My bees issue a declaration of swarm

For the past month or so, my girls have flirted with the event that drives despair into many a beekeeper’s heart — swarming.
According to this bee expert, bees swarm for two reasons:

Overcrowding
Overpopulation

Though Queen Natasha has been quite prolific, the hive is not yet full. My girls are most certainly antsy due to the overcrowding resulting [...]

Bee Debris

In Atlanta (or “Hotlanta” as Linda’s Bees calls it), screened bottom boards are more than a good idea. They’re life jackets for your hot summer hive.
In the dry heat of Albuquerque, I’m still unsure if it’s part of my vital support systems.
Currently, I’ve got a screened bottom board and then below that a solid [...]

Queen Natasha, the haughty princess lives on

I was about to quit and take up worm farming along with this guy, when suddenly in our inspection today, we spotted Queen Natasha happy on the comb. Actually, Aleksander spotted her and was giddy as an emo at the release of a new Harry Potter flick.
Why the drama?
Upon opening the hive last week, [...]

Spring hive inspection with TJ

On Saturday, TJ issued an invitation irresistible to any new beekeeper: a hands-on demo of his spring hive inspection.
My first hive opening, it was magic. Check out some annotated photos from the inspection and a slideshow version below