The Girls

[Monie]

As most of you know, I have about 20,000 or so "girls" (bees) in my back yard. This year, I was lucky enough to see a post on the bee forum about 12 acres just west of my town. Of course, I jumped on it. The guy lives in California and hardly ever comes here and thought he'd offer it to another beekeeper to use. Holly cow!! I've been looking for something in the country for some time! This is AWESOME!!!! This means I can expand my hives and my bee population. In addition, I may be able to hunt...and morel season in close at hand. WOOHOO!!!!!

I know some of you have patiently waited for me to get a honey crop. Hopefully, that will happen this year. Thus far, all the honey produced has been left on the hive to help the girls get through winter.





The hive is building up nicely, this year. In the center of this picture is the queen. She's the one with the long chestnut colored body.

[ladybowhntr]

Cool!!! I was wondering how they fared thru the winter!!!!!!

[Bow Drawn]

Monie that's great news for your hive. Good luck on the move and the coming flower season for your girls.

[Monie]

I got the go ahead to hunt the property, too! The best part, the owner said he busted a fat 10pt out of there last summer! HOLY HANNAH! I may have a shot at that dude! We'll see. Lots of thick crap. The girls will love it, lots of brambles and flowers to forage on and water is close by. This is a literal Honey Hole! Hahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!

[christine]

Cool. I'd love to have bees. It's nothing but corn and beans out here tho'. I think they'd starve. ?

Congrats with the hunting property too. I expect to see you holding that ten pointer this fall.

[Monie]

Bees, typically, don't work corn, but they will work beans. The main concern would be whether or not the farmer sprays. If he/she does, you can keep your girls home for a few days and just feed a sugar syrup.

Believe it or not, they'll fly a couple of miles to find a good nectar source.

Here's a bit of honeybee trivia: It takes 12 honeybees their entire lifetime to make 1 tablespoon of honey.

[ladybowhntr]

What is the lifespan of a honeybee?

[Greywolf]

1/12th of one tablespoon of honey

[Monie]

Deb, a honey bee typically lives 60 days. A honey bee, emerges from it's cell as an adult and immediately starts working.

[Monie]

More trivia:

Male honey bees, called drones, are kept in the hive to mate with the queen. They do no work. They lay around eating until it's their chance to mate with the queen. When winter nears, they are kicked out of the hive, to conserve honey stores.

I saw a video where several workers were dragging a drone from the hive and he was desparately trying to get back in. Very interesting.