Swarm Season in Full Swing
2025 Swarm Season in Full Swing
One of my hives, which was in the process of re-queening, had an abundance of swarm cells. As a result, it sent off multiple swarms, each led by a newly hatched virgin queen. One of these swarms settled in a nearby maple tree.
Time for a Tree Climb
I happen to have quite a bit of experience with tree climbing and a good amount of climbing gear. It’s always fun for me to don the harness, set a line, and climb a tree, especially when the goal is to retrieve a swarm. Not every situation works out as well as this one did.
100% Queen Cell Success on First Round
100% Queen Cell Success
2025 Honeybee Queen Rearing is off to a good start! I am proud of my 100% success rate in my first round of queen cell production! I have 45 queen cells successfully producted, and in the incubator waiting to go into splits tomorrow.
The Perfect Setup
I am certain this success was due to the strong cell starter colongy I used, and the right colony conditions:
Amazing Honeybee Facts
Ever wondered about the incredible world of honeybees? Here’s a collection of fascinating facts that showcase just how remarkable these industrious insects truly are.
The Mathematics of Honey Production
The numbers behind honey production are simply staggering:
- It takes 2 million flower visits to make just one pound of honey
- A single honey bee visits 1,500 flowers to gather one load of pollen
- Bees from a single hive fly over 55,000 miles to produce one pound of honey
- A worker bee covers approximately 12 square miles to collect a load of pollen
- In her entire lifetime, a worker bee produces only 1/12 teaspoon of honey
- A typical load of pollen weighs about 10 mg
- To produce 1 kg of beeswax, bees must consume 18 kg of honey (that’s almost 40 lbs!)
- It takes about one tonne of honey to gather approximately 20 lbs (9 kg) of beeswax
- Each tiny wax flake is no larger than a pin head, and it takes 500,000 flakes to make one pound
Bee Biology and Behavior
Some fascinating facts about honeybee capabilities and behavior:
Welcome to Our Blog
Welcome to the Chuck’s Honeybees blog! Here, we’ll be sharing our beekeeping journey, tips for fellow beekeepers, and fascinating insights into the world of honeybees.
What to Expect
In this blog, we’ll cover various topics including:
- Beekeeping tips and best practices
- Seasonal updates from our apiaries
- Honey harvesting and processing techniques
- Local flora and its impact on honey production
- Swarm catching adventures
Stay Connected
Make sure to check back regularly for new posts. We’ll be updating this blog with fresh content about our beekeeping experiences and valuable information for both beekeepers and bee enthusiasts.