Bees in Bedford

I'm at a professional conference in Bedford, Pennsylvania at the Omni Bedford Springs resort. As I drove in I saw this old style building with bright blue beehives behind it. Later that day I stopped, pulled my car off of the road and walked over to take their photo.

I stopped at the concierge desk to ask about hiking trails. I wanted to find a way to walk to the beehives. The young man said, "You're a beekeeper?" He wanted to know why bees were dying, etc. 

He told me that last year was the first year the hotel had had bees and they had all died over the winter. He said that these are Russian bees since they have been told that they are hardier. 

I have seen bees on many flowers growing on the property and flowers are blooming everywhere. They are feeding these bees sugar syrup...as nectar is flowing. I guess their beekeeper has also been schooled to "feed, feed, feed" regardless of the nectar. It does mean that their honey will be laced with sugar syrup.

I did see lots of bees on the property gathering nectar: