Finally the dandelions have bloomed! With the sun shining today, our girls are out to get some nectar! This excited honey bee looks like she's doing the splits on the flower, holding on as she sucks up some nectar in her tongue. Did you know that a bee's tongue is a tube? They use it like a straw to suck up the nectar from a flower. Then the nectar goes into their 'honey' stomach and mixes with a magical enzyme that starts the process of turning it into honey. When they get back to the hive, they place it up into one of the cells. Now it's time for them to fan their wings to get the perfect temperature in the hive. The honey will start to lose moisture and become more sticky. Once it's just right they cover the cell with a cap of beeswax. Kinda like we preserve foods by sealing them in a jar. Look how hungry she is! She's got her whole face buried into the dandelion. Please rethink weeding your dandelions as they are the first and only food source after the snow melts away. While beekeepers can feed their bees, other wild pollinators are reliant on this food source as well. Please Bee Kind!
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