Karen feeding bees in late winter in South Carolina. Sometimes one feeds bees to keep them from starving. But late winter and early spring feeding is often done to stimulate the queen to lay eggs, to produce more bees for more hives.

  One does not become a master of keeping bees in a short time. Despite centuries of culture, bees are still wild creatures. Anyone who tries to bend the will of the bees will fail. The master beekeeper "tunes" his own practices to help the bees accomplish their desires.

   Years of experience have taught Chuck many of the bees' secrets, yet they always have new things to teach.