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After a long, cold winter spent huddled inside, everyone is looking forward to spring – bees included. For your hives, spring is a time of intense activity. Egg-laying, brood-raising, and nectar-gathering all start to ramp up after being almost non-existent in winter.

Bee colonies revolve around their queen – but what happens when she’s gone? Although it’s not common, there are times when a beekeeper needs to introduce a new queen to an old colony. This happens if the queen dies or stops laying eggs, or if you need to split a hive and start a new colony. Without a queen, there are no eggs, and without eggs, there are no new bees. So, lack of a queen can eventually lead to the loss of the colony, if you don’t take steps to fix the problem. Some colonies will be able to fix the problem themselves by creating a new queen, but this doesn’t always happen.

Most people know that bees collect pollen, but few really understand its role in the hive. Unlike nectar, pollen is not used to make honey, but it plays a vital role in the life of the colony.

How to tell when your bees need more space – and why it’s so important

What depth is right for your hive?

What to look for when you open your hives

Can’t find a local beekeeping club to join? Here’s Ecrotek’s guide on where to start setting up your own.

How to prevent invasion and treat infestation

Bees – they’re clever little things. As well as buzzing around making delicious honey, they’re also hard at work making a compound called propolis. Propolis is used as a sealant in their hives, as well as an embalming agent to cover surfaces. Propolis is also the bees’ disinfectant – one of nature’s most powerful antimicrobials, it cleans and sterilises the inside of the hive.