Honeysuckle & Hive, Tuttle, OK

05/31/2026

Look at these gorgeous pollen colors! 🌼🐝 Nature really is a magical thing.

Did you know that pollen comes in different colors because bees collect it from different types of flowers? Depending on the plant, pollen can be bright yellow, orange, red, green, or even purple. Each bloom has its own unique pollen color, almost like nature’s fingerprint.

Those different nectar and pollen sources also influence the color, flavor, and aroma of honey. Honey made primarily from one type of flower can be very light and mild, while honey from other floral sources may be darker, richer, and more robust in flavor. That’s why no two honey harvests are ever exactly the same!

One of my favorite things about beekeeping is getting a front-row seat to all the incredible ways nature paints the world. 🍯🐝💛

05/29/2026

🐝👑 We’ve got queens!!!!

This little lady emerged from her queen cell today and is officially ready to begin the next chapter of her journey. Right now she’s an unmated queen, fresh out of the cell and taking her first steps into the world.

Over the next several days, she’ll strengthen her wings, take orientation flights to learn where home is, and then head out on her mating flights. If all goes well, she’ll return, begin laying eggs, and become the heart of a brand-new colony.

It’s always amazing to watch a queen emerge. After all the grafting, feeding, incubating, and waiting, seeing these queens hatch never gets old.

Now the real fun begins! 🐝👑💛

05/25/2026

Today we pause to honor and remember the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. 🇺🇸

From all of us at Honeysuckle & Hive, thank you to those who served, those who continue to serve, and the families who sacrifice alongside them. Freedom is never free, and today we remember the heroes who gave everything for it.

Wishing everyone a safe and meaningful Memorial Day. ❤️🤍💙

05/24/2026

05/24/2026

A beekeeper’s version of waiting on Christmas morning. 🐝✨

Capped queen cells are one step closer to becoming brand new queens! Into the incubator they go, and in just a few short days we’ll start seeing these girls emerge and get ready to head out to their new colonies.

05/20/2026

Little bee fun fact 🐝
These are called orientation flights — it’s the very first time young bees leave the hive to learn where home is. They hover in front of the hive, making little circles and figure 8s while memorizing landmarks so they can find their way back after future foraging trips. Nature is wild. 💛

05/19/2026

A couple of our new bee yards we’ve gotten set up over the last few weeks!

Every yard starts with a whole lot of sweat, heavy lifting, and crossed fingers for good weather and strong nectar flow. This is our favorite time of the year!

05/19/2026

Tiny beekeeper lesson for the day 🐝👑

This is how we graft queen bees! And before the bee people come for me 😂 — disclaimer: I am grafting larvae, not eggs. The tiny larvae are carefully moved into queen cups so the bees can raise a new queen.

It’s tedious, requires a steady hand, and absolutely makes me question my eyesight every single time… but watching the colony turn these tiny larvae into queens has me in awe . 🍯

05/03/2026

Ever seen ~50,000 bees in one place?!? Now you have!

Since the nectar flow has not started yet, mostly thanks to the current drought, we fed some syrup to the girls today to make sure they stay fed and happy! 🐝🍯

05/02/2026

Yes… that’s a vacuum 😏 Pretty cool, right?!