Inside The Hive

I am fortunate to have a wonderful camera. I love to take pictures of the bees. I have some great shots between the frames inside the hive.

Spring And My Hive

The weather has finally warmed up here in Michigan. I was able to open the hive and give the bees an early feeding. The queen was visible and actively laying eggs. Looking forward to a great summer for the bees

Waiting For Spring

Several weeks ago our Michigan temps hit 50 degrees, I was able to quickly open the hive and get a early feeding done and some cleaning. The overall condition of the hive looked good. Plenty of bees to continue the work this spring. However; Easter weekend we were hit with a blizzard. 14 inches of snow put an end to the outward activity of the bees.

Winter Cleansing Flights

The unusually warm temperatures last week prompted a flourish of hive activity. Bees went flying by the hundreds on short cleansing flights. I watched well into the evening, the bees continued to busy themselves after sunset. As I watched the hive, I felt the excitement of a beekeeper and the new spring just ahead.

Winter Beehavior

As the days grow shorter and cooler, the beehive becomes outwardly less active. But I know from peering into the hive, the bees are still busy. As I was placing the entrance restrictor at the opening of the hive, I could see the bees balled up around the queen keeping her warm and fed. Wintering bees is an amazing event to see in nature, I am continuously reminded of the wonders of nature as a beekeeper.

You Can Bee Sure Fall Is Here

Even though it was hot today, the bees are displaying fall-like behavior. I spent several hours today photographing my beehive and observing the activity around the hive. As I sat with my macro lens in hand, I got a great picture of a worker bee forcing a drone from the hive. I noticed several dead drones on the ground in front of the hive. This is typical beehavior in preparation for winter. Drones are a liability to the hive in the winter months and therefore must go.

Bee Ready For Fall

As the days are getting shorter and the nights cooler here in Michigan, I've noticed the bees are slowing down too. Today was a cool cloudy day and the bees were not active until mid morning. Next week, I am going to change the base of the hive from a screen to a standard wooden base. I think the bees will appreciate the extra warmth in the evenings and early mornings.