Bee-Blog

Through the Year with the Beekeeper – Winter Prep in August!

The beekeeper’s annual cycle: What needs to be done and when to best care for the bees and harvest high-quality honey? Together with Hektar Nektar, we support beekeeper Abi and accompany him and his bees throughout the year. Hektar Nektar’s PROJECT 2028 aims to increase the bee population in Germany and Austria by 10% between 2018 and 2028 to actively counteract bee mortality – a project ARCOTEL Hotels has supported for the second time in 2021, thanks to the help of our guests!

In August, the beekeeper begins to prepare the colony for winter. The final honey harvest of the year usually takes place at the end of July. Immediately afterwards, preparations begin to help the bees survive the winter. This includes "feeding" the colony so they can build up sufficient food reserves. The right quantity is crucial – too little feed means not enough nutrition, while too much can restrict the brood nest, reduce the bee population and weaken the colony for winter.

The second key task in August is the start of Varroa mite treatment. The Varroa mite is one of the greatest threats to honeybees in Europe. Why is it so dangerous? It feeds on the “blood” (nutrient-rich body fluid) of honeybees, weakening and eventually killing them. Bee hives provide ideal conditions for the mite to multiply. Beekeepers use different treatment methods – from conventional approaches like formic acid to more natural alternatives. Organic beekeeper Roland Heinzle, supported by ARCOTEL, launched a project using book scorpions to combat Varroa mites. The scorpions are placed in the hive and naturally eliminate the mites and other parasites. This method could avoid the need for pesticides in beehives. We are excited to see the results of this project!

June Brings Honey and New Colonies!

June is the month when thebee colony reaches itspeak strength. Food sources shift – many fruit trees and crops like rapeseed are already past bloom, and now wild shrubs provide vital nourishment. Colonies near forests benefit from wild raspberries, blackberries and herbs. Linden trees, blooming from early June for 6–8 weeks, are among the most important food sources. In cities with tree-lined avenues, many bees can be seen collecting nectar and pollen. Bees also feed on “honeydew” – a sticky, sugary substance secreted by aphids on linden leaves.

Inside the beehive, there is now a surplus of bees. When space, airflow or brood combs become limited, the colony may split. About half of the bees leave with the queen, while the rest stay behind, raise a new queen and renew the hive. To prevent unnoticed swarming and loss of bees, beekeepers can either intentionally split the colony or harvest honey-filled combs to give the bees new work and space in the hive.

The Best Tips and Tricks for Bee-Friendly Balcony Design — Part I

In our last post, we gave you tips on designing a bee-friendly garden. But what if you live in the city and only have a small balcony or perhaps just a windowsill? Don’t worry—you can still do plenty to create habitat for bees.
Many herbs and ornamental plants that provide nectar and pollen for bees can also be grown in pots on your balcony. It’s especially important to consider the conditions on your balcony and choose plants accordingly. On a sunny south-facing balcony, for example, nasturtiums, daisies, petunias, marigolds, or fragrant plants like lavender or vanilla flower work well. Mint, lemon balm, or chives, on the other hand, prefer a shady spot.
If you want to make the most of limited space, you can also use hanging pots. Bright yellow portulacas are perfect for this.

Timing is also important: generally, you start planting on the balcony after the ice saints (May 11–15). After that, frosts are unlikely, and temperatures usually stay in a range ideal for the plants.
If you like color, you can also plant a “meadow in a pot.” Beneficial-insect seed mixes thrive even on a balcony and transform your container into a colorful mini-meadow. It’s wonderful to look at and a feast for the bees! You can get our seed mix in our Bee Shop or at any of our hotels.
Keen cooks are also welcome to share their home-grown culinary herbs with the bees: simply don’t cut all the herbs back—leave some to bloom.
Plants like geraniums or petunias with double flowers are less useful for our busy foragers. Although their scent attracts bees, they offer little nourishment.
You can easily attach simple nesting aids to your balcony to provide wild bees with habitat. Add a small bee drinker, and your bee paradise is complete!

The Bee Pavilion from ARCOTEL Hotels and Bee Support

One of the longest-standing partners of the Give Bees A Chance sustainability project is organic beekeeper Roland Heinzle and his initiative Bee Support.
At the Bee Park in Klein-Pöchlarn right on the Danube Cycle Path, there’s lots to discover! In this lovingly designed experiential world all about honeybees and bee colonies, you’ll find information on bee forage plants, wild-bee nesting aids, a picnic area with an edible garden, and interactive information panels.

At the center of the Bee Park is the Bee Pavilion, built in collaboration with ARCOTEL Hotels and opened in 2018. Here, bee protection and education about bees take top priority.

Over 20 info and interactive “honeycomb” stations across two levels—one for children below and one for adults above—offer fascinating facts and curiosities about bee life. Did you know that a bee’s buzz comes from 250 wingbeats per second? That a bee can pull 350 times its body weight across a flat surface? Or that a queen bee makes only one flight from the hive—her “nuptial flight”?

The individual honeycomb stations feature illustrations, reading panels, scent stations, listening posts, and some movable, hands-on elements. The exhibition covers the honeybee, its life, its pollination performance, and its products; it also delves into the history of beekeeping, the causes of bee decline, bee protection, our ecosystem, and much more.

See for yourself—join a guided tour of the Bee Park and Pavilion.

The Best Tips and Tricks for Bee-Friendly Garden Design — Part I

The destruction of natural habitats and the lack of forage plants are among the greatest threats to bees. Not only agricultural monocultures but also many private gardens offer fewer and fewer resources for bees. Here are some tips to make your garden as bee-friendly as possible with simple measures!

Flower Meadow Instead of Lawn
Our first tip is easy to implement: simply leave part of your lawn unmown to create a colorful flower meadow. Plants often labeled as “weeds” can bloom and provide vital forage for bees. Over time, these natural areas develop a wonderful diversity of native plants.
If you’d like, sow bee-friendly seed mixes. You can find our special seed packets in our Bee Shop or pick them up free of charge at any ARCOTEL hotel!

Herb and Fruit Corner for Bees
Lavender, rosemary, oregano, sage, mint, and thyme—all beloved by bees when in bloom! Whether planted in beds, wildflower areas, or pots, it’s important to use untreated plants. Fruit trees such as apple, cherry, and apricot, or shrubs like blackberry, are also popular with bees. Diversity is key!

Habitat for Wild Bees
Wild bees often lack natural nesting sites. A little “welcome to disorder” in the garden can help: leave a corner with deadwood, a wild hedge, or even a pile of sand to create crucial nesting habitat.

Bee Drinker
Summers are getting hotter, and bees get thirsty too! A shallow dish with a few stones or a small flowerpot filled with water makes the heat more bearable for our industrious honey gatherers.

Use Natural Fertilizers
Did you know you can fertilize with herbs and teas? Wormwood tea, for example, effectively controls aphids. Used coffee grounds are also popular as fertilizer. This way, you avoid chemicals and help the bees.

If you meet all the criteria for a bee-friendly garden, you can have your garden certified as a Bee Protection Garden by ARCOTEL Hotels’ long-standing partner.

Through the Year with the Beekeeper — Welcome to the Month of May!

The beekeeper’s annual cycle: what to do and when to ensure the bees are well cared for and you harvest the best honey. Together with Hektar Nektar, we support beekeeper Abi and follow him and the bees through the seasons. Hektar Nektar aims, with PROJECT 2028, to increase bee populations in Germany and Austria by 10% between 2018 and 2028—a project ARCOTEL Hotels has supported with our guests for the second time in 2021!

May, often called the “bee month,” arrives after a long, cold winter and a changeable April. By then, daytime temperatures consistently reach the mid-teens °C. Plants burst into growth and bloom—from simple dandelions to apple trees to various shrubs—offering abundant forage for bees. The busy worker bees collect nectar and pollen, the colony grows, and soon the hive feels crowded.

To understand why, let’s look inside the hive: several wooden frames hang inside, with narrow gaps called brood chambers. Bees build their comb in these frames—outer frames store food, while the brood nest lies in the center.

The beekeeper’s key task is to ensure the bees have enough space. When all available frames are occupied, it’s time to add the honey super. A rule of thumb is to add it around cherry blossom—but factors like weather, colony strength, and forage availability also matter.

Before adding the honey super, beekeepers often insert a queen excluder to prevent the queen from entering the super. Bees can then store honey in the super without rearing brood, making harvest much easier.

And soon it will be time for the first harvest…