April 2026 Apiary Update

Spring is in the air, and so it's time for our brood (bee babies) to start hatching out in full force.  Down here in Florida our queens lay eggs year round, however they slow down in the winter.  Why?  We go through a dearth (period of time when there isn't much blooming, and therefore there isn't a lot to feed the baby bees), so she slows her roll, and tries to maintain a hive that is sustainable by her daughters.  She doesn't lay drones (male bees) during the winter either, so their appearance tells us that the hive is ready to expand.

When a baby bee emerges her first job is to clean out the cell where she was living before being born.  She's super fuzzy and pretty cute.  Then, her next job in life is to be a  nurse bee, caring for all the brood in the hives.  From there she transitions to being a pantry stocker - taking the pollen and nectar being brought into the hive and deciding where it should go and how it should be stored.  At this point she's nearly ready to leave the hive, and becomes a guard bee - they are the ones that will bounce off your face if you get too close to their hive and are willing to give their lives to protect their home from you, the invader.  Her last job is to be a forager, flying out up to 5 miles to find the sweetest nectar and best pollen to bring back to her sisters and mother.  Her entire lifespan is around 6 weeks, baring any interactions with birds, dragonflies, cars, or other hazards.