Northumberland Bees

Northumberland Bees Small Organic Bee Farm. We are using organic techniques to manage our bees. We are members of the ORHBS (Ontario Resistant Honey Bee Selection) Program.

We produce honey, queens, nucs and other hive products.

Comb honey 🍯 LIMITED STOCK COMING SOON
08/25/2026

Comb honey 🍯

LIMITED STOCK

COMING SOON

Creamed honey is officially coming back this year! 💛We had to hit pause on our creamed honey production for a while, and...
08/20/2026

Creamed honey is officially coming back this year! 💛

We had to hit pause on our creamed honey production for a while, and here is the honest truth about why: making it is a massive test of patience.

To get that signature, velvety-smooth, spreadable texture that doesn't harden, the honey has to go through a careful, temperature-controlled process that takes a full 2 to 3 weeks to complete.

First batch dropping soon!

The apiary is looking very chic today. 🌼
08/16/2026

The apiary is looking very chic today. 🌼

08/13/2026

Wait... why is this bee covered in purple pollen? 🤯🐝

​Right now, our Ontario hives are mostly bringing in bright yellow pollen from the early goldenrod bloom, but today we spotted foragers returning to the hive with these incredible light reddish-purple pollen baskets!

​Identifying what the bees are foraging on based only on the color of the pollen they bring back is one of the most fascinating (and difficult!) parts of beekeeping.

We think they might have found a massive patch of late-summer Red Clover, early Asters, or a local garden ornamental, but we aren't 100% sure! 🌼

​No matter what it is, this protein-rich pollen is exactly what the colony needs right now to raise a strong, healthy generation of winter bees.

​Are you a local gardener or botanist? We would love your best guess! What do you think our bees are foraging on right now to get this beautiful reddish-purple color?

Let us know in the comments! 👇

08/06/2026

This compartment was supposed to be totally empty!

​Our team was out in the yard doing routine checks on our triple mating nucs when they stumbled upon a massive surprise.

A swarm (defintely from one of our mating nucs) decided this empty compartment looked like the perfect new home, moved themselves right in, and immediately started building their own wild comb! 🐝✨

We love free bees, but having a swarm build foundationless comb inside a mating nuc requires a bit of an intervention to get them properly situated.

​Drop a 🐝 in the comments if you want to see Part 2 of how we dealt with our new uninvited guests! 👇

Thanks Tee’s Bees Alchemy- educator & beekeeper for the voiceover and recording.

08/05/2026

I just stopped a royal blood bath in the apiary! 🛑👑

If you didn't know, when multiple virgin queens hatch at the same time, their first instinct is to fight to the death until only one survives.

​I opened up this mating nuc just in time to break up the ultimate royal rumble.
I managed to catch 3 extra virgin queens that were already running loose on the frames, and then pulled this queen cell just as she was chewing her way out!

Four saved queens, zero casualties, and one incredibly dramatic day in the bee yard.
Welcome to the world, Your Majesty! ✨

The other 3 queens were safely placed in other mating nucs.

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Toronto, ON

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