Colony Life
9 guides
Drones and Drone Brood: Their Role in the Colony
Learn what drone bees do, how to recognize drone brood at inspection, what happens at drone congregation areas, and what a healthy drone population signals.
July 1, 2026
What Bees Do in Winter and How the Cluster Survives
Bees don't hibernate. They form a tight winter cluster and shiver to stay warm. Here's exactly how that works and what it means for your hive.
June 29, 2026
Inside the Hive: Queen, Workers, and Drones Explained
Meet the three castes that make a bee colony work: the queen, workers, and drones. Learn their roles, lifespans, and why each one matters.
June 26, 2026
What Is a Nectar Flow and How to Make the Most of It
Learn what a nectar flow is, how to recognize one, when it happens in your region, and how to time supers, splits, and treatments around it.
June 26, 2026
How Bees Communicate: The Waggle Dance and Pheromones
Learn how bees share information through the waggle dance and chemical signals, and what it means for your hive inspections.
June 23, 2026
The Queen Bee: Mating, Laying, and Replacement
Learn queen bee facts every beekeeper should know: how she mates, how she lays, and how the colony replaces her through supersedure.
June 21, 2026
Why Bees Swarm and What It Means for Your Hive
Swarming is natural honey bee reproduction, not a sign something is wrong. Learn why it happens, what to watch for, and how to respond.
June 14, 2026
How Bees Make Honey, Step by Step
Honey is nectar that bees have concentrated and chemically transformed into shelf-stable food. Here's exactly how they do it.
June 10, 2026
The Life Cycle of a Honey Bee, Egg to Forager
From egg to forager in 21 days: learn the development stages of honey bees, caste timelines, and why these numbers matter for hive health.
June 5, 2026