Follow the story of our two backyard honeybee colonies.
Follow the life of Zip and Zap, our two backyard honeybee colonies. Explore their journal below to see hive updates, seasonal changes, and the work involved in caring for them.
Meet our two backyard hives and follow the adventures of the bees that make them special. Our custom videos add a little humor and real life experience to an educational theme.
Watch the Zip and Zap Playlist
October 5, 2026
We only pulled a few frames from the hive, and this is one of them. We have not processed the honey yet because there are only one or two frames, so it will need to be done manually. As you can see, it is a beautiful frame of honey.
October 3, 2026
We completed our first inspection of Zip and Zap after bringing them home. Both hives had a good amount of honey, especially considering they had not been harvested this year.
One hive had many bees but no signs of fresh brood, so we could not confirm whether it had a queen. The other hive had fewer bees, but we found recent brood showing that a queen had been there, even though we did not see her.
We hope to inspect both hives again next week, weather permitting, so we can get a clearer picture of how each colony is doing.
September 28, 2026
Zip and Zap have made it to their new resting area on the new platform.
September 27, 2026
I made this short time lapse video of the bees cleaning our empty honey jars. It is only 35 seconds long, so please watch until the end!
Watch the Video
September 13, 2026
Today was both exciting and sad. A fellow beekeeper in the area had a severe reaction to stings and was told by doctors he could no longer keep bees. It was heartbreaking to see, especially knowing the love and care they poured into their hives. They needed a safe home for their two hives, and I was able to step in.
Most of you know that the bees on my property belong to Mark and that I have been learning through his work. Now these two hives will be joining the little community apiary we have been hosting with him.
We moved them this morning and settled them into a temporary spot alongside the others. Over the next couple of days, I will be building a permanent stand, and I will keep everyone posted. Moving hives this late in the season in Michigan is always a gamble, so prayers and good vibes are welcome. Here is hoping both communities come through strong in spring.