A large stack of shipping crates stored behind a where house. They manufacture DNA testing equipment. “made in the USA”🇺🇸 They were gracious enough to allow me to rescue these ladies.
I do apologize for so many pictures. There was so much going on in this crate that I am trying to share with you.
Lots Queen cells. I “surrogated” some Q cells to 4 Nucs that split. And the pollen was just gorgeous.
Her are some of the videos of the compost bin rescue. Not sure what happened on the exposure of a couple of them. It was a bit hot 84 in the LA basin area. So in think my camera got a bit overheated 🥵
For those of you who don’t know, Bees 🐝 love to live in Compost bins. Especially if the homeowner forgets to check & service it regularly… This bin has not been checked in a couple of years. I was able to rescue out about 9 full frames of brood, 1 frame of drone brood and 2 full frames of honey.
I filled up 2 5g buckets of “old trash” comb and 2 5g buckets of honey filled comb. About 50 pounds total. The homeowner didn’t want or know what to do with the honeycomb. So I was “ gifted” it.
⚓️ We had so much FUN with our friends @peninsulayachtmarina !
✨ We had AMAZING engagement and conversations about bees, honey and bee pollen!
📣 Special shout out to @angela_winkler for organizing and sponsoring this event.
@beekeeperjon
#naturalbeekeeping #keeperofthebees #honeybees #community #beekind #bee4thesolution
🐝 WHAT’S THE BUZZ?! 🐝
🌊 If you’re in the Channel Islands / Ventura area this Saturday June 14th at 10AM @bee4thesolution and I will be at Peninsula Yacht Marina 3700 Peninsula Road, Oxnard for “Meet the Beekeeper” event.
🐝 This event is open to the public and we’ll be educating about our favorite pollinator.
🍯✨We will also have honey and bee pollen for sale.
👋🏼 Come out and say “Hi”.
#peninsulayachtmarina #beekeeper #beekeeping #education #outreach #venturacounty #channelislandsharbor #pollinator
💖 Marriage isn’t something that you just “DO”…
Marriage is something you CREATE from your HEART and SOUL through DEVOTION and ALIGNMENT.
🐝 Who knew when @beekeeperjon and I said “I DO” 19 years ago today that it would also be on “World Bee Day💛.
🦋 To celebrate the occasion we decided to spend it with our FAVORITE little pollinator at the Santa Ana Zoo🐒.
🥂 Cheers to US and the life we’ve created.
#marriedfor19togetherfor31 #hemarriedaqueen #worldbeeday #ourlegacy
👑 How to Identify the Queen Bee
Finding the queen bee can feel a bit like a game of “Where’s Waldo?”—but once you know what to look for, it gets easier with practice. Here’s how to increase your queen-spotting success:
🔍 Key Characteristics of the Queen Bee
1. Size and Shape
The queen is noticeably larger than the worker bees—often about 50% longer. Her abdomen is extended and tapers past the tips of her wings, giving her a sleek, torpedo-like appearance.
2. Coloration
Her color can vary by breed but she’s often darker, ranging from a rich caramel with black bands to a deep brown or even near-black hue.
3. Movement
The queen moves with confidence and purpose. While worker bees dart around, the queen moves more slowly, often surrounded by a circle of attendants—known as her “retinue”—who groom and feed her.
4. Wing Proportion
Unlike worker bees whose wings nearly cover their abdomens, the queen’s wings appear short in comparison to her long body.
5. Back Appearance
Her thorax is usually shinier and less hairy than that of other bees, which can help her stand out under the right light.
🧭 Tips for Spotting Her on the Frame
1. Focus on Brood Frames
Skip the honey and pollen frames—go straight to the ones with eggs and larvae. The queen spends most of her time laying eggs, so this is her usual hangout.
2. Watch for the Retinue
The queen is often encircled by a group of worker bees all facing her, attending to her needs. This behavior makes her easier to spot once you learn to look for that “bee circle.”
3. Observe Her Path
Unlike other bees that weave in and out, the queen has a sense of direction. Workers will often clear a path for her, allowing her to move undisturbed across the comb.
#QueenBeeSpotting
#BeekeepingTips
#FindTheQueen
#HoneybeeQueen
#beeeducation
#ApiaryEducation
#BackyardBeekeeping
#naturalbeekeeping
#keeperofthebees
#bee4thesolution
🧡💛 We’ve been enjoying watching the foraging bees come back full of different colors of pollen-especially bright orange and yellow.
@beekeeperjon found this BEAUTIFUL piece of cross comb showing how spectacular pollen can be.
🐝 What color pollen are your bees bringing back to the hive?
#bees #naturalbeekeeping #nature #pollenparty #keeperofthebees #bee4thesolution
🐝 Every time you choose to care, a bee gets to fly another day.
🌻 Make choices that let life bloom.
#bees #beekind #beekeepers #kindnessmatters #bee4thesolution
