Mid-Summer Hive Check: Holding Strong After the Swarm

It started as an ordinary spring afternoon. Tom had just shut off the tractor, and we were standing in the garden, mapping out where the zucchini and cucumbers would go. The bees were buzzing—not unusual with the hive nearby—but the sound was growing louder. Then, all at once, it was like the air around us came alive. The hive erupted, and in seconds, we were surrounded by thousands of buzzing bees, swirling over the raised beds and into the trees.

We had just witnessed our first true swarm.

🐝 Strong Despite the Split

The very next day, I suited up for an inspection. To my relief, the hive was still queenright. I spotted fresh eggs, larvae, capped brood, nectar, and plenty of honey in both brood boxes. A month later, I went back in and found the same: calm bees, a steady pattern, and a queen still doing her job.

Even with the early-season split, the colony has bounced back beautifully. The rain hasn’t slowed them. They’re filling out two brood boxes and a super, and the hive easily weighs 100 pounds, maybe more.

🌸 What’s Blooming in the Ozarks?

Mid-summer in the Ozarks is a pollinator’s paradise. All around our pasture edges and in the garden, we’re seeing signs of:

• Black-eyed Susans
• Purple coneflowers and native sunflowers
• Wild blazingstar (Liatris)
• Butterfly milkweed and beebalm
• Evening primrose and wild patches of coreopsis

Even though I wasn’t keeping a formal bloom list, the bees clearly know what’s out there—and they’re working it hard. If you’re in Missouri, I’d love to know what’s blooming near you right now.

🍯 To Harvest or Not to Harvest?

The girls are packing in nectar, and it’s tempting to think about pulling honey. But I’ll wait a little longer. Whether or not I harvest will depend on how the colony looks in a few weeks and what the fall weather seems to hold. A mild winter might give us room to share some honey. A tough one? They’ll keep it all.

Strong hives make strong farms, after all.

🐝 One Hive, All Heart

I’ve had more hives in other years, but this one is a reminder that a single, thriving colony can teach patience, earn its keep, and bring a little magic to the garden.

Whether I harvest or not, I’m proud of how they’ve recovered—and I’m grateful every time I hear that steady hum at the entrance.

👂 What About You?

Did your bees swarm this year? What’s blooming where you are? Drop us a note—we’d love to hear what your hives are up to this summer.