Why You Should Start Beekeeping. A Guide to Your First Backyard Hive I still remember the first time the idea crossed my mind. What if I kept bees? Not as some distant hobby, but as something real, living, and humming in my own backyard here in Las Vegas, Nevada. If you have ever caught yourself daydreaming about becoming a beekeeper, I want to tell you something honestly: that dream is worth listening to. Beekeeping gives back in ways most hobbies never will. Key Takeaways B

We’ve already walked you through honey, propolis, and royal jelly in past articles. But there’s one hive product that completely changes how you understand bees once you really see it. It is called bee bread , also known as perga . Those cells packed with dense, colorful, slightly glossy material are not raw pollen. It is a controlled fermentation process that honey bees have perfected over millions of years. In the Mojave Desert, it is the difference between colonies that su

Everything Answered About Bee Removal in Las Vegas Living in Las Vegas means embracing the desert climate with year-round sunshine. But it also means sharing our environment with thousands of bee colonies that thrive in Southern Nevada's warm weather. While bees play an important role in our ecosystem, they can pose serious risks when they establish hives near homes, businesses, or high-traffic areas. Understanding when and how to address bee infestations safely is essential

Las Vegas Homeowner's Guide to Live Bee Removal vs Extermination. Discovering bees nesting in your Las Vegas home is stressful. Whether they're coming through your water spigot, buzzing inside your walls, or clustering near your doorway, you need a solution fast. But the decision you make next matters more than you might think, not just for the bees, but for your property, your wallet, and the Las Vegas environment. This guide will help you understand the critical differences

We've Spent Years Removing Bees From Homes. Here's Every Answer to the Question You're About to Google. It's 7:42 AM and my phone is ringing. "There are bees. Thousands of them. They're going into a crack in my brick and I don't know what to do and my kids can't go outside and..." Listen to This Article: I've had this conversation roughly 3,000 times. I know exactly where you are in this moment. You found bees somewhere they shouldn't be, you Googled something like "help I ha

When a swarm of honey bees takes off from their original colony, they’re racing against the clock. They’ve got their queen to protect, a stomach full of honey for energy, and one mission in mind: build a new home. So how long does it take bees to build a hive after they swarm? The short answer is about one to three weeks , but that depends on the weather, nectar availability, and the strength of the swarm. Let’s break down what actually happens in those critical first days, a

The Connection Between Bees and Christmas When you think of Christmas, presents under a twinkling lit Christmas Tree probably come to mind... but bees? Believe it or not, bees have played a surprisingly significant role in Christmas traditions for centuries. Let's look into the connections between bees and the Christmas season. Beeswax Candles in Christmas Tradition Long before electric lights adorned our Christmas trees, beeswax candles illuminated the darkest nights of wint

Why Honey Solves the Problem of "Hard to Shop For" People. We used to get stressed around the holidays wondering "What do we give the people in our lives who seem to have everything?" What do we give to our coworkers? And especially the family member who insists they want nothing (you know who we're talking about). We always want the gift to feel thoughtful, but we don’t want to waste money on something that ends up forgotten in a junk drawer or re-gifted. That is exactly why

The Founding Fathers and Beekeeping at the White House George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were more than just statesmen; they were land managers who understood that the success of a new nation depended on agriculture. But there was a silent workforce behind their estates, one that has recently returned to Pennsylvania Avenue. From the breakfast tables of Mount Vernon to the micro-brews of the modern White House, here is the buzzing history of America’s Presidents and the

Every fall when we're out checking hives, we notice the shift. The bees aren't as frantic. They're not building like crazy or hauling in loads of nectar. They're just... tightening up. Sealing cracks with propolis, clustering tighter, being more protective of their stores. It's a different energy than summer, and honestly, it always hits around the same time we're thinking about Thanksgiving. What Bees Actually Do in Fall By late fall here in the desert, the hives are basical

The Story of Bees in Prehistoric Art For thousands of years before humans domesticated bees, they risked their lives climbing cliff faces and navigating swarms to access one of nature's most precious resources: honey. The story of this dangerous relationship, and its evolution into organized beekeeping, is preserved in cave paintings, rock art, and ancient carvings across the globe. Listen to This Article: The Honey Hunters of Prehistoric Spain The Man of Bicorp: Humanity's O

Do Bees Hibernate? Honey Bees:  No. They do not hibernate. They stay awake all winter in a cluster, vibrating to generate heat and eating stored honey. Bumblebees:  Yes (Queens only). The colony dies, and the new queens hibernate underground in a state called diapause. Solitary Bees:  Yes. They overwinter in sealed nests as pupae or dormant adults. Listen to the Article: When temperatures drop and bees disappear, many people assume they're hibernating. The reality is more com

Bee season in Las Vegas never stops abruptly. It winds down slowly as the desert shifts from its blooming months to a resource-scarce landscape. After spending years rescuing colonies across the valley, I’ve learned that the end of bee season isn’t just driven by cold weather. It’s driven by dwindling nectar. Understanding this transition helps homeowners make informed decisions and allows me to save colonies that still have a chance. Why Bee Season Tapers Off in the Fall As

Understanding Why Drones Get Ejected From The Hive. As fall arrives in Las Vegas, beekeepers witness drones, large male bees, being forcibly expelled from hives. While this appears harsh, it's actually a sophisticated survival strategy refined over thousands of years. Listen to This Article: What Are Drones? Drones are male honey bees with distinctive features: they're larger than workers with enormous compound eyes that often meet at the top of their heads, stockier barrel-s

If you've ever wondered "can bees see red?" or "what colors can bees see?", you're not alone. Bee vision is one of nature's most fascinating adaptations, and understanding how bees see can help you create better gardens, appreciate pollination, and learn about the hidden world of color invisible to human eyes. The short answer: No, bees cannot see red . But the complete story of bee eyesight is far more interesting than a simple yes or no. Listen to This Article: What Colors

The Unsung Gear of Every Beekeeper: Why the Right Socks Matter When most people picture a beekeeper, they think of veils, gloves, and suits. But few realize that what’s underneath all that gear, especially on your feet, can make or break a hot day in the bee farm. At Vegas Bees, we’ve learned that a solid pair of socks isn’t just about comfort. It’s part of your protection, endurance, and focus when you’re working hives in the desert heat. The socks we wear at Vegas Bees are

Bee Washboarding and What We Know About This Strange Hive Behavior We see bees washboarding in the warmer months here in Las Vegas, and it never fails to grab our attention. We love to watch dozens or even hundreds of workers moving back and forth in near-perfect unison on the front of the hive. It is so beautifully weird to see. They stroke the surface with their front legs and rock their bodies in a strange, hypnotic rhythm, creating a faint scratching sound like sandpaper

Can Bees Survive in Space? Bees are essential to life on Earth, but what happens when bees leave the planet? Can they fly, build honeycomb, or even survive without gravity? Yes, bees can survive in space - but it's complicated. Can they fly?  Sort of - they struggle initially, drifting and tumbling instead of controlled flight, but adapt over time. Can they build honeycomb?  Yes - the 1984 mission proved bees construct perfectly normal comb in zero gravity. Bottom line : Bees

The Ancient Wisdom of the Bee Spirit Guide. Many people feel a deep connection to bees, sensing that they carry messages meant specifically for them. If you've found yourself repeatedly drawn to bees, noticing them in unexpected places, or feeling moved by their presence, you might be wondering: could the bee be your spirit animal? Listen to this Article: Understanding Spirit Animals The concept of spirit animals originates from various Indigenous traditions, where animals se

We've just finished extracting honey and are feeling relief and exhaustion. But the job isn’t over yet. Those sticky frames we've pulled from the extractor still need proper care before we can stash them away. What we do next can make the difference between clean, ready-to-go comb next spring, or a wax moth nightmare waiting (and it will) happen. At Vegas Bees, we’ve learned that post-extraction management can save hours of work later and keep your bees healthier long term. H