Hi friends!

Since my last post in November, my hives have struggled but the Marigold hive is still going strong. I witnessed a swarm around April, which is a time when many hives swarm and you just can't prevent it sometimes. When most people hear the word "swarm", it freaks them out and they are afraid. But, swarms aren't really scary, just really cool! A swarm is caused due to overpopulation and they just need more room OR their queen is not doing her job and they start to make another queen. The "old" queen leaves and some of the bees follow her. In my case, half of the hive left and followed her. The video posted is where the swarm landed in my yard on a small maple tree trunk. I tried very hard to locate the queen but couldn't and they eventually moved on. Fortunately, the remaining bees made a new queen (see video of her walking back into the hive) and now that hive is doing great! I was even able to take a few frames of spring honey (leftover from the bees that left). All in all, it's been a great spring so far and I anticpate the summer will be active. Still loving this "little hobby" of mine! www.bsbeesbuzzworthyhoney.net 

Hi all,

It's been so long since I've talked to you about my bees. So much has happened. I think I told you about losing one of my hives and then lost all of them. 2020 was not a good year for my bees. So, I started over.... and I left my old hive in the beeyard over winter and then in the spring....I walked out to look at the hive and saw a few bees flying around the entrance. I have never caught a swarm but this time, it caught me! There were bees back in the old hive(Marigold). I could not believe. I actually did nothing and there they were....That hive is thriving now and growing. I ordered 2 packages (3lbs) becasue that's how bees come when you order them... and they are both doing fairly well as we are preparing for winter. I had issues with small hive beetles but used a trap I ordered from Backyard Bees and they have done well along with swiffer sheets and beetle blasters. I wasn't able to take honey because there just aren't enough bees right now but I expect to have lots in the spring. One of my hive went queenless and I bought another queen becasue it was  Sept and I didn't think that if my bees made their own queen, there were no to very little drones for mating but what do you know? They killed the bought queen and made their own and she is thriving (see picture CAN YOU FIND HER?). This year is turning out to be great and I'm excited for 2022! Happy Beekeeping, y'all!

Hi all!

It's been a while but over winter, there's just not too much that goes on with the hives...

Bad news first...I lost my Marigold hive back in October. I think it was due to moisture and the first cold snap in Alabama. All I know is that it sure was sad to open up the hive and see all those dead bees including the queen. 

I continued to feed my bees throughout the winter. I fed sugar cakes, as they are easier to manage and store in my freezer. 

My 2 remaining hives are doing well, from what I can tell. I have not done a full inspection yet, but plan to this weekend, due to it being SWARM SEASON...meaning the bees are more likely to swarm due to overcrowding. I plan to make splits and should end up with 2 more hives. We'll see.....

My website (www.bsbeesbuzzworthyhoney.net) is full of information about my bees and the honey they produce. This week, I've been busy packaging products to mail out. I won't harvest honey again until June (probably) and that's the time there's more demand for the hive products (ie. honey, comb and wax products). Enjoy! 

Until next time my sweet friends....