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 ..read more

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 pers ..read more

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 ..read more

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-ca ..read more

High above the honeybee hive, amidst the gentle sway of trees and the chirping of birds, lies a hidden realm known as the drone congregation area (DCA). This invisible airspace, about 100 meters wide and 15-30 meters above the ground, is a celestial love nest where virgin honeybee queens ascend to meet their destined mates. Imagine a scene from a bee-themed rom-com. Thousands of male drones, driven by pheromones and primal instinct, gather in a swirling, buzzing cloud, eagerly awaiting their queen. The air hums with anticipation, a silent symphony of beating wings and hopeful drone hearts. But ..read more

The distance that honeybees fly depends on a number of factors, including the availability of food, the weather conditions, and the age and fitness of the bee. Honeybees fly farther for nectar than for pollen or water. The average distance that a honey bee flies to collect nectar is 2 to 3 miles, while the average distance that they fly to collect pollen is 1 to 2 miles. Honeybees fly even shorter distances to collect water, typically flying less than 1 mile. There are a few reasons why honeybees fly farther for nectar than for pollen or water. First, nectar is the main source of food for hone ..read more

One of the fringe benefits of beekeeping is that, as a beekeeper, you have the means of creating your own beeswax candles. Candle making is an especially enjoyable hobby for the winter months.  There are a variety of candle types that can be made from different molds, from votive candles to tealights and pillar candles. As with any process, however, there are some quirks when using beeswax to make your own candles. While it is possible to use raw beeswax straight from the hive, beeswax generally requires filtration before being used for candle making.   If you are using your own ..read more

For most of its life, a honeybee colony has an active and well-accepted queen bee, which the colony rallies around. The queen herself, with her unique pheromone signature, is a key component of binding a colony together. There are times, however, when a colony finds itself without a queen bee. This is known as queenlessness. A honeybee colony can lose a queen for several reasons. Like any living creature, a queen honeybee is vulnerable to sickness, injury, old age, etc. But queen honeybees, being insects, are also vulnerable to the peculiarities of the insect world. Sometimes a colony intentio ..read more

Do you struggle with finding a queen bee?  Don’t be too hard on yourself.  Even here at Wildflower Meadows—with all our experience and years of beekeeping—we occasionally find ourselves scratching our heads, wondering why such a simple task can sometimes be so challenging. Before you set out on your search, make sure you even need to find the queen. As a beekeeper, unless you are working for Wildflower Meadows or raising queens, you don’t have to look for a queen that often. The main reason for having to locate a queen is when you wish to requeen. In that case, you have no choice but ..read more

Who isn’t overjoyed with a beehive that’s filled with honey? Sometimes, however, there can be too much of a good thing. When a hive fills up with honey, and the bees continue to forage and plug all the extra space with even more honey, the bees face a real problem. So where will they store all this new honey if the hive is already full or near full capacity? Even worse, what if a honey flow is still in the works and fresh nectar continues to pour in rapidly? Bees naturally like to store honey on the edges of their hive, as the sides and the top are their favorite places for honey. They also li ..read more