No Grafting Needed? I Tested This Queen Rearing System
Nicot No Grafting Queen Rearing.
In this video, I’m walking through an experiment using the Nicot no-grafting queen rearing system to see how well it works for raising queen bees without having to graft tiny larvae by hand.
Queen rearing can feel intimidating, especially if you’ve never grafted before. The Nicot system is designed to let the queen lay directly into removable cell cups, so you can move those young larvae into a queen-rearing setup without touching them. In this walkthrough, I’ll show the process, talk through what I’m doing, and share what I’m watching for along the way.
This is not a polished “perfect results” demonstration — it’s a real-world beekeeping experiment. We’ll look at the setup, the timing, the queen cups, and the practical challenges of using a no-graft queen rearing method in the bee yard.
Whether you’re curious about raising your own queens, nervous about grafting, or just wondering if the Nicot system is worth trying, this video should give you a practical look at how the process works.
Topics covered:
Nicot no-grafting queen rearing system
Raising queens without grafting
Queen cell cup setup
Beekeeping queen rearing experiment
Real-world lessons from the bee yard
If you’ve used the Nicot system before, I’d love to hear how it worked for you in the comments.
🐝 Ready to take your apiary skills to the next level?
Take Rays Beekeeping Course Here: https://www.honeytopbees.com/rays-beginner-video-course/
The Complete Honey Harvesting and Extracting Guide for Beekeepers
Honey Extracting Complete Guide: Take a deep dive into the honey house with me as we process our fresh April harvest! While the short version gave you a glimpse, this full-length video covers the entire journey of our local, raw honey—moving meticulously from the hive frames all the way to our self-serve stand in South Carolina.
What We Cover in This Full Walkthrough:
Mastering the Uncapping: Watch the technique behind using both electric and manual knives to carefully peel back the wax cappings.
Centrifuge Process: A detailed look at loading the extractor and spinning the liquid gold out of the comb.
Bottling: See how we filter the raw honey to maintain its quality while filling everything from our 10oz bears to the 48oz family-sized jars.
Finishing Touches: A look at our custom Honey Top Bees labeling process that makes every bottle shelf-ready.
Farm-to-Table Delivery: Follow along as we restock the self-serve honey stand for our local community neighbors.
Links & Resources:
Take Rays Beekeeping Course Here: https://www.honeytopbees.com/rays-beginner-video-course/
Interested in the Vapor smoker shown here? Use promo code: Ray20 for a 20% discount!! – Go to https://apisolis.us/shop/?ref=413
#Beekeeping #HoneyExtraction #HoneyHouse #RawHoney #HoneyTopBees #MasterBeekeeper #SouthCarolinaBees
Swarm Caught! Now to Find the Queen
Catching a wild honey bee swarm is one of the most exciting parts of beekeeping! In this video, we walk you through the entire process of safely collecting a honey bee swarm hanging from a tree branch and transferring them into a 5-frame nuc box.
We don’t stop there—a few days after hiving the swarm, we head back into the colony for a full inspection to see if they’ve settled in and, most importantly, to find the queen bee!
What you’ll learn in this video:
How to safely approach and capture a cluster of bees from a tree.
The best techniques for shaking or transferring bees into a temporary nuc box.
Signs that the swarm has accepted their new home.
Tips for spotting a new, unmarked queen during a colony inspection.
Whether you are a beginner looking to catch your first free colony or an experienced keeper enjoying the rush of swarm season, this step-by-step walkthrough has something for you.
If you enjoyed this video, please give it a 👍, leave a comment with your favorite swarm-catching story, and subscribe to the channel for more practical apiary guides!
🎓 EXPAND YOUR BEEKEEPING KNOWLEDGE
Ready to master the basics and confidently manage your own apiary?
👉 Take Rays Beekeeping Course Here: https://www.honeytopbees.com/rays-beginner-video-course/
🐝 VISIT THE STORE
Find high-quality gear, tools, and essentials for your yard:
👉 www.honeytopbees.com
💨 FEATURED GEAR & DISCOUNTS
Interested in the Vapor smoker shown here?
👉 Go to https://apisolis.us/shop/?ref=413
🔥 Use promo code: Ray20 for a 20% discount!
#Beekeeping #BeeSwarm #SaveTheBees #Honeybees #ApiaryLife #QueenBee #MasterBeekeeper
New Honey Extractor Unboxing + First Impressions
Thinking about buying a honey extractor? Before you spend the money, watch this first! I’m unboxing my new honey extractor and giving you a complete first look at the build quality, components, and everything included right out of the box — so you know exactly what you’re getting before you buy.
Whether you’re preparing for your first honey harvest or upgrading your beekeeping setup, this unboxing breaks down what matters and what doesn’t — from a certified master beekeeper’s perspective.
🐝 In this video:
Everything included with the honey extractor
First impressions & build quality review
Assembly overview & setup tips
What to inspect before your first use
Practical tips for beginner beekeepers starting to extract honey
🔗 Resources & Links:
👉 Take Ray’s Beginner Beekeeping Video Course: https://www.honeytopbees.com/rays-beginner-video-course/
🏷️ Use promo code RAY20 for 20% off sitewide at Apisolis: https://apisolis.us/shop/?ref=413
🛒 Honeytop Bees Store: https://www.honeytopbees.com
💬 Drop a comment below:
What honey extractor are you using?
Manual or electric — which do you prefer?
First harvest coming up? Ask your questions here!
👍 If this video helped you, please like, subscribe, and share with a fellow beekeeper!
🏷️ Tags:
honey extractor unboxing, honey extractor review, how to extract honey, beekeeping equipment for beginners, honey harvest setup, best honey extractor, extracting honey at home, beginner beekeeping tools, beekeeping for beginners, honey extraction tips, manual vs electric honey extractor, beekeeping equipment review, first honey harvest, honeytop bees
How to Introduce a Queen Bee Without Getting Her Killed
Requeening with an introduction cage frame.
Are you ready to introduce a new queen bee to your colony but worried about hive acceptance? In this video, we break down how to use queen introduction cages effectively to ensure a seamless transition and protect your investment. We’ll cover the differences between common cage types (like candy cages and push-in cages) and the step-by-step process to maximize your success rate.
Whether you are requeening a stubborn colony or splitting a hive, mastering the queen introduction cage is a crucial skill for every beekeeper.
🐝 Ready to take your apiary skills to the next level?
Take Rays Beekeeping Course Here: https://www.honeytopbees.com/rays-beginner-video-course/
🍯 Visit our store for honey, gear, and more:
www.honeytopbees.com
💨 Interested in the Vapor smoker shown here?
Use promo code: Ray20 for a 20% discount!!
Go to https://apisolis.us/shop/?ref=413
Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more step-by-step beekeeping tutorials!
#Beekeeping #QueenBee #Requeening #HoneyTopBees #ApiaryManagement
Afterswarms: Why They Happen and How to Stop Them
Join Certified Master Beekeeper Ray as he discusses bee swarms and the intriguing phenomenon of after-swarms. This video provides valuable insights into bee hives and the behavior of honeybees, helping you understand crucial aspects of beekeeping. Learn about what happens when your colony leaves and how to manage your apiary effectively.
Harvesting Honey -From Hive to Bottle in 2 Minutes
From Hive to Bottle! 🍯🐝
Description:
Join me for a look at our April honey extraction process at Honey Top Bees! 🍯 In this video, we go from uncapping the frames to the final bottling and labeling, showing you how we get our local, raw honey ready for our self-serve stand.
In this video, you’ll see:
The Uncapping Process: Using both manual and electric uncapping knives to remove the wax cappings from the honeycombs.
Extraction: Placing the frames into the extractor to spin the honey out.
Filtering and Bottling: Filtering the raw honey and filling various bottle sizes, from 10oz bears to larger 48oz jars.
Labeling: Applying our custom Honey Top Bees labels to every bottle.
Stocking the Honey Stand: Getting the fresh honey out to our self-serve stand for the local community!
Links & Resources:
Take Rays Beekeeping Course Here: https://www.honeytopbees.com/rays-beginner-video-course/
Visit the Honey Top Bees Store: www.honeytopbees.com
Interested in the Vapor smoker shown here? Use promo code: Ray20 for a 20% discount!! – Go to https://apisolis.us/shop/?ref=413
#Beekeeping #HoneyExtraction #LocalHoney #RawHoney #HoneyTopBees #MasterBeekeeper
Why Did This Swarm Give Up Leaving?
ABORTED SWARM! 🐝 What happens when a bee swarm suddenly changes its mind?
In today’s video, we are witnessing a rare and chaotic moment in the apiary: an aborted bee swarm. Watch as thousands of honeybees begin the swarming process, clouding the air, only to suddenly “abort mission” and rush back into the hive.
As a Master Beekeeper, I’ll walk you through the signs of honeybee swarming behavior, why a queen might not leave the hive, and what this means for your hive management and swarm prevention strategy. If you’ve ever wondered why your bees are acting “crazy” or hovering in a massive cloud without landing, this video explains the science behind the chaos.
Key Beekeeping Topics Covered:
Identifying an aborted swarm vs. a successful one.
Honeybee biology: The role of the queen and scouts.
How to manage a hive after a failed swarm attempt.
Beekeeping tips for spring buildup and colony expansion.
🎓 MASTER YOUR BEEKEEPING SKILLS
New to beekeeping? Get the confidence you need to manage your hives like a pro!
Take Rays Beekeeping Course Here: https://www.honeytopbees.com/rays-beginner-video-course/
🛍️ VISIT THE STORE
Find all your essential beekeeping supplies and more: www.honeytopbees.com
🔥 GEAR DISCOUNT
Interested in a Vapor smoker?
Use promo code: Ray20 for a for 20% discount!
Go to: https://apisolis.us/shop/?ref=413
#Beekeeping #HoneyBees #BeeSwarm #ApiaryLife #MasterBeekeeper #HoneytopBees #BeekeepingTips #SwarmPrevention
Stressed About Marking Queens? Try This Instead
Unlock the Secrets to Master Queen Marking! 🐝✨
Ever felt the “marking jitters”? Join Master Beekeeper Ray Hewitt from Honey Top Bees as he demonstrates the most effective and safest ways to mark a queen bee. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting your beekeeping journey, this guide has everything you need to mark your queens with confidence and precision.
In this video, you’ll discover:
Proven Techniques: From the delicate “press” method to using specialized tools like the Bee Snug, find the method that works best for you.
Gear Guide: Learn about the best pens and marking tools to ensure a clean, durable mark. [01:34]
Handling with Care: Master the art of picking up and holding a queen safely, minimizing stress and risk of injury.
Pro Tips: Get insider advice on how to overcome nerves and ensure your queen is marked perfectly every time.
Take Your Beekeeping to the Next Level:
Master the Basics & Beyond: Enroll in Ray’s Beginner Beekeeping Video Course: Take Rays Beekeeping Course Here
Get the Gear: Shop high-quality beekeeping supplies at www.honeytopbees.com – including the bee snug tool mentioned in the video.
Exclusive Offer: Interested in the Vapor smoker shown here? Use promo code: Ray20 for a 20% discount! Get your Vapor Smoker here
Don’t forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and hit the BELL icon to stay updated on all things Honey Top Bees!
#Beekeeping #QueenBee #HoneyTopBees #MasterBeekeeper #BeeCare #QueenMarking #HoneyFarm #SustainableBeekeeping #BeeHive #ApiaryLife
Harvesting Queen Cells: The Easy Way to Make New Queens .
I’m taking you into the yard to demonstrate an essential intermediate beekeeping skill: Harvesting Queen Cells. Whether you’re looking to save money on buying queens or you want to maintain your own high-quality stock, learning how to properly harvest and transport these cells is a game-changer for your apiary.
As a Certified Master Beekeeper, I’ll show you exactly how to identify healthy, capped cells and the delicate process of removing them without causing damage. We’ll also cover the tools I prefer for the job and how to securely place them into queenless nucs or a queen castle for hatching.
In this video, you’ll learn:
How to spot the best queen cells for harvesting.
Why I prefer a razor blade over a standard hive tool for this task.
The “Rule of Verticality”: Why orientation matters during transport.
Installing harvested cells into a Queen Castle or mating nuc.
Record-keeping tips to ensure you never miss a hatch date.
Essential Links & Resources:
Take Rays Beekeeping Course Here: https://www.honeytopbees.com/rays-beginner-video-course/
Visit the Honey Top Bees Store: www.honeytopbees.com
Interested in the Vapor smoker shown here? Use promo code Ray20 for a 20% discount!! https://apisolis.us/shop/?ref=413