congratulation on your conclusion to keep Honey bee . Whether you ’re foster a solid pollenation system on your farm or seeking their yummy , golden honey , keeping bees is a noble task , considering the outrageousness of hive crash across the U.S. Survival can be tough for bees , which face Akko of monoculture crops and pesticides harmful to their wellness . By creating a nurturing surroundings on your farm for these true pollinators , you are helping to create a goodish and sustainable solid food system .
However , the very nature of bee as wild creatures that do n’t submit to human boundaries can pose a challenge . Even if your farm has commit to natural or constituent production , your bee might be exposed to threats that can introduce disease or contaminant into their hives . even checks of the beehive and ascertain bee have fair to middling solid food supplies throughout the grow time of year and winter will help keep your urticaria — and bee — healthy .
When performing a beehive check , beekeeper Bill Varble , of Lexington , Ky. , recommend looking for these five sign of a healthy beehive :
1. Hive Traffic
When simply draw near the hive , you should notice bee activity . Bees might be circling the hive after pollen ingathering , or they might be gather at a beehive entranceway . This activity order you that the hive is well and active .
2. Pollen
As bee fly about the hive , you might notice pouch of yellow dust on their legs . This is the pollen that they ’ve gathered from nearby plants — and grounds that they ’re unvoiced at piece of work . The bee will mix the pollen with a heart and soul they secrete to form bee pelf , which is then fermented into thehoneythat both we and the bee feast on .
3. Honey
bee will store their honey reservation in the upper chamber of a hive , so if you see honey there , you know they ’re well - eat .
4. Brood
The queen lay her eggs in the combing cadre of a beehive , which afterward develop into brood , or bee larvae . You might actually be capable to see the white worm within the comb , or the cells might be cap over , meaning the fledged bee will soon emerge . Either way , evidence of brood means the queen bee is awake and doing her caper .
5. Queen
Seeing the queen bee during a hive check is an add together fillip and special assurance that the hive is in sync . If you do n’t see the queen , though , do n’t niggle . The other signs list above point to a healthy and alive beehive .
keep an eye on the TV below to follow Varble as he performs a hive cheque , mark the signs of sizable bees .
