Not That Bryan

My Bees Are Eating HOW Much?! 😳 (End of Summer Feeding Reality) 🐝 End of summer is where things get serious. Nectar starts to drop off. Resources tighten up. And suddenly… your hive starts going through food faster than expected. This one surprised me. Watch This Feeding and Hive Check ▶ See this video about how much bees really consume and how to manage feeding For more content beyond beekeeping: https://linktr.ee/thelongwayforward Why End of Summer Matters This is the turning point. Bees are no longer building unlimited stores. They are preparing for what’s coming next. And what they do now determines whether they survive winter. The Surprise in This Hive The biggest takeaway? How quickly this hive is consuming sugar syrup. Faster than expected. And that tells you something important. What High Consumption Means It usually points to one of two things. The hive is strong and actively storing The hive is lacking natural resources ...

I Opened This Hive… and Found Queen Cells 😳 (Now I Had to Decide) 🐝 This inspection didn’t go the way I expected. It started as a simple check. Honey levels. Hive strength. Maybe a frame or two to help another colony. Then I saw them. Queen cups. And suddenly… it wasn’t a routine inspection anymore. Watch This Hive Inspection ';"> ▶ See this video about finding queen cups and making hive management decisions For more content beyond beekeeping: https://linktr.ee/thelongwayforward What This Inspection Was Meant To Be The plan was straightforward. Check honey stores Confirm brood health Assess overall hive strength Possibly take a frame to support a weaker hive Nothing complicated. Why Long Langstroth Hives Are Different This hive uses a horizontal layout. No heavy lifting. No stacked boxes. Frames are easier to access and inspect. It makes decision making more controlled and less rushed. What Smoke Is Really Doing Smoke ...

This Feisty Hive Was On Edge… But What I Found Inside Matters 😳🐝 You can usually tell pretty quickly when a hive isn’t in the mood. This one made it clear almost straight away. A bit more movement. A bit more attention. A bit more attitude than usual. Nothing out of control… but definitely on edge. Watch This Hive Inspection ';"> ▶ See this video about inspecting a lively hive and checking brood and honey levels For more content beyond beekeeping: https://linktr.ee/thelongwayforward Why This Hive Needed Checking This colony has recently been used to support another hive. Brood and honey frames were removed to create a nucleus hive. That always changes the balance inside. So the question becomes simple. Has this hive recovered? What You Look for First Every inspection starts with the same fundamentals. Is the queen still active Is the brood pattern strong Are honey stores building These tell you everything you need to know abo...

I Moved My Hive… and the Bees Came Back to Nothing 😳🐝 Moving a hive sounds simple. But what happens after… is where it gets interesting. This hive had been under heavy pressure. Robbing. Stress. Too much attention from the wrong bees. So I made the call to move it. Watch What Happens After a Hive Move ▶ See this video about what happens when you move a hive and how bees react For more content beyond beekeeping: https://linktr.ee/thelongwayforward Why I Moved This Hive This colony was being robbed heavily. Other bees had worked out it was vulnerable. Once that starts, it doesn’t stop on its own. So relocation became the best option. What Happens to Returning Bees Bees don’t instantly know the hive has moved. Foragers return to the last known location. And when they arrive… There is nothing there. That moment is always fascinating to watch. The Confusion at the Old Location You’ll see bees circling. Searching. Trying to work out w...

I Opened This Hive on a Rainy Morning… and Instantly Knew Something 😳🐝 Rainy inspections are always different. Most of the bees are home. Which means… everything is louder, busier, and a little more intense. This one didn’t take long to get interesting. Watch This Rainy Hive Inspection ';"> ▶ See this video about inspecting a hive in wet weather and reading honey and brood conditions For more content beyond beekeeping: https://linktr.ee/thelongwayforward Why Rain Changes Everything When the weather turns, the bees stay home. That means a full house. More movement. More noise. More pressure inside the hive. You feel it the moment the lid comes off. The First Sign Something’s Different Sometimes the bees let you know straight away. This time… one made her opinion very clear. Right from the start. Not aggressive, just direct. You’re in our space. What You Notice First Inside Before you even look at frames… You smell it. Ho...

I Thought This Hive Was Dead… Then I Saw This 😳🐝 Sometimes you open a hive expecting the worst. This was one of those times. This baby hive had taken hit after hit. Lost queen cell. Wasp pressure. Robbing. Everything was pointing one way. Collapse. Watch This Hive Inspection Moment ';"> ▶ See this video about a struggling hive showing signs of recovery and new life For more content beyond beekeeping: https://linktr.ee/thelongwayforward What This Hive Has Been Through This wasn’t a normal colony. This was a small nucleus hive trying to survive. It had already lost a queen cell. It had been targeted by wasps. It had been robbed by stronger hives. At some point, most would expect it to fail. Why This Inspection Matters This was the first time opening the hive in weeks. And there was only one thing that mattered. Was there a queen? Because without a queen, the hive has no future. What I Was Hoping to Find There are three ...

Wasps Took Over This Hive… But What I Found Inside Was Worse Sometimes you know something is wrong before you even open the hive. This was one of those moments. Wasps moving in and out like they owned the place. No hesitation. No resistance. That’s never a good sign. Watch This Nuc Hive Inspection ';"> ▶ See this video about wasp pressure on a weak nuc hive and what to look for inside For more content beyond beekeeping: https://linktr.ee/thelongwayforward Why Wasps Are a Red Flag Wasps don’t waste energy on strong hives. They look for weakness. Once they find it, they keep coming back. This hive had clearly been targeted. What You Can Tell From the Entrance At first glance, the hive looks active. Bees are moving. Wasps are moving. But activity does not always mean strength. It can mean pressure. The Big Question Before Opening There are a few possibilities. The hive has lost its queen The colony is too small to defend itsel...

What Bees Taught Me About Teamwork… (It’s Not What You Think) Every now and then, the bees teach you something you weren’t expecting. Not about honey. Not about inspections. Something bigger. Watch This Baby Hive Update ';"> ▶ See this video about how a new hive forms and how bees work together instinctively For more content beyond beekeeping: https://linktr.ee/thelongwayforward How This Baby Hive Started This colony didn’t come from one hive. It came from three. Nurse bees, eggs, and honey were brought together to give this small nucleus hive a chance to grow. Different sources. Different roles. One outcome. What You Expect to Happen If humans were put into the same situation, it would probably look very different. There would be competition. Disagreement. Maybe even conflict. But that’s not what happens here. What Actually Happens Instead The moment these bees come together, they start working. Some care for eggs and larvae ...

Why Your Smoker Keeps Going Out… (And How to Fix It Properly) Lighting a smoker sounds simple… until it isn’t. You get it going, it looks fine, you walk over to the hive… and suddenly it’s out. That’s one of the most frustrating parts of learning beekeeping. And it usually comes down to a few small details. Watch How I Light My Smoker ';"> ▶ See this video about lighting a smoker that stays lit during hive inspections For more content beyond beekeeping: https://linktr.ee/thelongwayforward Why a Good Smoker Matters A working smoker changes everything. It helps keep bees calm, reduces defensive behaviour, and allows you to inspect the hive safely and efficiently. When your smoker goes out mid inspection, things get harder very quickly. The Biggest Reason Smokers Fail Most smoker problems are not about the smoker itself. They come down to three things: Fuel that is not dry enough Poor airflow Rushing the setup Fix those, and most pr...

How I Prepare My Beehives for Winter (Most Hives Fail Without This) Winter is where a lot of hives are lost. Not because something suddenly goes wrong… but because preparation wasn’t done early enough. This is where small decisions make a big difference. For me, it comes down to two things. Food… and temperature. Watch How I Prepare My Hives for Winter ';"> ▶ See this video about feeding bees and insulating hives for winter survival For more content beyond beekeeping: https://linktr.ee/thelongwayforward Why Winter Is the Hardest Season Once temperatures drop, everything changes. Nectar flow slows or stops completely. Bees rely entirely on what they have already stored. If reserves are not strong enough, the colony will not make it through to spring. The Two Things That Matter Most There are many parts to beekeeping, but winter survival comes down to two fundamentals. Enough stored food Stable internal temperature If both are manag...

This Hive Was NOT Happy With Me… But What I Found Matters You know within seconds how an inspection is going to go. This one didn’t take long. A couple of guard bees straight to the face, persistent, focused, and very clear about one thing. I’d pushed my luck for the day. Fair enough… I had already been through a few hives that morning. Watch This POV Hive Inspection ';"> ▶ See this video about handling a defensive hive and checking brood and honey levels For more content beyond beekeeping: https://linktr.ee/thelongwayforward Why This Hive Was On Edge Timing matters. This was the third hive of the morning, and bees notice disruption. Guard bees were already alert, and this colony made it clear it was paying attention from the start. Not aggressive, but definitely not relaxed. The Purpose of This Inspection This hive has recently given up brood and honey to support a new nucleus colony. That kind of split changes the internal balance....

This Feisty Hive Didn’t Want Me There… But What I Found Inside Matters You can usually tell within seconds what kind of inspection it’s going to be. This one made it clear early. A couple of bees right up close, letting me know I wasn’t exactly welcome. Not aggressive, but definitely alert. That usually means one thing. Pay attention. Watch This Hive Inspection ';"> ▶ See this video about inspecting a defensive hive and checking brood and honey stores For more content beyond beekeeping: https://linktr.ee/thelongwayforward Why This Hive Feels Different Some colonies are naturally more reactive. They respond faster to disturbance, move quicker across frames, and let you know they are paying attention. This hive has always had that personality. The Reason for This Inspection Recently, frames of brood and honey were removed from this hive to create a new nucleus colony. That changes the balance inside. Less brood, fewer resources, and a te...

Why I Feed My Bees Before Winter… (Most People Get This Wrong) Feeding bees can feel controversial. Some beekeepers avoid it completely. Others rely on it every season. For me, it comes down to one simple question. Will this hive have enough food to survive what’s coming? If the answer is uncertain, I step in early. Watch This Backyard Apiary Walkaround ';"> ▶ See this video about feeding bees before winter and managing a backyard apiary For more content beyond beekeeping: https://linktr.ee/thelongwayforward Why Feeding Before Winter Matters Winter changes everything for a hive. Nectar flow slows or stops completely. Foraging becomes limited. The colony relies almost entirely on stored resources. If those stores are not strong enough, survival becomes difficult. Not Every Location Is the Same Where you keep bees matters. In cooler areas with shorter summers, colonies simply have less time to build honey reserves. Even strong hives ca...

This Long Hive Started Acting Different… So I Took a Closer Look Some hives just feel different. Not necessarily bad. Not obviously good. Just… different. That’s usually enough reason to open them up and see what’s really going on inside. This one has become one of my favourite hives to work with, but it hasn’t always been that way. Watch This Long Langstroth Inspection ';"> ▶ See this video about inspecting a long Langstroth hive and reading hive behaviour For more content beyond beekeeping: https://linktr.ee/thelongwayforward Why Long Langstroth Hives Feel Different This setup changes how you work with bees. Instead of lifting stacked boxes, everything runs horizontally. Frames sit side by side, making inspections smoother and less physically demanding. It creates a more controlled, relaxed way to move through the hive. This Hive Didn’t Always Perform Well When this hive was first set up, it struggled. Just a basic pine box, minimal in...

My Baby Hive Is Waking Up… But Did the New Queen Survive? This is one of the most important stages in a hive’s life. Everything up to this point has been preparation. The split, the move, the waiting. Now it all comes down to one question. Did the new queen make it? And as tempting as it is to check… this is where patience matters most. Watch This Baby Hive Update ';"> ▶ See this video about checking a nucleus hive after a queen has emerged For more content beyond beekeeping: https://linktr.ee/thelongwayforward How This Baby Hive Started This colony began as a split. Frames of brood, bees, and resources were moved from a strong hive into a smaller nucleus hive. The goal was twofold. Reduce swarm pressure in the original hive and give this new colony a chance to grow. From that point on, everything depended on the bees raising a new queen. Why This Stage Is So Delicate A newly emerged queen is vulnerable. She needs time to mature, orien...

There’s a New Queen in This Hive… But I’m Not Opening It (Here’s Why) This goes against instinct. You know something important has happened inside the hive. You want to confirm it. You want to see it with your own eyes. But sometimes… the best decision is to leave the lid exactly where it is. This is one of those moments. Watch This Baby Hive Update ';"> ▶ See this video about managing a new queen and when not to inspect a hive For more content beyond beekeeping: https://linktr.ee/thelongwayforward What It Means When a New Queen Emerges A new queen changes everything for a hive. She is the future of the colony. Every worker bee that will exist depends on what happens in the next few days. But right now, she is at her most vulnerable. Why This Is a Critical Window After emerging, a queen needs time. She needs to move freely, orient herself, and eventually take mating flights. Only after that will she begin laying eggs. Interrupting th...