Priddis Honey

Hey friends! 🐝✨
Lifted the inner cover during a routine inspection and found a tight, buzzing ball of workers clustered right underneath — classic queen balling.
When bees ball their queen, they surround her completely, vibrate their wings to generate intense heat, bite, and sting. They can even damage or pull off her tarsal glands on her feet (where footprint pheromones are released). This quickly overheats or suffocates her. It often happens with a new queen trying to get in, but can also strike their own queen if the colony senses she’s failing or stressed — especially after opening the hive.
I love that every time I go inside the hive, there’s something new to learn. The girls are fiercely committed to the colony’s survival. Raw, powerful, and a little brutal — that’s hive life.
Handle with care and keep learning! 💛