Keys to Bees

10/02/2026

If you are looking for something to do this Sunday, come join us at the Kings Gap Harvest Festival. Free admission with food, music, and a variety of vendors. Spend some time outside while the fall weather lasts.

09/28/2026

What a fantastic weekend! While Sunday brought plenty of rain, the beautiful setting more than made up for it. We spent the weekend at the Sunflower Festival at Meadowbrooke Gourds Farm, surrounded by breathtaking fields of sunflowers that instantly bring a smile to your face.

One of the most remarkable parts of the experience was Meadowbrooke's generosity in giving the sunflowers away for free. It was wonderful to see visitors carrying armfuls of blooms from the fields, including our own family. What better way to share a little sunshine with friends, neighbors, and others who were unable to attend?

The event was a perfect reminder of the joy that nature can bring and the important role pollinators play in making it all possible. We are already looking forward to returning next year. After all, the sunflowers need the pollinators!

09/12/2026

Celebrating our history in Shiremantown.

09/11/2026

We are excited to join Shiremanstown in their celebration this Saturday. Come see us with all of your bee questions ~ come sample some honey from this years harvest.

Celebrate with us on Saturday, September 12!!

Shiremanstown Historical Society

09/09/2026

Yesterday was a special day for a mother and her two daughters who traveled in for a girls’ getaway and a little pampering at Allenberry Resort. To make their adventure even more unforgettable, they stepped into the world of the honey bee with Keys To Bees. They learned about fascinating honey bee behaviors, suited up, and entered a live hive under the guidance of our master beekeeper. At Keys To Bees, we do more than make honey—we create lasting memories. If you’re looking for a unique gift for the adventurous person who already has everything, a one-on-one honey bee colony exploration is an experience they’ll never forget. Book your experience here: https://keystobees.com/schedule-booking/ola/services/one-on-one-honeybee-colony-exploration

08/29/2026

Help your bees get ready for winter in the final workshop of our six-part seasonal series! Our first class filled quickly, so we’re excited to offer a second session for anyone who would still like to join. Friday 9/18 12:00pm-3:00pm https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdIlHTpbJVHeVryMU3oyXIp0KjBcShaAU3hqfiSQDm1-fG6Rg/viewform

08/27/2026

I’m thrilled to be returning to Longwood Gardens with a new professional development opportunity for teachers! This year, we’re offering the unique HoneyBee Concept Program—an engaging session designed to explore the powerful lessons honey bees can teach us about communication and teamwork. It has been a joy to develop this course with art teacher Penny Shearer, and we’re excited to share K–5 lesson plans that participants can take back to their classrooms. This may be our best program yet! Registration is available through the Longwood Gardens website. The program will be held in person at Longwood Gardens’ new education building, The Grove, November 11 5:00-8:00pm for 3 Act 48 hours. I’ve heard that half of the seats are already filled. To learn more or register:

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08/15/2026

MEET Four-toothed mason wasp
I have to take a minute to share how much I enjoy using iNaturalist. It’s an easy-to-use, nonprofit citizen science app that helps identify just about anything in nature. As I find plants or pollinators that are unfamiliar to me, I snap a photo, upload it, and often receive an identification within a few hours—or sometimes a few days.
One of the reasons I enjoy the app so much is that the identification often leads me to do a little extra research on my own. That’s how I learn more about the plants, pollinators, and other wildlife I’m seeing right here on the property.
My latest curiosity was this wasp. What first caught my eye were the small larvae-like specimens beside it. After looking into the identification, I learned this wasp is commonly called the four-toothed mason wasp. It is a solitary wasp that often uses abandoned tunnels made by carpenter bees, which appears to be the case here.
Female four-toothed mason wasps hunt caterpillars, worms, and similar prey, then bring them back to their nest cells to feed their hatching larvae. That likely explains the two grub-like larvae beside her and the nearby vacated carpenter bee nest.
I’ve seen these wasps on the property many times, but now I understand just how beneficial they are. They help control insects that can damage plants and crops, and as adults they feed on nectar, which means they also contribute to pollination. Nature always has something new to teach us!

08/14/2026

FIND THE QUEEN FRIDAY ~ I must confess, this one took me a few times scanning the frame to find her.