RicelandMeadows

May 5, 2026

Rain and puddles continue to rule the days. The moisture is good. All of us farmers are waiting to get started with “spring work”, but the moisture is good. They say April showers bring May flowers. May showers bring a few anxious moments, but the moisture is good!

The dandelions have been bountiful to say the least. The honeybees are delighted with all the early food! They are off to a great start this year. Hives are building up fast as they buzz with activity.

We caught this swarm yesterday. It was on a bee tree not far from the entrance hole. They must have ran out of room in the tree, so this queen and her lady friends went looking for a new home. They are now in a new hive and seem happy.

While we were looking at the first swarm, overhead in an apple tree, we saw another one!

Another opportunity to provide a home for God’s creatures. They are great partners. I give them a home. They pollenate my plants and give me some honey. It is a win-win as they say.

We caught this swarm too. They were not as happy as the swarm on the tree. A rainstorm was moving in and they didn’t want to be bothered. They protested by stinging my son in the lip. I would have laughed a bit but they were also letting me know that they weren’t happy.

A couple rouge, smart bees found my pantlegs. They traveled up and stung me on the calves and even 2 stings on my knee. Thankfully, they didn’t have time to tell all the rest where my weakness was! Believe me, a few small stings was a small price to pay for two “May” swarms of wild, wintered over bees. I would estimate both swarms to have weighed 4 to 5 pounds!

What a wonderful gift! Those wet April days that are spilling over into May have been good for wildflowers, apple blossoms and dandelions. The spring work will all happen soon. The moisture is good. The bees are all happy shouting, “Honey…We’re Home!”