Your Beekeeping Questions, Answered

We had so much fun on World Honey Bee Day at Butterfly Pavilion, Saturday, August 17, in celebration of the industrious honey bee! We received some awesome questions. If you are interested in becoming a beekeeper check out our Beekeeping Bootcamp.

How do bees make honey?

Honey, or liquid gold, is created by bees and is the only food made by insects that we eat! Worker bees visit flowers and gather nectar using their long, tube-shaped tongue. Nectar is stored in its crop (extra stomach). The nectar mixes with enzymes and undergoes a transformation, preserving it for long-term use. Honey bees then work together to deposit nectar in the honeycomb by passing it through another bee’s mouth! The honey is almost ready – the last step is to remove water from the now thick sugary liquid. Honey bees fan the honeycomb with their wings to speed up the process of evaporation. Honey bees seal the comb with beeswax – honey can be stored forever providing bees, and us, the perfect sugary food source.

Why do honey bees sting and how can I avoid being stung?

Honey bees sting when they feel threatened; they will only sting you if they have to! Usually, honey bees will die after they sting, so it is a very costly defense. You can avoid being stung by respecting honey bees and not disturbing their hive.

I recently saw a swarm of honey bees gathered away from the hive. Why does that happen?

Swarming occurs when a queen leaves the hive to start a new colony and the worker bees follow. Swarming bees are very docile and will most likely not sting, unless they feel their life is at risk. It is a natural means of colony reproduction.

I heard that honey bees are in trouble. What’s going on?

Pollinator populations, from bees to butterflies, are in decline because of habitat destruction, chemical pollution, parasites, and pathogens. Humans can help with many of these issues! Try not to use pesticides on your lawn or in your garden, and plant a habitat garden with native flowering plants that help feed the bees.

I want to do my part to conserve honey bees. What are things I can do at home, other than beekeeping?

If beekeeping isn’t for you there are a lot of things you can do to help out honey bees and other pollinators! Take it from our Horticulture Director Amy, “The good news is that everyone, no matter where they live, can improve this situation for pollinators…If you want to create your own pollinator sanctuary, all you need is some close observation, a little planning and the right plants.” Learn how to Grow a Pollinator Sanctuary.

You can also get involved at Butterfly Pavilion through our Pollinator Awareness through Conservation and Education (PACE) program. PACE programs include habitat restoration projects, education programs for adults and children, citizen science opportunities, and more. Get involved in one of our citizen science projects today and help gather important data scientists can use to help save pollinators, like the honey bee.

How many species of honey bees are there in Colorado? Which species do you suggest keeping for a beginner beekeeper? Any helpful tips for first-time bee keepers?

There are 946 species of native bee in Colorado and one species of honey bee (Apis mellifera)! Honey bees are actually native to Africa and Europe. Beekeeping is not easy, but the best thing you can do when you are just getting started is to get out there! You’ll need a few things to get started:

• Nucleus or package colony to start
• Food (Natural nectar and pollen sources)
• Quality materials for your hive
• Take a class and join a beekeeping club

Honey bees need three things to survive, water, pollen and nectar. The flowers the honey bee visits will determine the taste of the honey. Honey bees love dandelion, lavender, fennel, ox-eye daisy, snapdragon, teasel, rosemary, sunflower, yarrow, nasturtium and more! You can check out our What’s Blooming page for updates on what is blooming in our gardens that attract honey bees and native pollinators.

Timing is crucial – the best time to begin a hive is in the spring.

By Mario Padilla, Entomologist and Beekeeper