I started keeping bees as a hobbyist around 1966, and then went on to get university degrees in biological sciences, specializing in entomology. In 1980 I began to build a migratory beekeeping operation in California, and currently run around 1000-1500 hives with my two sons, from which we make our livings (update: Eric and Ian are in the process of taking over the operation–allowing me more time for research).

In 1993, the varroa mite arrived in California, and after it wiped out my operation for the second time in 1999, I decided to “hit the books” and use my scientific background to learn to fight back. I started writing for the American Bee Journal in 2006, and have submitted articles nearly every month since then (see “Articles by Publication Date”).

My writing for the Journal brought me requests to speak at beekeeping conventions, which has also allowed me the chance to visit beekeepers from all over North America and several other continents. I read most every scientific study relating to beekeeping, and regularly correspond with beekeepers and researchers worldwide.

What I try to do in my articles and blogs is to scour scientific papers for practical beekeeping applications, and to sort through the advice, opinion, and conjecture found in the bee magazines and on the Web, taking no positions other than to provide accurate information to Joe Beekeeper, following the suggestion in 1922 by New Zealand beekeeping author Isaac Hopkins:

That scientific accuracy, as opposed to rule of thumb, or guess-work methods, is much needed in commercial production to attain the success we should aim for, will be acceded by all intelligent beekeepers. There are many, however who do not realise this, or at all events, do not sufficiently appreciate the principle in their practice, but are content muddle along in a slipshod fashion to their great loss. From THE BEE WORLD February 1922

I regularly update the articles on this site as new information becomes available, and solicit constructive criticism or comments. Perhaps the best venue for such discussion is at the Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology. Be sure to subscribe to updates, and I’ll email you monthly when I add content to the site https://scientificbeekeeping.com/scientific-beekeeping-newsletter/