Benefiting from Bee’s Natural Behaviors

Honeybees are cavity-dwelling pollinators that use flowers for nectar and pollen. These sources act as food that is used for energy. As bees secrete, they mold the recognizable hexagonal shape of honeycombs that you see in a honey jar at a local beekeeper’s shop. The cells in the honeycomb are used to care for baby bees and to store food. The stored food supports them and provides foraging information to be shared with other bees. Hard to believe honeycombs could have so many valuable purposes, but they do! Although beekeepers have insight into bee behaviors, bees remain wild, and their behavior can change, a pattern that has persisted for millions of years. As beekeepers identify and recognize bee behaviors, they find benefits in harnessing the natural adaptations and responses of bees to their environment.

The Hive’s Purpose

The difference between a hive and a colony requires some explanation. A hive is the bees in a box or a nest where they live. A colony is a collection of all honeybees inside the hive, as well as the brood and stored food. A colony is the complete inclusion of all things in the hive. Bees nest in cavities, which is why they end up in crevices in trees, walls, and attics. Beekeepers use the empty box that make beekeeping manageable. The box is filled with frames that help meet the bees’ needs but also allow beekeepers to monitor hives for diseases and health. One of the amazing behaviors of bees is their acceptance of the confined spaces in the boxes we provide. They adapt to the space between frames and the size of the nest based on some of their natural instincts. It was Reverend L. L. Langstroth's innovation that led to the development of ideally spaced frames in hives back in 1852.

Amazingly, bees choose to stay in boxes as often as they do. They are wild but somehow accept these spaces based on bee biology and behaviors. Through studies, trial and error, and unrelenting dedication, bee hives today are designed around Langstroth or Top Bar hives.

Time to Harvest the Hive Fruit

Bees store pollen, wax, honey, and propolis in the hive. The reason bees collect nectar is that it provides sugar that is turned into energy. They collect pollen as a protein source, and the nectar turns into honey and is stored. The collected pollen is fermented and fed to young bees and larvae. The resins collected from plants and trees are used as glue and are called propolis. Propolis is critical for sealing and protecting hives and helps overall colony health. All materials that bees collect during foraging have a unique purpose and are required for their survival. Bees are living things and need food, water, and shelter to survive and maintain their species. Bees typically make an abundance of honey, which is why we extract it from their hives. They store enough to survive even in harsh weather, allowing humans to benefit from their abundance. If bees do not have enough to survive, or honey is over-extracted through carelessness, a colony may suffer and even die.

Thank You for Your Pollination Service

Honeybees are known for their annual and continued contribution to the pollination process. Although we need it desperately, they are likely oblivious to how much we need them. Bees orient their flights and continually communicate to maintain the flowers' consistency. The collection of pollen and spreading it to other plants increases pollination. It is often preferred by beekeepers and farmers to place colonies near other plants and trees because bees don't like to travel far if they don't need to. Similar to water sources, the closer, the better. Bees are incredibly adaptable, meaning they can be moved from one location to another in physical boxes and begin to forage in a new location. Scout bees forage and find places that they share with others. Bees masterfully communicate the distance and location of pollen sources. The Waggle and Round Dances are how bees communicate these memorized instructions. Blooming flowers will continue to be sourced until they are out of season. It is smart to have plants near the hive placement if wanting bees to create a specific honey infusion.