Now that the efforts of our #No Mow May are being enjoyed by our little honey bees, and many other creatures that thrive on wildflowers and grasses, they are in full honey production! We thought it would be fun to give you some insider information on the world of bees in our hives. It’s almost time for our Spring Honey Harvest, and things around here are buzzing! We’ve even added a new hive, which has been flourishing, and we posted a few videos on social media to show you what this entailed. If you don’t follow us, now’s the time! On Facebook and Instagram you can find us at @littlebeeofct. We’re constantly posting photos, articles and stories about our passion: Bees! And of course, all the wonderful things you can make from beeswax and honey. Did you know that a worker honey bee only lives for six weeks? During her short lifespan, each little bee will have six important jobs, which rotate week to week until it dies. What are those jobs you ask? Keep reading and Scott from Little Bee of CT will answer that question and a few more that might interest you. Beekeepers, or Apiarists as they are also known, raise honeybees either for the production of honey and honeybee products or, in bigger operations, for crop cross-pollination. It is the responsibility of the Beekeeper to build and service the hives, harvest honey, and to monitor the health of the hive through each of the seasons. At Little Bee of CT, we raise honeybees for their honey and wax production. There are many facets of our beekeeping that we want to share with you, whether you’re a beginning (or seasoned) beekeeper yourself or are simply interested to learn more about this fascinating practice. We’ve gathered the most-asked questions from our many years in business and will answer them here. However, before we get into our Q&A, we would like to ask YOU a question! Which category would you say you fall into? A) I’m ready to suit up and enter a hive to experience the activity firsthand! B) I would love to get close to a hive to watch an experienced beekeeper at work! C) Um, there is no way I’m getting within 20 feet of an active hive! We hope you’re on the “A-team” like us! But it’s ok if you’re not ready to step into an actively buzzing hive. It does take some getting used to! Scott and his family have been doing this for years, and have turned what was once just a new, fun hobby into a thriving business..   Now let’s get some answers to your most-asked questions! Scott has already been in the hives in the last few weeks to make some necessary adjustments/additions and to start the prep work for the Spring honey harvest. Q: How did you originally get into beekeeping? A: Back in 2012 we were pumpkin picking near Rhinebeck, NY. We stopped at a farmer’s market where a beekeeper was selling honey and he showed us an observation hive he had in his booth.  I asked how he became a beekeeper and his story intrigued me. So, I started reading up on bees and took a couple of beekeeping classes at Flanders Nature Center in Woodbury, CT. After that I was hooked.   Q: What is your go-to source for beekeeping info and updates? A: There is a ton of info online. When I first started, I learned a lot from Long Lane Honey Farms. They had these great short reads about all thing’s beekeeping. I also learned from Scientific Beekeeping which appealed to my engineer mindset. There are also many local, regional, and national Facebook groups that have been helpful as well.   Q: Do you, or did you, have a beekeeping mentor? A: I don’t currently have a mentor. I’ve kept in touch with one of my instructors, Kevin Barry of Woodbury Farm Feed and Power Equipment, over the years. His course, called Bee-ginnings, had a great impact on my love of bees.   Q: How often can you harvest honey from an active hive? A: Here in Connecticut we have two honey harvests per year. The first one is usually mid-June. The bee’s nectar sources for this first harvest are dandelions, clover, and other spring flowers. It produces a light golden color honey. The second harvest is in mid-September. This time the nectar sources for the bees are things like buckwheat and goldenrod. The honey from the fall harvest is a much darker color with a more complex flavor. If you’ve never had it, try it, you’ll be amazed.   Q: Do you harvest wax or any other byproducts from your hive? A: When we harvest honey, we cut the beeswax cappings off of the frames to allow the honey to be spun out. The wax cappings are cleaned and used as a part of our skin care products.   Q: What are the products that Little Bee of CT makes from beeswax? A: We produce hand-rolled beeswax candles in a variety of sizes. From single votives, to taper pairs, to 5 inch diameter pillar candles. We also produce non-toxic skin care products including body salves, lip balms and solid perfumes.   Q: How do you keep a hive free from parasites and other destructive creatures? A: A strong and healthy hive will do most of the work to keep parasites in check. We also utilize Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices to give the bees an advantage. These practices are a natural way to keep the pest population at a manageable level for the bees. Little Bee never uses chemical treatments on any of its hives.   Q: What are your favorite, and least favorite, parts about beekeeping? A: My favorite part of beekeeping is teaching people about how amazing and intelligent bees really are. 50,000 plus tiny insects working together for the benefit of the whole hive. Building comb, tending to the queen and her eggs, producing honey. Did I mention they do this all in the dark interior of the hive? My least favorite is beekeeping in the summer heat. It gets hot very quickly in that bee jacket. Getting out there early in the morning helps a little but not for long.   Q: What advice would you give to an aspiring beekeeper? A: Read books. Take a class. Shadow a beekeeper. There’s plenty to learn. This will help you determine if you are ready. It may seem cool, but I’ve seen that opinion change once someone is in the suit surrounded by bees. If you decide you want your first hive, find a mentor. Someone local who you can ask questions to or have help with hive inspections until you’re confident in your abilities.   Q: Everyone wants to know…have you ever been seriously stung while working in the hives? A: Nothing that I would call serious. Just localized swelling and itching. Stings happen to me a couple times a year. One will sneak up a pant leg, or get under the waist of the jacket. Thankfully never in the face. Wouldn’t want to have to go to my day job looking like I got in a fight.   And now for that question we mentioned at the beginning of this post. What are the six jobs that each worker honey bee performs during its six-week lifespan? A: 1 to 2 Days Old: Housekeeping – Cleaning cells. 3 to 5 Days Old: Nurse bee – Feeding older larvae. 6 to 11 Days Old: Nurse bee – Feeding younger larvae. 12 to 17 Days Old: Maintenance – Build comb & remove dead bees. 18 to 21 Days Old: Guard bee – Protect hive entrances. 22+ Days old: Forager – Leave hive to collect pollen and nectar.   Now that is definitely a lot of bee-utiful information about bees and beekeeping. If we didn’t answer your question, please email us at info@littlebeeofct.com, and we hope to have more posts like this in the future. Contact us and let us know what you think! Don’t forget to follow @littlebeeofct on Instagram and Facebook where we will post all for all of our honey harvest announcements. Thanks again for supporting Little Bee of CT and the beekeepers around the world!

Ready to have your mind blown? Bees and other pollinators are secretly traveling on their very own “highways” called Pollinator Pathways. Okay, maybe it’s not that big a secret to those of you in the know. But for many of you, this is big and exciting news! Are you aware that there are probably Pollinator Pathways right in your own towns? Go ahead and Google it. We’ll wait. The concept for the original Pollinator Pathway was created in Seattle by a designer named Sarah Bergmann. In 2007, Sarah developed a mile-long stretch of land in the heart of the city that would allow her to study “…planetary history, ecology, design thinking, systems, culture, and the human relationship with the planet.”  All without having to travel to a remote location to find peace and solace. Sarah worked with the homeowners along this one-mile stretch to enable them to connect two green spaces: Seattle University, and a small park called Nora’s Woods, with plants and flowers that would support the pollinator population.   The original Pollinator Pathway was formed. These are some of the photos showing the original Pollinator Pathway in Seattle If you’re curious to learn more about the original Pollinator Pathway project, check out our go-to source for national and global info at http://www.pollinatorpathway.com/. After the success of the Seattle project, many cities and towns joined forces to create their own Pollinator Pathways, which by definition must follow this criteria: -It must connect two green landscapes -It must contain very high percentages of hardy, native plants, meet pollinator requirements and be free of pesticides. -It must be cared for, long term. This is a project that is not to be taken lightly! The fact that so many individuals must work together to create, design, plan, build and maintain a pathway for our pollinating friends shows just how important this type of landscape is for the survival of these species and the food supplies they support.   What are some things that threaten our pollinators? -Applications of pesticides and chemicals to our lawns and yards. -Climate changes that affect the pollinator host plants -Urban and suburban development, which means loss of available open space Each year these threats become more widespread. The amazing hosts of the Pollinator Pathways in your areas are committed to the welfare of the pollinating species and are determined to make changes in the ecosystems and landscapes in their towns to help minimize these threats.   Now let’s get back to our favorite pollinator! Did you know that honey bees travel up to 3 miles in search of food sources that will provide them with the perfect balance of proteins and lipids? A Pollinator Pathway makes this journey much more efficient and successful for our little bees. How amazing would it be to find out that there is a Pollinator Pathway right in your own backyard, and the bees are just cruising on through? And, if there isn’t one close by, you could certainly start one.   Have you been following our #NoMowMay Campaign? If so, you’ve already learned the many basic ways we can help our pollinating birds, bees and insects. Let the wild flowers grow, leave a patch of lawn (or the whole darn thing) alone to grow for a month or more, toss all your pesticides, and help spread the knowledge by sharing what you’ve learned with others. We’re hoping that you’ll become just as excited as we are and want to learn more.   Interested in joining or starting a Pollinator Pathway? Our local source of information is Pollinator-Pathway.org. Their mission states simply that they are: “Establishing pollinator-friendly habitats and food sources for bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinating insects and wildlife.” We just love that! A few other quick links to help you learn more about Pollinator Pathways: 1) To join the Northeast chapter of the Pollinator Pathway visit https://www.emailmeform.com/builder/form/1ucL5O6ohay8 2) To order the lovely 6” metal Pollinator Pathway Sign for your yard visit https://www.pollinator-pathway.org/sign 3) To sign up for The Buzz, the Northeast’s newsletter visit https://www.pollinator-pathway.org/so/ddN8JLg89#/main    Thanks for supporting all of the pollinator species and for supporting Little Bee of CT!

We’ve all heard that “April showers bring May flowers”, right? All of that April rain (or if you live in CT… snow and sleet!) has really made the trees, and our lawns, come alive. Many of you have probably even done your first full lawn mow of the year because the grass is pushing up so quickly. However, what would happen if we put lawn mowing on hold for just one month and left our mowers in the shed until June? Well, for one, we would get a break from the noise pollution of dozens of mowers humming in our neighborhoods. But, more importantly, we’d give the wildflowers a chance to bloom and in turn nourish the bee population with a wider selection of nectar. The more wild flowers you have blooming on your lawn, the more types of pollen and nectar they will produce. Bee heaven! After hearing about “#NoMowMay”, which was a campaign launched in 2019 by the UK organization Plantlife, we knew we had to jump on board. No Mow May means literally declaring your lawn a wildflower sanctuary until June 1st, and we have the perfect spot picked out on our lawn to let grow wild! We’re excited to see what happens in our yard and will share the results with all of you! Check back here or visit us on Instagram or Facebook for updates. If you can’t let your entire lawn go un-mowed, try to designate a portion as a No Mow Zone, and let it go wild until June (or longer if you can!). Reports show that the highest number of wildflowers, and production of nectar sugar, was found on lawns that were mowed just once a month, or every four weeks. The Plantlife campaign discovered that 80% of lawns left wild supported approximately 400 bees a day. 20% of the un-mown lawns were supporting 10 times that number of bees! Something to buzz about…eh? Bees are the livelihood of Little Bee of CT and so many other loyal beekeepers around the world. Without these busy, magnificent creatures, approximately one-third of our food supply would be jeopardized due to lack of cross-pollination. Don’t forget…not only do bees pollinate the food we eat directly, they also pollinate the wild plants, flowers, and clover used to feed the livestock our country depends on for meat. The pollination cycle is vast and has long-reaching implications if it’s interrupted. We hope you’ll help us help the bees this month and give your lawn a chance to flourish! Please share your results with us by mentioning us in your Instagram posts, or by sending us a message on Facebook. We’d love to see your photos and will choose our favorite to share on our social channels in June! Thanks for supporting the bees and for supporting Little Bee of CT!