Beeswax Art?

Yes, you can even use beeswax for art!  This is called encaustic art.  Artists layer colored beeswax on a canvas to create a 3-D look.  Kids can try this at home, too.  Here's some ideas.

 Make sure that you have a parent help you as the wax will be hot!!

Put beeswax and colored crayons (broken into small pieces and unwrapped) in a muffin tin.   Melt at 200 degrees Fahrenheit in the oven.  After having a parent remove the tray from the oven, use a butter knife to carefully layer color on a piece of cardboard.  Try making a sunrise/sunset or other scene!  The beeswax will harden very quickly, so just add another layer if you make a mistake. 

This is a fun project to do during Christmas vacation with your family.  What a great new way to use beeswax!

"Bee in the Know":  One of the first groups to keep bees, the Egyptians (along with the Greeks and Romans) also made artwork using beeswax.  It was even used to decorate coffins for mummies!

Buzzin' in a Winter Wonderland!

What happens to the honeybees in the winter?  This is a common question when we talk to groups of all ages.  Let's look at what happens to the honeybees in the winter months. 

First of all, what the bees do depends on where you live.  It's easier for the bees to overwinter in Florida where flowers bloom all year long than in Minnesota where it snows from November through March.

Clustering around the queen

When there are no flowers blooming, the honeybees eat the honey that they've stored up all summer long.  The worker bees form a cluster (a ball of bees) around the queen bee to keep her warm.  In fact, even if it's freezing outside, the honeybees will keep their cluster at 57 degrees Fahrenheit.  The bees move as a cluster eating honey.



The drone bees being kicked out of the hive in the fall!



I said the worker bees surround the queen.  So, what happened to the drones?  Because the drones don't help in the hive and eat more food, the drones are actually kicked out of the hive in the fall.  In the winter, it's just the girls!





The queen bee may stop layings eggs for part or all of the winter.  As it starts to get warmer, she'll begin to lay eggs.  This is so new workers bees are ready to collect nectar and pollen at the beginning of spring!

"Bee in the Know":  Some beekeepers move their beehives to southern states during the winter. 

It's So Creamy!

We all love honey for the sticky, drippy sweetness. But did you know there's a way to eat honey with less mess? It's still pure honey, but it's in a spreadable consistency that won't dribble off of your biscuits.

This is called creamed, whipped, or spun honey (all the same thing). Creamed honey is thick and spreadble.

How do we make creamed honey? It's not hard. First, we begin with a starter (creamed honey from another batch). Beekeepers then mix it with liquid (regular) honey for a certain period of time. After that it's refrigerated at 54 degrees Fahrenheit. Once finished, the creamed honey will stay nice and thick in your pantry.

Try some creamed honey with peanut butter on toast for a fantastic "PB&H"

"Bee in the Know":  Honey will last forever if properly stored.  If you have liquid honey that has crystallized, simply soak the jar in some hot (but not boiling) water and it will reliquify.