Washington County Beekeepers group set to meet 6:30 p.m. Monday, June 4

The queen lays the eggs into the cells and then the nurse bees cover the larvae with a wax cap under which the egg matures and hatches. Photo submitted.

NC GAZETTE / WBRT RADIO
Community News

Thursday, May 24, 2018 — The Washington County Beekeepers meeting at the new Washington County Extension Office building (245 Corporate Drive in Springfield) will begin with a potluck dinner at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, June 4, 2018. The business meeting will begin at about 7 p.m.

The bees produce beeswax and mold it into the honeycomb cells used for storing honey. Click to enlarge. Photo submitted.

If you’ve been out in the clover fields or your garden, you have noticed that the honey bees are extremely active gathering the nectar they process into honey. During the “honey flow,” bee colonies are growing very quickly as the hive needs nurse bees inside the hive as well as forager bees for the collecting.

Sometimes, the colony outgrows the bee hive so quickly that the colony will split and part of the bees will swarm – leave the hive in search of a new home. Typically, these swarming bees are seen in trees, bushes or house eaves hanging in a large cluster. If you see one of the clusters and don’t want to wait for them to move on, you can call the Washington County Extension Office, (859) 336-7741, to report the cluster and ask them to try to locate a beekeeper to come out and collect the bees.

With the great weather and longer days for working outside, this is an excellent time to find out about becoming an active beekeeper and to find a mentor or advisor who can help you begin the process of establishing your own apiary.

For more information contact the Washington County Extension Office by phone at (859) 336-7741 or by email to dl_ces_washginton@email.uky.edu.

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