Frequently Asked Questions about
Keeping Bees in Houston
How does one join the Houston Beekeepers Association?
The Houston Beekeepers Association is composed of both backyard and professional beekeepers in the Houston area. Membership costs $20.00 per year. Please mail your check (payable to Houston Beekeepers Association) to Glen C Martin, 1502 Thorton Road, Houston, Texas 77018. You will begin receiving our monthly newsletter, which will tell you of the next meeting.
Where does the Houston Beekeepers Association meet?
The Houston Beekeepers Association meets at 7:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month at the Bayland Community Center, 6400 Bissonnet, Houston, Texas 77027. Complete directions are available under the section about our next meeting. Admission is free. Guests are always welcome. Hope to see you there.
Is there such a thing as a "cool" bee suit?
Sadly, the answer is "no." Whether all cotton or a blend, bee suits in Houston are just plain hot. However, not all beekeepers wear them all the time. How aggressive your bees are depends on many factors (such as the type of bee, time of day, weather, how fast you move). As one gets more experience in beekeeping one can often visit the hive with minimal protective equipment. Of course, there are times when you will have to "suit up." If you know of a bee suit that isn't a hothouse, please let us know.
How is the color used to mark queens determined?
Commercially purchased queen bees are usually marked with a dab of color. The color allows one to tell in what year the queen was born. Younger queens are better egg layers, and thus produce more worker bees, which in turn make for healthier colonies. The specifications for the colors are as follows:
White (or Gray) for years ending in 1 or 6
Yellow for years ending in 2 or 7
Red for years ending in 3 or 8
Green for years ending in 4 or 9
Blue for years ending in 5 or 0
How does one get access to the HBA's vast video tape library?
One of the many benefits of joining the Houston Beekeepers Association is access to the club's video library. Members may check out videotapes at meetings and view them during the month between meetings. To see the titles currently in the library, click here.
Do you have any information about "killer bees?"
Yes. Because of the many myths surrounding so-called "killer-bees" we have set up a separate page just on Africanized Honey Bees. You can read our information by clicking here.
What is the formula for spring feeding of sugar water?
Beekeepers sometimes feed sugar water to established colonies in the spring if we have had an especially rough winter and the honey stores in the colony are depleted. One always feeds sugar water to newly established colonies to help them draw out the comb. The formula for spring feeding is a 1:1 ratio (one cup sugar to one cup water). Water weighs 8 pounds per gallon. That means that two quarts (8 cups) weighs 4 pounds. That means that an 4 pound bag of sugar needs 8 cups of water. Bring the water to a boil, turn off the heat and add the sugar. Stir till dissolved. It helps to make up several cups worth at a time. Just be sure the container is large enough to hold both the water and the sugar.
What are the steps in extracting honey?
The steps vary, depending on the type of equipment and how many frames of honey you have to extract. To read about one member's techniques, click here.
Should you use 10 frames in your honey supers or 9 frames?
To find out more about this interesting option for managing your honey supers, click here.
mail comments to webmaster@houstonbeekeepers.org
[Go Back to The HBA Main Page]