Why Bees Hang Out: A Summertime Phenomenon

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As the summer sun reaches its peak and temperatures climb, beekeepers might notice a curious phenomenon: bees congregating outside the hive entrance, seemingly reluctant to go inside. While this behavior may initially spark alarm, it’s actually a completely normal beekeeping observation and nothing to worry about.

Imagine the hive as a bustling city during a heatwave. With a large population of bees packed together, the air inside can become stifling and uncomfortable. To combat this, bees instinctively seek cooler temperatures outside the hive. It’s their way of staying cool and ensuring the survival of the colony.

Bees are ingenious creatures, and they possess their own unique cooling system. They act like miniature swamp coolers, collecting water and regurgitating it on the underside of the hive lid. By fanning this water vigorously, they create a cool breeze that circulates throughout the hive. However, this process becomes less effective when the hive is overcrowded. By venturing outside, bees create more space for the cool air to flow, ensuring optimal comfort for everyone inside.

On late summer nights or days without a honey flow, bees can be found hanging out outside simply because they have nowhere else to be. When it’s too dark to fly or there’s no nectar to collect, the foragers stay home, contributing to a temporary overcrowding situation.

After a beekeeper harvests a honey super, the bees may find themselves with less space than usual. This can lead to temporary congestion and encourage some bees to hang out outside for a while.  Who knows, maybe bees simply enjoy basking in the warmth of a summer day just like we do!

While this behavior might seem unusual at first, it’s important to remember that bees are highly adaptive creatures with sophisticated instincts. Seeing bees hanging out outside the hive during the summer months is simply a normal part of beekeeping and not a sign of any underlying problem.

So next time you see your bees enjoying the summer sunshine outside their hive, remember they’re just practicing their natural cooling techniques or taking a well-deserved break. Let them be and enjoy the fascinating ways these amazing creatures adapt to their environment.

Which Direction Should Honeybee Hives Face?

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In the United States, honeybee hives should ideally face south or southeast. This is because the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, so a hive facing south or southeast will receive the most sunlight throughout the day. This is especially important in the spring and fall, when the days are shorter and the nights are cooler.

The sunlight helps to warm up the hive, which encourages the bees to start foraging earlier in the day. It also helps to keep the hive dry and free of mold and mildew. Additionally, a hive that is facing south or southeast will be less likely to be exposed to strong northerly winds, which can damage the hive and make it difficult for the bees to fly.

Of course, there are other factors to consider when choosing a location for your beehives, such as the availability of food and water sources, the presence of predators and pests, and the local climate. But if you can, it is best to place your hives in a location where they will receive the most sunlight.

It is not absolutely critical that a hive face the south or east.  Here at Wildflower Meadows, we have some apiaries that are excellent for our bees, but due to their layout, don’t accommodate a southern exposure for all of the colonies.  While this is not ideal, the bees manage anyway.

Here are some additional tips for choosing a location for your beehives:

  • Place the hives in a level spot that is well-drained and protected from flooding.
  • Avoid placing the hives in direct sunlight all day long. Some shade in the afternoon is ideal.
  • Place the hives away from high traffic areas and areas where people and pets congregate.
  • Make sure the hives are accessible for inspection and maintenance.

If you are unsure where to place your beehives, it is a good idea to consult with a local beekeeper or beekeeping association. They can help you to choose a location that is best for your bees and your needs.

Honey vs. Sugar for Athletes: A Sweet Showdown

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Athletes know the importance of fueling their bodies during grueling workouts and competitions. That’s why sports drinks and energy gels, packed with sugar, electrolytes, and other performance-enhancing ingredients, have become staples in nearly every athlete’s toolbox. But what if there was a natural, healthier alternative that could actually outperform these conventional options?

Enter honey. This golden nectar, beloved for its taste and versatility, turns out to be a hidden weapon in the athlete’s arsenal. While the global market for sports drinks and energy gels stands at a staggering $28 billion and $500 million respectively, honey offers a compelling combination of benefits that make it a serious contender for the top spot.

The Science Behind the Buzz:

Both sports drinks and energy gels typically rely on sucrose, a simple sugar that provides a quick burst of energy. However, this burst is often followed by a dreaded crash, leaving athletes feeling sluggish and depleted. Honey, on the other hand, throws a one-two punch with its unique composition. It contains both glucose and fructose, sugars that the body absorbs differently:

  • Glucose: This readily available sugar provides an immediate energy boost, just like sucrose. Think of it as the first responder in your body’s energy crisis.
  • Fructose: This slow-burning sugar is a marathon runner, delivering sustained energy over a longer period. It’s like having a built-in backup battery that keeps you going when the initial glucose rush fades.

This dual action of honey ensures a longer-lasting, more consistent energy supply compared to pure sugar. Studies have shown that honey can improve athletic performance in various ways, including:

  • Reduced fatigue: Honey’s sustained energy release helps athletes push harder for longer, delaying the onset of fatigue.
  • Increased endurance: By keeping blood sugar levels stable, honey prevents the dreaded energy crashes that can derail performance.
  • Improved glycogen replenishment: Glycogen is the body’s primary fuel storage for muscles. Honey helps replenish glycogen stores more effectively after exercise, aiding recovery.

Beyond the Basics:

Honey’s advantages extend beyond its sugar composition. Unlike sports drinks and gels, which are often packed with artificial ingredients, honey is a natural product. It contains small amounts of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can further benefit athletes:

  • Vitamins: B vitamins, essential for energy metabolism, are naturally present in honey.
  • Minerals: Electrolytes like potassium, crucial for muscle function and nerve transmission, are found in honey.
  • Antioxidants: These compounds help combat exercise-induced oxidative stress and promote recovery.

And honey comes with its own delicious flavor, eliminating the need for artificial sweeteners and colorings.

DIY or Premade? You Choose:

The best part? You can easily incorporate honey into your sports nutrition routine. Make your own energy gels by mixing honey with a sodium-potassium supplement and store them in portable plastic bags. Or, opt for the convenience of pre-packaged honey sports gels like those from Honey Stinger, which offer a variety of natural and effective formulations.

 

So, the next time you reach for that sugary sports drink or gel, remember the power of the humble honeybee. This natural wonder offers a delicious, healthy, and performance-enhancing alternative that can help you achieve your athletic goals without compromising your well-being. Give honey a try, and you might just discover your new secret weapon for conquering your next workout or competition.

The Father of Modern Beekeeping

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As we approach Fathers’ Day at Wildflower Meadows, we want to take this opportunity to honor the “Father of Modern Beekeeping.”

François Huber (1750-1831) was a Swiss naturalist and entomologist who and widely considered the father of modern beekeeping.  Huber’s most important contribution to beekeeping was the development of the “leaf hive.” This hive allowed him to observe the behavior of honey bees without disturbing the hive. The leaf hive consisted of a series of frames that could be removed from the hive without destroying the comb. This allowed Huber to study the development of the brood, the production of honey and wax, and the behavior of the queen bee.

Before François Huber invented the leaf hive in 1789, beekeeping was a much more difficult and haphazard practice. Beekeepers used a variety of hives, including skeps, log gums, and box hives. These hives were all fixed-comb hives, meaning that the bees built their combs directly on the walls of the hive. This made it difficult for beekeepers to inspect the hive or harvest the honey without destroying the comb.

The invention of the leaf hive by François Huber was a major breakthrough in beekeeping. The leaf hive was a movable-frame hive, meaning that the frames could be removed from the hive without destroying the comb. This made it much easier for beekeepers to inspect the hive, harvest the honey, and manage the colony.

Huber’s work paved the way for the development of modern beekeeping methods. His leaf hive was the precursor to the Langstroth hive, which is the most widely used hive today. Langstroth hive is based on the same principle as the leaf hive, with frames that can be removed from the hive without destroying the comb. This allows beekeepers to inspect the hive and manage the colony without harming the bees.

Huber’s observations revolutionized our understanding of honey bees. He showed that the queen bee is the only female that can lay eggs, and that the drones (male bees) are only used for reproduction. He also showed that the worker bees are responsible for all of the other tasks in the hive, such as gathering food, caring for the young, and building the comb.

Huber’s work was published in two volumes, “New Observations on Bees” (1809) and “Further Observations on Bees” (1814). These books were translated into many languages and became essential reading for beekeepers around the world.  Today’s beekeepers owe much to François Huber. His pioneering research laid the foundation for modern beekeeping and helped to make honey bees a valuable part of our ecosystem.

How Long Can a Honeybee Colony Live When a Queen Dies?

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The honeybee hive is a complex and intricate society, with each member playing a vital role in its survival. At the heart of this society lies the queen bee, the sole female capable of reproduction. Her presence is essential for the colony’s continued existence, as she lays the eggs that will give rise to the next generation of bees.

When a queen bee dies, the hive enters a state of turmoil. The queen’s pheromones, which regulate the colony’s behavior, begin to fade, and the worker bees become agitated and confused. This disruption can have a devastating impact on the hive’s ability to function effectively.

In response to the queen’s demise, the worker bees initiate the emergency queen rearing process. They select a few worker bee larvae, typically between five and eight days old, and begin feeding them royal jelly, a special nutrient-rich food that is typically reserved for the queen. This special diet stimulates the larvae’s development and transforms them into potential queens.

The worker bees construct special queen cells, which are elongated and hang vertically from the honeycomb. Each potential queen develops within her own queen cell. Once the queens reach maturity, they emerge from their cells and engage in a series of “virgin flights” to mate with male drones.

The success of the emergency queen rearing process is crucial for the hive’s survival. If the new queen fails to mate or if she is killed by the other queens, the colony will eventually die out. This is because worker bees are sterile and cannot lay fertilized eggs, which are necessary for the production of female worker bees.

In some cases, the emergency queen rearing process may fail, and the colony may become queenless. In these situations, beekeeper intervention may be necessary to save the hive. Beekeepers can introduce a new mated queen from a reputable source, such as Wildflower Meadows, or they can combine the queenless colony with another colony that already has a queen.

Without a queen, the colony’s population will gradually decline as older bees die off and there are no new replacements. The colony may also become more susceptible to diseases and pests. In some cases, the worker bees may start to lay their own unfertilized eggs, which will only produce male drones. This will further hasten the colony’s demise.  Usually a colony can survive no longer than a few months without a queen.

The loss of a queen bee is a critical event for a honeybee hive. If the hive is able to successfully rear a new queen, it can survive and continue to thrive. However, if the queen rearing process fails or if the colony remains queenless for too long, the hive will eventually perish. Beekeeper intervention can play a vital role in helping queenless colonies survive, but ultimately, the fate of a hive without a queen is a delicate balance between chance and intervention.

Unveiling the Mystery of Honeybee Queen Piping: A Symphony of Communication

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The intricate world of the honeybee holds many secrets, and among them lies the fascinating phenomenon of queen piping. This high-pitched sound, produced by both virgin and mated queens, plays a crucial role in the colony’s social dynamics and queen succession.

A Cry for Attention:

Fully developed virgin queens engage in a series of vibratory signals known as “quacking” while still inside their queen cells. This acoustic communication serves as a declaration of their existence and readiness to compete for the coveted role of the colony’s queen. Once they emerge, these queens transition to emitting “tooting” sounds, continuing their vocal pronouncements to the colony.

Mated queens, though not as vocal, may also be heard piping briefly after being introduced to a new hive. This act is believed to be a form of introduction, informing the worker bees of their arrival and establishing their claim as the colony’s rightful ruler.

Queenly Battle Cry or Call to the Colony?

The exact purpose of queen piping remains a subject of debate. Traditionally, it was interpreted as a battle cry, a challenge issued to other queens in the hive, announcing their presence and readiness to fight for dominance.

However, recent research suggests a more nuanced understanding. Scientists now believe that piping is primarily a signal directed at the worker bees rather than a declaration directed at rival queens. The queen uses this vocalization to announce her presence, assert her fitness, and ultimately sway the workers to support her reign.

A Queenly Symphony in the Wildflower Meadows Shipping Room:

Beekeepers frequently encounter piping when dealing with multiple queens at once. During queen banking, where numerous queens are housed together in a confined space, the piping becomes a noticeable and rather loud symphony. Here at Wildflower Meadows, as we prepare orders, the queens in the shipping room become aware of each other’s presence, leading to a chorus of piping that intensifies with their number.

Even during transportation, the piping persists. As the queens journey to UPS, their collective calls fill the air. However, once separated during the shipping process, the piping ceases, signifying the end of their temporary communication network.

A Glimpse into the Queen’s Mind:

While the precise meaning of queen piping remains under investigation, it undoubtedly plays a crucial role in the queen’s communication strategies. Whether it’s a declaration of dominance or a call for worker support, this vocal behavior offers a valuable window into the complex social dynamics of the honeybee hive. As our understanding of this phenomenon evolves, we gain a deeper appreciation for the intricate communication systems that underpin the success of these remarkable creatures.

Honeybee Larvae

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When we think of a honeybee, we typically envision the familiar image of a buzzing, pollen-laden insect diligently collecting nectar from flowers. However, behind this seemingly ordinary creature lies an extraordinary transformation, a journey through a series of distinct stages that showcase the wonders of metamorphosis.

Unlike many animals that develop gradually from birth to adulthood, honeybees undergo a complete metamorphosis, a process that involves radical changes in form and behavior. This incredible transformation begins with an unassuming egg, a tiny white pearl measuring about 1.5 millimeters in length.

After three days of incubation, the egg hatches, revealing a legless, grub-like larva. This seemingly rudimentary creature holds the potential for remarkable growth and development. Over the next seven days, the larva consumes a voracious amount of food, primarily a protein-rich liquid secreted by young nurse bees. This diet fuels a staggering growth spurt, leading to a 1,500-fold increase in size.  This is comparable to a mouse transforming into a german shepherd in seven days!

As the larva grows, it undergoes six molts, shedding its outer skin to accommodate its expanding body. Unlike the adult bee, the larva lacks an excretory system, and its waste is stored within its body. This waste will later be expelled when the larva transitions into the pupa stage.

After approximately seven days, the well-fed larva spins a silken cocoon and enters the pupa stage, a period of remarkable transformation. During this stage, the larva’s body undergoes a complete reorganization, developing wings, legs, and other adult structures. The larva’s digestive system is also modified, allowing for the passage of waste.

After about 11 days within the cocoon, the pupa emerges as a fully formed adult bee. This remarkable transformation marks the culmination of the honeybee’s metamorphosis, a journey that has taken it from a tiny egg to a buzzing, productive member of a complex social colony.

How to Hold and Mark a Queen Honeybee

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At Wildflower Meadows, we regularly need to hold and handle the queens we are raising. For example, queens must be caught and put into their traveling cages. In addition, they need to be held for marking, and sometimes, they need to be placed above or below a queen excluder for various reasons.

Beekeepers, especially new beekeepers, often wonder how to do this without damaging the queen or getting stung.

Handling a queen requires a bit of dexterity and concentration underneath abundant care and compassion for the queen herself. The beekeeper must always be careful. From a queen honeybee’s perspective, we beekeepers are clumsy giants that can injure fragile body parts with the slightest erroneous move. The queen honeybee is a small and delicate creature—and we should never forget that.

A queen honeybee has three main parts to her body: the head, thorax, and abdomen. If a queen is to be handled, the beekeeper must know that the most robust part of her body is her thorax, which is the hard, dark area that separates her head from her abdomen. On the other hand, the most sensitive parts of the queen are her head and her long, delicate abdomen. A queen bee’s abdomen is soft, fragile, and filled with all the queen’s vital reproductive parts. When a beekeeper mishandles a queen, it is most often because they apply pressure on the abdomen. This must be avoided. The best place, by far, to hold a queen is by her thorax.

Surprisingly, a queen’s wings are sturdy. Holding her by her wings is the next best way to grasp a queen. A skilled beekeeper can safely pick up a queen by grasping her two wings together without putting pressure on any other body part. This is typically how our beekeepers here at Wildflower Meadows handle queens for marking, as it leaves the thorax exposed for the mark.

If a queen bee is picked up by the wings, she may start to squirm. However, if she is given a soft and comfortable surface to place her legs on, she will hold her body still and relax. When marking a queen, we typically grasp the two wings, then encourage the queen bee to rest her legs either on one of our other fingers (usually the ring finger) or on our thigh. Once her feet are grabbing onto something, her demeanor becomes relaxed. It is then easy to mark her thorax.

For beekeepers who want to handle their queen bees for marking, a trick of the trade is to learn to pick up a queen with one’s nondominant hand (the left hand for a right-hander). This frees the writing hand to draw the mark with greater dexterity and control. Once the queen is marked, placing her into a cage is relatively straightforward by guiding the top half of her body into the hole of the cage. If over half of her body is already through the hole, she almost always naturally follows through and enters on her own when released.

Queen honeybees are exceptionally gentle and non-aggressive with beekeepers. For all intents and purposes, they don’t seem to ever want to sting people. Even though a queen bee has a stinger, which she doesn’t hesitate to use against other queen bees, the likelihood of her stinging a beekeeper is almost zero. We have beekeepers here at Wildflower Meadows who have handled tens of thousands of queens and have not ever been stung a single time by a queen honeybee!

Three Sizes of Honey Supers – Which is Right for You?

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In beekeeping, the boxes placed on top of a beehive used exclusively for honey collection are called “supers.” There are three sizes of honey supers commonly available: shallow, medium, and deep. The only difference between the sizes is their height, which affects how much honey they can store. Supers are can be made smaller than regular deep bee boxes, meaning that they weigh less and are easier to maneuver. Shallow supers are 5-5/8” in height; medium supers are 6-5/8”; and deep supers are 9-5/8”. Respectively, each size can hold approximately 30, 50, and 70-80 pounds of honey.

Shallow supers are the smallest of the three sizes, and they are typically used for collecting comb honey. Comb honey is honey that is still in its natural honeycomb cells. Shallow supers are also a good choice for beekeepers who are just starting out, as they are easier to manage than medium or deep supers.

Medium supers are the most popular size of super, and they are a good all-around choice for beekeepers. They are large enough to store a good amount of honey, but they are still relatively easy to manage. Medium supers are also a solid choice for beekeepers who want to produce both comb honey and extracted honey.

Deep supers are the largest of the three sizes, and they are typically used for brood rearing. Brood rearing is the process of raising new bees. Deep supers are also a good choice for beekeepers who want to produce a lot of honey, as they can store a large amount. However, deep supers are also the heaviest of the three sizes, so they can be difficult to manage for some beekeepers.

The best way to choose the right size of super for your needs is to consider your own needs and limits. If you are just starting out, a shallow super is a good choice. If you are looking for a versatile super that can be used for both comb honey and extracted honey, a medium super is a good choice. And if you want to produce a lot of honey, a deep super is a good choice.

Here are some additional factors to consider when choosing the right size of super:

  • The size of your hive
  • The type of honey you want to produce
  • Your own physical strength

Supers are a crucial piece of equipment in beekeeping, and they can be used in a variety of combinations based on your needs and preferences. The most common arrangement for a basic hive is 2 deep boxes, placing the honey supers on top for honey collection. The second most common arrangement is 1 deep box on the bottom paired with 1 medium, with the honey supers on top for honey production.

Protecting the Precious Brood: A Beekeeper’s Guide to Keeping Bees Warm

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For beekeepers, the sight of a hive teeming with life is a source of immense joy. But within that bustling colony lies a hidden vulnerability: the brood, the delicate larvae and pupae that represent the future of the hive. Though tucked away in capped cells, these seemingly motionless forms are very much alive, and their well-being hinges on one crucial factor: warmth.

Imagine a cozy 93 degrees Fahrenheit, a temperature that cradles the brood in perfect comfort. Dip below 80 degrees, and the tiny bodies begin to suffer. The cold saps their energy, hinders their development, and in the worst-case scenario, chills them to death.

This chilling tragedy forces the bees into a frantic cleanup operation, removing the fallen brood from the hive. It’s a gut-wrenching loss, not just in terms of bees, but also in the wasted energy and time expended by the colony.

Late winter and early spring are the most perilous times for the brood. The queen, eager for the warmth of spring, ramps up egg-laying, but the colony’s population is still recovering from the harsh winter. A sudden cold spell or even a careless inspection by a well-meaning beekeeper can send temperatures plummeting, putting the fragile brood at risk.

So, how can beekeepers be the guardians of warmth? Here are some key tips:

  • Resist the urge to inspect on chilly days. When temperatures dip below 50 degrees, keep the disruptions to a minimum. Let the bees focus on maintaining their internal furnace.
  • Quick peeks only. If an inspection is absolutely necessary, make it swift and minimize exposing the brood to the cold. Remember, every second counts.
  • Keep the brood tucked in. Don’t leave frames of brood outside the hive any longer than necessary, especially in windy conditions. Let the warmth of the bee cluster be their haven.
  • Ventilation is key. Proper ventilation allows moisture to escape, preventing condensation that can drip onto the brood and turn into a deadly freeze. Fresh air, yes, but frosty drafts, no.

By following these simple steps, beekeepers can become champions of the brood, ensuring that the hive’s future generation emerges strong and vibrant. Remember, a little vigilance goes a long way in keeping those precious bees warm and the colony buzzing with life.