It is important to always have a water source in the apiary. Water is a vital element for a bee colony as it is used both to cool the hive during hot periods and for bees to produce precious honey.
The apiary is located to the south, sheltered from the colder winds that blow from the Piacentini hills in winter. The area is rich in various blooms, starting from March with the almond trees, followed by different wildflower blooms and black locust blooms between April and May, and then reaching June with broom flowers (abundant in this area) and sunflower blooms. Finally, the inula viscosa blooms between September and October. Fortunately, all the mentioned blooms are rich in nectar and pollen, making them highly appealing to the bees.
Currently, our apiary consists of 10 colonies; following the principles of natural beekeeping, each colony is about 10 meters apart from its nearest neighbor. This is done to prevent the phenomenon called "drifting," where bees from one colony end up in the hive of another, increasing the risk of disease spreading. Moreover, each hive has a symbol (often a colored drawing) that allows the bees to recognize their own home... just like fishermen used to do in the past.
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