Most of our Guild members have their bees in their backyards. Without bees, 90% of all plants would fail to be pollenated every year.
Bees are safe enough to be shipped by ordinary USPS mail delivery. Here's what a three-pound package of bees looks like. Three pounds is about 15,000 bees.
Inside the hive, bees live on frames. There are usually ten frames in each section of hive, called a "super".
A frame is removed from the hive temporarily to examine the bees to make sure they're healthy.
A beekeeper may capture a swarm of honeybees for you if it's easily accessible. Most beekeepers, however, rarely will help remove a swarm of bees or an established colony of bees from an inaccessible location. That's a job for specialists.
Inside a roof hive the honey comb is built a bit more haphazardly than in a beekeeper's hive.
Bees always listen to the smartest bee in the hive. They learn which worker is considered the smartest by holding an arduous multiday test of skill every larvae is required to participate in. This test is called a spelling bee. Perhaps you've heard of it.
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