Meteorological spring ended June 1st and temperatures have begun to regularly touch the 90s.  With the change in seasons comes the end of the main nectar flow in Northern Virginia.  In the apiaries, we are seeing the field bees bringing back white clover, “ditch” lily (Hemerocallis fulva) and Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) pollen in… Read more

Since posting last time, we have been busy with the bees. We have configured one of our hives to serve as an incubator for the new queens we are raising to requeen our hives; we have taken young larvae from one of our strongest hives and placed them in this incubator; and we have harvested… Read more

The coming week is expected to be unseasonably warm. This follows what has generally been a warmer than average spring. This means that lots of plants are in bloom. We are seeing the bees work Star Magnolia, Elm, Lesser Celandine, Hairy Bittercress, Dandelion, Silver and Red Maple and Russian Olive all in bloom. Our colonies… Read more

Wondering how the bees are doing during this cold snap?  Afterall, forecasters are predicting a near record long period of freezing weather for the northern Virginia area.  Well, the answer is “Just Fine!”  Our honeybees are the descendants of bees who migrated from Africa to eastern Europe and have been managed by beekeepers for more… Read more

Merry Christmas from Christ the King Church Apiaries! Christmas day was in the mid 50’s and gave us a chance to work off a few holiday cookies by checking in on the bees. We are pleased to report that all the colonies are doing well and that they all had enough honey and pollen for… Read more

While it might be difficult to tell because of the long period of dry weather in August and the first half of September, there has been a (smaller than usual) fall bloom of flowers that our bees take advantage of to put away the last of their winter stores. In the Fairfax County area were… Read more