🌱 Beekeeping Basics
Getting Started with Backyard Beekeeping — What You Actually Need
Dylan·8 min·beginner
Knowledge Base
All Articles & Guides
Expert-written guides on beekeeping, pollinator gardening, hive health, and more.
🐚 Mason & Native Bees
Setting Up a Mason Bee House: A Complete Beginner's Guide
Mason bees are gentle, extraordinarily effective pollinators that require almost no equipment and just a few hours of care per year. Here's everything you need to get started.
Dylan·8 min·beginner
🌸 Plants & Forage
The Best Pollinator-Friendly Plants for the Pacific Northwest
From native wildflowers to kitchen herbs, these are the plants that genuinely make a difference for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators in the Pacific Northwest.
Dylan·7 min·beginner
🦋 Butterfly Gardening
Top 10 Butterfly-Friendly Plants for the Pacific Northwest
Attracting butterflies takes more than just nectar plants — you need host plants for caterpillars too. Here are the 10 best plants for a complete butterfly garden in the Pacific Northwest.
Dylan·7 min·beginner
🌱 Beekeeping Basics
How to Do a Spring Hive Inspection (Step-by-Step)
Your first inspection of the year is one of the most important. Here's exactly what to look for, frame by frame, and what to do about what you find.
Dylan·9 min·beginner
🍯 Honey & Hive Products
How to Harvest and Extract Honey for the First Time
Your first honey harvest is one of the most rewarding moments in beekeeping. Here's how to do it right — when to harvest, what equipment you need, and how to go from full super to jarred honey.
Dylan·10 min·beginner
🔬 Hive Health
Understanding Varroa Mites: What Every Beekeeper Needs to Know
Varroa destructor is the single greatest threat to managed honey bee colonies worldwide. Here's what the mite is, how it works, and why monitoring is non-negotiable.
Dylan·10 min·intermediate
Understanding Bee Swarms: What They Are and What to Do
A swarm of bees looks alarming, but it's one of the most docile and fascinating things a honey bee colony does. Here's what's actually happening, and exactly what to do if you encounter one.
Dylan·8 min·beginner
🐛 Pollinators
Mason Bees vs. Honeybees: Which Is Right for Your Garden?
Both are excellent pollinators, but they're very different commitments. Here's an honest comparison to help you decide which makes sense for your garden and lifestyle.
Dylan·7 min·beginner
🌍 Conservation
How to Create a Pollinator-Friendly Garden from Scratch
You don't need a large space or a big budget to make a meaningful difference for pollinators. Here's a practical, step-by-step guide to designing and planting a garden that genuinely supports bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.
Dylan·9 min·beginner
🔬 Hive Health
Organic Varroa Treatment: Oxalic Acid, Thymol & When to Use Each
A practical, side-by-side guide to the most effective organic varroa treatments — what each does, when to use it, how to apply it, and the situations where one clearly beats the other.
Dylan·11 min·intermediate
Winter Hive Preparation: A Complete Fall Checklist
What you do in September and October determines whether your colony survives until spring. Here's a complete, week-by-week fall preparation checklist for Pacific Northwest beekeepers.
Dylan·11 min·intermediate