The queen bee is undoubtedly the most popular bee in the hive. Everyone knows that a honeybee colony has a queen. Vital to colony survival, the queen bee is the mother of all bees in the hive. Therefore, the queen bee must be the boss, right? She is the only one bee necessary for colony […]

It’s amazing the way a beehive can have a personality. While the colony is made up of thousands of individual bees, it is the overall collective demeanor of the group that makes it as if you are working with a single organism. If you have an overly-aggressive hive you can change the behavior of your […]

Finding the queen bee in your hives can be challenging — even for veteran beekeepers. Some queens are plump and shine like a gold beacon on the frame, while others seem to have camouflage. Not only does your ability to find her depend on her size and color, but her behavior, too. Some queens flaunt themselves […]

I’ve raised chickens since 1993 and in those 24 years I’ve encountered many-a broody chicken. But never have I ever heard of a broody bee…until now. I’ve been fascinated with bumblebees lately. I’ve always found them adorable —like little yellow Teddy Bears buzzing around the garden. But recently I’ve been doing some research to learn […]

It might be a weird subject to read about, (it was even weirder to research) but the reproductive practice of the honey bee is a fascinating thing!   All bees begin life as an egg. Fertilized eggs will grow to be female bees and unfertilized eggs will become drones (male bees). The queen has control […]

Mostly everything you need to know about your bees, you can learn without ever going into the hive. Sharpen your observations skills at the entry board, first.

There comes a time when the beekeeper has to step in and play referee.

It came earlier this month when I had to decide to squish an underperforming queen bee for the health of the hive.

Learn about the amazing mating ritual of the queen bee and her drones.

An overactive hive is producing plenty of honey, but it wasn’t too active outside of the hive. Is this a case of a missing queen?

The crux of a honeybee colony’s operation, learn more about the queen’s role and caring for your “royalty”.

What does it look like when bees prepare for a new queen?

Jennifer of Iron Oak Farm shares tips for diagnosing a missing queen and steps to acquiring a new queen.