rainy day shows a lighter honey yield than a day before or after the rain.

The deterrent effect of the rain on the honey flow is twofold: it hinders the activities of bees and it washes away the nectar. To illustrate the latter point, in 1915 on the morning following a day of continual rainfall, red clover corollas were found to contain 0.02 mg. sugar per gm., whereas a day earlier they contained
3. 8 mg.,a day later o. 6 mg., and 2 days later 4.4 mg. Buckwheat blossoms were subjected to an experiment to determine the extent to which rains wash away the nectar. Flowers subjected before
gathering to a spray for 20 minutes, 15 mm. of water falling,were found to contain 0. 12 mg. per 10 as against 1.28 mg. per 10 of untreated flowers. A 30-minuterain of 35 mm. reduced the nectar of red clover blossoms from 0.48 to o. 19 mg. per 10, and that of white clover blossoms from 0.27 to 0. 07 mg. per 10.

As of 12 June, 2024 – the only potential blooms in our area – are mesquite trees – which in some areas are in their 2nd seasonal bloom, and possibly horse-mint (spotted bee balm or Monarda). Once we approach 95+ Deg F – the summer is here, and no more food until Snow on the Prairie. For those who don’t know – Snow on the Prairie is a wildflower that makes a nectar that is “spicy” to humans – and not very pleasing to the palate as it makes ones’ throat seem to be burning. Great food for the bees, though.

The State of the Bees – June 11 2024

11 June 2024.

An update on this year’s honeybees.

Rain Rain Rain!

We have had MUCH more rain this year than the last 10 year average. Of the locations that I manage hives – the rainfall has been between 55% and 80.0% higher than the last 10 years’ average rainfall.

The highest actual rainfall – is 40.74″ – at a property in Van Zandt county. (Numbers as of June 11 2024)

The high and seemingly constant rainfall – means that the bees have not been able to bring in much nectar for food (and the extra nectar – is what they would have used to make honey).

The bees don’t fly in the rain – and though we have some flowers – rainfall washes the nectar from the flowers, and the plants need 3-4 days of sunshine to recover and thicken up the diluted nectar for pollinators to benefit – and it’s rained (in most areas) at least every 2-3 days (on average) up until this last week.

Hives have been VERY low on food stores since the rains started- so I am feeding consistently through the summer months.

Each hive has a 1-gallon feeder in the box – and I may feed supplemental syrup with inverted 1-gallon buckets on the hives. And you may see me on the properties a bit more frequently.

Bottom line… I currently manage approximately 500 hives in North Texas. There’s no honey harvest this year from any of my managed locations, because of low food resources in nature. When beekeepers need to feed the bees to keep them alive – there’s no honey to be made. As the year progresses – in the next months I will be replacing hives and /or queens that have not made it through the rain period of no food.

See more info here: http://www.bohemianutopia.com/?p=2798

Central Texas Bee School – Brenham Tx – 3/2/2024

If you’re available to attend the Central Texas Bee School on March 2, 2024, it’s a great place and opportunity to learn more about bees and their management.

Rex Smith will be teaching (2) sessions – on performing hive inspections at the bee school.

https://centraltexasbeekeepers.org/bee-school/

Harmony Hollow Apiaries

Categories

Archives

Ag Valuation with Honeybees

Varroa Mite Management with your hives

Simple Hive Stands

ATREE and Beekeeping in India – West Bengal – Darjeeling Region

2025 – Central Texas Bee School – Brenham Tx

Fencing the Bees

2025 Texas Legislation to watch

Equipment Build – Solar Wax Melter (Broke Boy SWM)

Broke Boy Solar Wax Melter – BBSWM

Central Texas Bee School – Brenham Tx – 3/2/2024

Recent Posts

Categories

Archives

Broke Boy Solar Wax Melter – BBSWM

Recent Posts

Tags