Carefully crafted by young worker bees into six-sided honeycomb cells, beeswax provides tiny storage units for bee larvae, honey and pollen. There are two possible explanations for why honeycomb is composed of hexagons rather than another shape. One is that a hexagonal structure uses the least material to create a lattice of cells. Another is that […]
From time to time, beekeepers will need to replace old queens or provide a queen to a hive that has, for one reason or another, lost their queen. One method of making new queens is by the Doolittle Method (named for G.M. Doolittle). This is done by grafting the appropriate aged larvae into homemade wax cups. This […]
Image from article “Urban Beekeeping Culture” by Samantha Donaldson Many benefits arise from hobbyist beekeepers. Honey bees are vital for the survival of many fruits nuts and seeds that are essential for much of the wildlife. At the same time, honey bees pollinate a number of native and exotic plants and crops that are important […]