The Beehive
»Buzzing organisational talent«
The beehive has existed in the Britzer Garden since 1985. Four bee colonies live in the beehive, which consist of up to 70,000 bees in the summer months and shrink to 15,000 to 20,000 in winter. These so-called winter bees help their colonies to survive the winter. In order for the queen bee to survive the winter undamaged, it must always be at least 25 degrees warm. This is why the bees alternate in a kind of layer system to keep the two combs warm in the Britzer Garden. The bees, which ensure that the temperature does not drop, are fed by the bees on the inside and regularly replaced. As soon as the first flowers blossom, the bees move out again and the hibernation period gradually ends.
If you want to learn more about these exciting animals and their extremely smart organisation, you can come to the beehive every Sunday between April and October from about 2 PM to 4 PM and ask questions in person. There, dedicated members of the »Imkervereins Tempelhof«, the Tempelhof Beekeepers' Association, and the »Berliner Imkerfreunde Rudow«, Berlin-Rudow Beekeeper Friends Association, are happy to tell interested people everything they know about bees, Apiculture, and beekeeping. For illustration purposes, the large display case is then opened, in which a colony of bees and its queen can be viewed from close up. Groups are also welcome to register for a guided tour.
By the way: Last year, each of our four bee colonies produced 80 kilograms of honey! This honey, which is particularly tasty due to the variety of flowers in the Britzer Garden, can of course also be purchased on site.