Honey bees are a great addition to anyone’s property. There is a lot to raising bees, but if you are willing to take a look in the hive every couple weeks, read some literature and talk with beekeepers you will be rewarded with the divine nectar. I have two hives full of Carniolan Bees. The Carniolan bees are a really adaptive bee. From what I have read they are able to survive in a harsher environment, are less susceptible to disease and are a little less aggressive than the other popular bee, the Italian Honey bee. Funny, cause I never got stung by my Italian hive, but did by the Carniolan. The aggressiveness of the bees is fine with me as it makes me feel they highly value their hive.

I have a 10 frame and an 8 frame hive. The 10 frame hive has a top feeder, which I’d recommend for sure. The 8 frame hive has a frame feeder which is the worst thing ever. It is completely full of comb. I contemplated replacing it with a frame, but decided that they had put a lot of work into the comb, so I left it. I wish now I would have replaced it with a frame.

I fed the bees refined white sugar mixed 2/1 sugar/water as well as pollen cakes to get them going in April. They did well as we had warm weather. After only a few days you can see worker bees coming in one after another with their pollen baskets full pollen in colors from red and white to yellow and purple. It is really amazing. They are still taking in some sugar water as well as munching on the pollen cakes. I think mainly due to the June slow down in flowering shrubs, flowers and plants around here. Our garden is now beaming with sunflowers, echinacea, rudbeckia and other flowers.

I am still learning about bees. This is my second season with them. The most valuable thing I have gotten out of the whole experience is to make sure and check the hive often, find the queen and make sure she is laying a good brood. Check for mites and any sign of problems and eliminated them quickly. It’s not easy, but it’s fun and really rewarding.

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