The Bees Knees

The queen bee can lay 1,000 eggs per day. It takes 21 days from the time an egg is laid until it becomes a working bee. The worker bees help the hatchlings out of the egg. The young bees will work within the hive before they leave to forage. They clean the cells within the hive, feed other hatchlings, clean the hive, and protect the hive. Then they have to learn how to forage. They will go out and back just short distances and eventually increase the distances they will travel for the pollen.

A good hive can produce seventy-five pounds of honey in one season. The honey is extracted from the hive on or before August 10. The honey can be used raw or it can be pasteurized, which will extend the freshness.

To keep the bees healthy and producing, medications are introduced into the hives before the honey flow in the spring and again in the fall. The bees should also be protected from cold winters by relocating their hives on the southeastern side of trees or buildings.