Sunday, April 14, 2019

On Raising Bees

Bees at the bee store


My brother-in-law in California enjoys raising bees for honey as a hobby. He was trying to capture a spring swarm of bees to propagate a hive but it failed for some reason. They ended up at the bee store to purchase a queen and some worker bees. Apparently the slightly larger queen bee is in the boxes and those are the worker bees swarming around. They took home a box with the queen and a bunch of worker bees.

Raising bees is quite a study, an educational process as I discovered when I googled 'raising bees'. Worker bees, drone bees and the queen bee form quite the community, everyone has a specific role. There can only be one queen in the hive. Drone bees have one role and that is to impregnate the queen, after which they die. The queen's job is to lay eggs. The workers of course do all the work in the hive. There comes a time as the hive grows, when a new queen will supersede the old queen who will have to leave the hive along with some of the worker bees, in a swarm to find a new home.

13 comments:

Tanza Erlambang said...

interesting ...about bees and honey....I always see bees in my flowers..

Have a great weekend

Valerie-Jael said...

How lovely to have your own bees, your brother in law is doing a lot for the world by keeping them. Hugs, Valerie

DUTA said...

Raising bees is quite a rewarding hobby! I think authorities encourage that and help the hobbist with a sum of money to start and develop this kind of hobby.

Anonymous said...

A whole lot of work but sweet rewards!

Lorraine said...

I have a great respect for beekeepers. A somewhat dangerous hobby, but one that benefits many. Kudos to your BIL.

R's Rue said...

❤️

gigihawaii said...

Very interesting information. Hope your brother in law has success in propagating the bees for honey.

Jenn Jilks said...

I've read several blogs about beekeeping, it's complicated!!!

Lowcarb team member said...

Bees are so important to our world.
Well done to your brother-in-law. I hope his bee-keeping goes well.

All the best Jan

peppylady (Dora) said...

I known a few that hives.
Coffee is on

Anonymous said...

It's all so fascinating!

Gloria Baker said...

i8s amazing Christine!!

baili said...

our national t.v channel used to telecast a program about bee rising to teach people how to raise bees professionally ,as kid i found it interesting