Petals & Pollen Apiary

08/31/2026

We said goodbye to the busiest bee we ever knew. 🐝❤️

Today, we “tell the bees” that Grandma has gone home. May they carry her story from flower to flower, reminding us that the love she gave will always remain.

Rest peacefully, Grandma. You will be deeply missed. 🐝💛

Official obituary, tributes, photos, and flower ordering for Anne Brouwer, who passed away on August 29, 2026

08/24/2026

Ever wonder what’s happening inside all those tiny honeycomb cells? It’s basically a bee nursery with a very strict schedule! 😂

Here you can see different stages of honey bee brood:

🥚 Egg — A tiny egg is laid in the bottom of the cell and hatches after about 3 days.

🐛 Larva — The little white larva is fed by nurse bees and grows VERY quickly.

🫘 Pupa — The cell is capped with wax while the developing bee transforms inside.

🐝 Adult bee — After about 21 days, a worker bee emerges, ready to clock in for her shift! 🐝💼

And here’s something you might not know about a beekeeper’s inspection:

We don’t always find the queen! 👑🐝

She can be surprisingly good at hide-and-seek, and searching every frame just to find her isn’t always necessary. Instead, we look for evidence that she’s been there doing her job — especially fresh eggs and young larvae.

We don’t always need to see the queen to know the queen is there. 😉

Eggs → Larvae → Pupae → Bees

A tiny egg today can become a worker bee in about 21 days. That’s one busy little nursery! 🐝❤️

08/23/2026

That sticky brown stuff you see between the frames…It’s propolis, made by bees from plant resins. They use it to seal cracks, reinforce their hive, and help keep their home clean.

And humans have been interested in propolis, too! 🧡 Research suggests propolis has antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties, which is why it’s found in some wellness products.

Basically, bees said:
“We’re not just building a house… we’re sanitizing it, too.” 😂🐝

Nature is pretty amazing!

08/16/2026

🐝 A little backyard drama at the hive today… 🐝

Today we caught something pretty wild on video: a paper wasp attacking one of our honey bees and literally throwing her off the outside of the hive! 😳

Paper wasps are predators, and they hunt other insects for food. While honey bees aren’t necessarily their favorite target, a busy beehive can definitely put them in the neighborhood of potential prey.

And this is a good reminder that the hive entrance is a busy little ecosystem. Our honey bees aren’t the only insects out there looking for a meal!

The honey bee may look like the obvious tough guy with her stinger… but this little wasp was NOT messing around. 😂

We’ll be keeping an eye on things and watching for any signs that wasps are becoming a bigger problem around the hives.

Nature is fascinating… and sometimes a little savage. 🐝🫣

08/14/2026

Finally visited 4B’s 3-D Archery!
We left with all our arrows 🎯🏹🦌

08/14/2026

Quick hive inspection!

08/13/2026

Nice, cool morning walk around the campground, coffee in hand of course!
And we ran into some native bees 🐝😍

08/13/2026

It’s been AWHILE since I’ve been to a movie theater….. but Matthew McConaughey and honey bees will be well worth the trip! In theaters this weekend for a limited time!
🐝😍🎬🍿

Matthew McConaughey, introducing Angelina LookingGlass and Kurt Russell in the official trailer for THE RIVALS OF AMZIAH KING. A film by Andrew Patterson. Only in theaters this August. Deep within the backwoods of rural Oklahoma, charismatic and musically gifted herds a bluegrass-playing...

08/09/2026

I had the BEST time sharing my love for bees Whiskey Creek Campground this weekend! 💛

We had a little bit of everything:
🍯 Honey tasting
🎨 Rock painting
🧩 Puzzles
🎲 Games
🌸 And the surprise hit… PIPE CLEANER FLOWER RINGS! 💍😂

Apparently, every bee needs a little bling. 🐝✨

Thank you to everyone who stopped by, asked questions, got creative, tasted some honey, and spent time learning about these amazing little pollinators.

Thanks for coming out and BEE-ing Curious! 🐝💛