Tag: nectar

Spring has sprung and the bees are buzzing

Posted on by botanicalbeekeeper in honey, honey bees

The bee season has officially begun with first hive inspections on a few sunny days recently (ahead of some very wintry weather with rain and wind chill).  Coming off the back of a very dry summer and autumn, and still below-average winter rains, the bees are actually doing quite well.  I ensured the bees were … Continue reading Spring has sprung and the bees are buzzing →

pollen party season

Posted on by botanicalbeekeeper in botany, honey bees

photo: male tree pollen catkins https://www.nationalarboretum.act.gov.au/living-collections/forests-and-trees/forest-100 According to the calendar, it’s still winter here in August, but really, it’s ‘sprinter’ - that time of year when the days suddenly have a bit more warmth in them, the sun begins to shine a little more, but there’s still quite a few rainy days. You can feel … Continue reading pollen party season →

All about honey

Posted on by botanicalbeekeeper in honey

What is honey? A thick, golden liquid produced by European honey bees (Apis mellifera), and a small number of warm-climate native bee species, honey is made using the nectar of flowering plants and is stored in the hive for eating during winter and times of scarcity. Locally, in western Victoria, honey is very much a seasonal … Continue reading All about honey →