Beekeeping Blog

Swarm Prevention: How to Keep Your Bees (and What to Do When They Leave)

May 29, 2026 | HiveBloom

Swarming is not a failure. It is how healthy colonies reproduce. But losing half your bees in the middle of a nectar flow is still something most beekeepers would rather avoid. The good news: swarms don’t happen without warning. If you know what to look for, you can usually stay ahead of it. Why Bees Swarm A colony swarms when it runs out of room, or when it decides conditions are right to split itself in two.

Queens Are Here, and Inspections Got a Big Upgrade

May 8, 2026 | HiveBloom

Queens are here. Inspections got smarter. Here’s everything new in HiveBloom. Move Queens Between Hives Your queen finally lives where she should: at the apiary, not chained to a single hive. Move her to a strong nuc when you split. Transfer her into another colony. Bring her home from the mating yard. Her whole story follows her, every placement, every inspection where you spotted her, every milestone of her raising journey.

How to Track Varroa Mite Counts (and Why It Matters)

May 1, 2026 | HiveBloom

If you keep bees, you have varroa mites. The question isn’t whether they’re there. It’s how many, and whether the number is climbing toward a level that will kill your colony. Regular mite counts are the single most important thing you can do to keep your hives alive. Here’s how to do it and what the numbers mean. Why Counting Matters Varroa destructor feeds on bee fat bodies and transmits a cocktail of viruses, including deformed wing virus (DWV) and acute bee paralysis virus.

Spring Inspection Checklist: What to Look for in Your First Hive Check

April 10, 2026 | HiveBloom

The bees made it through winter. Now what? Your first spring inspection sets the tone for the rest of the season. Go in too early and you chill the brood. Wait too long and you miss problems that compound fast. Here’s what to look for and when to do it. When to Inspect Wait for a day that’s at least 55-60F (13-15C) with low wind and some sunshine. The bees should be flying.

HiveBloom Is Now Free

March 31, 2026 | HiveBloom

We made HiveBloom free. Not a free trial. Not a limited preview. Free forever for up to 2 hives with unlimited inspections. No credit card required. No expiration date. Just download the app and start tracking your bees. What You Get for Free With a free HiveBloom account, you can manage up to 2 hives with full access to inspection logging. Record what you see in the hive, track conditions over time, and build a history you can actually learn from.