Bell Honey Company

Craig Bell, beekeeper, became interested in local, raw honey in 2001 to help his wife, Wendy, with allergies. After encountering a swarm of bees and consulting with a long-time beekeeper in Camden SC, he began keeping bees as a hobby, with just two colonies.

His colonies have grown so that he now tends over a thousand honeybee colonies scattered all over South Carolina

Some of his colonies have traveled to California, Maine, and Wisconsin, to pollinate our nation's finest crops. Many are strategically placed to pollinate South Carolina fruits and vegetables, including blackberries, blueberries, watermelons, squash, cucumbers, and strawberries and of course to make plenty of honey.

FAQ

Q--Do you get stung?

A- Yes

Q--How do bees make different varieties of honey?

A--The Beekeeper moves the bees from location to location where different flowers are blooming at different times of the year.

Q--How long do bees live?

A--About 45 days. In the winter the bees live longer because the days are shorter and the bees are not flying as much.  They spend rainy, windy and cold days inside the hive.

Q--How many bees live in a colony in the summertime?

A--30,000 - 50,000

Q--Why do bees make honey?

A--It is their food.  Bees eat Honey and Pollen.

Q--What determines the color and taste of honey?

A--The nectar gathered by the bees. Different flowers have different tasting and different colored nectars.

Q--How many times per minute does a bee flap its wings?

A--11,000 times

Q--How many times per second does a bee flap its wings?

A--183 times

Q--How many wings does a honeybee have?

A--Four

Q--How fast does a honeybee fly?

A--Fifteen miles per hour

Q--How far must a colony of honeybees fly to make one pound of Honey?

A--55,000 miles

Q--How many flowers must a Honeybee visit to make one pound of Honey?

A--2,000,000

Q--How far from the hive will a Honeybee fly?

A-- 2 1/2 mile radius.