Spring

By late April, spring has sprung!  The days are warm enough that the worker bees are leaving the hive daily and gathering nectar and pollen.  The new colonies have drawn out several frames of honeycomb and are filling the comb with honey, nectar, pollen, and brood.  The queen is very busy and may be laying up to 2000 eggs every day.  Within three weeks, these eggs will develop into larva, pupa, and new workers bees, increasing the population of the hive by thousands of bees each day.  The bees are relatively docile as food is abundant and easily replaced.  It is important to keep a close eye on established hives this time of year as hives that are too crowded are likely to swarm with half the colony in an effort to find more living space.