We had a lot of excitement in the apiary this spring….in the way of swarms. Because we had such a warm winter, the bees are all 3 weeks ahead of their normal schedule. It would seem my girls became overcrowded and decided to abandon the hive.
Parent Swarm
And, then a few days later, a virgin queen took off with a bunch of bees too…
Finally, we had a mating swarm.
Mating Swarm
It seems that we now have a mated queen and the colony looks robust. We just have to maintain the hive and ensure the girls have room to expand. And, maybe, honey in August!
Oak Haven Farm - der Eechehaafe Bauerei 