The Christmas

Merry Christmas,

The Urban Family Apiaries.

The Solstice

The outside temperature is from -12°C to -10°C.

The inside temperature of the beehive is on the photo. 

The Feeding of Bees

We are feeding our colonies. We are using 27 litres of the sugar syrup (3:2) for the good wintering.

The Beeswax Candles

The candle light brings a secret which is lighting in the darkness.

The Queen cell story III

The young queens are laying eggs in our nucs. On the photo is the first sealed brood of this queen.

The Honey Harvest

The spring nectar flow is finished. The last blooming tree is the maple - Acer pseudoplatanus. A week later we are starting the honey harvest.

The Looking for the Rest

I found the best place for the beekeeper's holiday. The bees do not live there.

Photos: Sloup-Sosuvka Caves, Moravian Karst. Please, do not copy photos.

The Makeing Nucs

We are makeing nucs with my parents in the Visocina Bee Yard.

The Swarming

My father Jan Urban corrects the entrance of the swarm catcher. The empty hive is located about 200 m from the bee yard. 

The Queen Cell Story II

The virgin queens are hatching in our nucs. The queen cells are opened.

The Queen Cell Story

The photos show using queen cells by makeing nucs.

The Smoker

The smoker is the equipment for the pacifying bees. The smoker can pacify the beekeeper too.

The Queen Rearing

The first photography with the young larva is from the 30. 04. 2009 evening. The second photography is from the 1. 05. 2009 morning. The queen cells are growing very fast.

The Watchman - The Watchbee

"Stop! Passport control! Give a taste! OK, you can go to the hive!"

The Sweet Cherry

The sweet cherry trees are in bloom. The honey bee visits 5000 flowers a day.

Photos: Sweet cherry flowers and pollen grains.

The Orchard Pollination

The orchard pollination is starting. The fruit trees blossom out. 

Photo: Prunus insititia

The Bee Pasture

Scilla siberica, Primula veris, Anemone nemorosa

The Propolis

The propolis contains resin, vegetable balsam, beeswax and essential oils. The bees use the propolis to sterilize their hive and to seal cracks in the hive. 

Photo: The propolis on frames.

The Salix Caprea

The willow trees bring the first nectar flow for our bees. 

The Palm Sunday

We call it "The Blooming Sunday" in the Czech.

The Nectar Flow

We are starting the honey flow from the willow trees. The nectar flow is necessary for the brood rearing.

The Spring Time Joy

"I have been skiing, skating, building a snowman. I have been heating in the fireplace during the winter. I enjoy the work in the spring time!"

The First Pollen

The bees have found the first pollen today afternoon. The bees have the best feed for the brood now.