In our everyday experiences and travels, we come across many situations. Some educational, some hilarious, and some just interesting. We are going to make an effort to always have a camera available for these one-time events. We hope you enjoy.

This picture was snapped as a queen had landed on the entrance of a hive after capturing a swarm. We had dumped a good amount of bees into the box, but many bees took flight. A few minutes later as we waited with the camera in hand, the queen landed long enough for us to snap this picture. 6-11-2011

Students from Central York High School touring Bjorn Apiaries at Honeycomb Farms. They had selected the topic of beekeeping and the benefits of bees to the environment as a school project. 12/11/2010

The new climate controlled grafting and queen facility. This is an 18 ft insulated unit. Of course someone asked "Hey did you get a picture?" right after the crane left. Installed 11-15-2010

The remnants of the home grafting and mating yard. This yard is next to a creek and pond and is at the bottom of a small valley. Through winter, it is a cool damp location. So we took off the 75-100 nucs to better overwintering locations. 10-29-10

Some actually think we do not take our bees down south. But we do! These nucs and the last of the mating boxes were moved south the morning of 10-29-10  These are the last of the extra queens we have for the season. The picture to the right is the new southern location.

Oh, how many times have I wondered when that old tree was going to fall down. After losing three nucs and smashing the hive stand, that question will not be asked again. Location, location, location....can mean many things. 10-23-10

The picture below is what happens when you use an empty super to provide room for feeding, and forget to go back and take the box back off before the flow begins. What a mess! And what a waste of a couple weeks of production. Notice how they built the comb right around the feeder cans.  5/12/2011

This picture has nothing to with bees. But it is one of our favorites. The praying mantis killed this hummingbrird on our back porch.

Bears? or vandals? I could not see any bear prints or foot marks on the boxes. The boxes were knocked over in a scattered pattern, some this way and some that way.

11-15-2010

This is the same yard as pictured to the left. Taken from about the location of the blue ladder. In 2009 we left about 20 nucs and lost most of them. Location, location, location....is something to consider for your bees. 

Picture - 2009

One of Bjorn Apiaries southern locations. This warm wintering location is located about 6 miles south of our home yard. Notice the tree line to the north providing wind protection. And the full southern view for needed winter sunshine. This is same location as the fallen tree picture shown below. 

This to us is the ideal overwintering location. Behind the person taking the picture is a hedgerow providing wind protection. In front, many acres of late season blooming goldenrod. Late season bloom locations are a priority for our operation. 10-23-10

Becoming a beekeeper opens your eyes to the amazing natural world all around us. Stop and smell the flowers....you may like what you see.