Kalamazoo Bee Club

Some Things for Which I Bee Thankful

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Background:  I began keeping bees with a death threat hanging over my head.  My husband Tom had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and needed me to care for his two bee-loved colonies while he aggressively fought the disease.

Wanting to support him however I could, I bee-grudgingly took care of his doggone stinging insects, and in the process, fell head-over-hive tool in love with them.

When Tom passed about a year later, the bees helped me grieve by giving me frequent challenges and the occasional sweet reward of honey, and motivating me to focus on the future and plan for next season and future.  I will forever be grateful for the assistance from these angels with real wings.

With the holiday of Thanksgiving almost upon us, I’m reflecting on other bee-related things in my life for which I’m immensely grateful.  They include:

BEES:  as without these vital pollinators, our dinner table would lack pumpkin pie, cranberries, applesauce and blueberry muffins.  They’re also helpful for pollinating brussel sprouts, but frankly—I think we can do without those.

STINGS:  I marvel at inter-species communication—like when my dog climbs next to me and places her paw on my leg; or when the bees buzz loudly about me, but then settle down and check me out with amused curiosity.  It is magical when they perch on my hand and gaze at me (with lots more eyes than I have) while I gaze back with a mere two eyes.  I swear they smile.

Initially it was unnerving to discover they're just as curious about us as we are about them, but now I appreciate those shared moments.

Initially it was unnerving to discover they’re just as curious about us as we are about them, but now I appreciate those shared moments.

However, I do hate it when instinct kicks in and they misinterpret that I’m a threat.  Stinging kills the one (or seven) doing the stinging, and really hurts the one getting the sting (me).  But, the occasional sting makes me appreciate even more those moments when I know the bees and I are connecting on a mystical, peaceful level.Continue Reading

On Mentoring

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mentoring titleRecently I attended the bee school planning meeting. As we wove on and off task (as meetings tend to do), the topic of mentors came up.  The members in the room represented a variety of age- and experience-levels, but we all agreed that finding a good mentor is crucial to beekeeping success.

We wondered why it’s been so difficult to start a mentor group. Is it because newer beekeepers (keepers for 3-5 years-ish) are afraid to offer advice? Is it because new beekeepers are afraid to ask? Is there a perception that mentoring is time-consuming? Continue Reading

They Aren’t Watching Football in There

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Many of us are all ready suffering from bee withdrawal.  The weather is such that we can no longer check things in the hive (whether or not they ever really needed to be checked!) …. or even watch bees go in and out.  I miss my bees.

October will hopefully bring some delightfully sunny days when the winged darlings can still secure stores from the remaining asters, goldenrod and any enduring annuals.  (Recently I spied a dandelion in our yard.  I wanted to put a flag next to it to help them find it.)  But because food sources are fading, my light-by-weight colonies continue to receive 2:1 sugar syrup, mixed heavily with honey we obtained from honeybee extractions, to help them fill their cupboards.

My zinnias are slowing down, but on sunny days, they're still well visited.

My zinnias are slowing down, but on sunny days, they’re still well visited.

I will so miss interacting with my bees.  Missing them however will be dwarfed by my worrying about them.  (Not that that does much good.)  If you’re joining me in worrying about your bees, or are simply curious about what goes on in the winter cluster, here’s an excerpt from two bee experts that is enlightening.Continue Reading

It’s *Almost* Time to Start Reflecting on Your Summer

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Well it’s the third week of August which, in beekeeping time, is kind of the beginning of a wind down. Sure we have several months before snow and cold (thank goodness), but as a beekeeper, it’s never too early to start thinking ahead; that’s one thing I wish we would have done more often as novice keepers. Our first two years we were so stuck in the now and pretty focused on honey collection as a gauge of success. The reality is, bees will make honey. Yes, some will make more than others and yes, there are things you can do to affect this, but it’s similar to how chickens will lay eggs. No matter what, a chicken is going to lay an egg most days. Sure you can feed superior food and run a light when the days shorten, but much of the egg-laying business is really just nature. Another analogy I’m fond of is two-year-olds and tantrums: they’ll have one, almost everyday, it’s just nature. But back to beekeeping….

Bee on Knapweed2 w name

This time of year I find a lot of beekeepers bragging on forums and Facebook groups. A lot pictures of tall hives and admissions of “8, 12, 16, 18 frames of honey!” as if you’ve worked all summer for only that: honey.  Now don’t get me wrong, if you’ve ever worked a hive in 90 degree heat and humidity (which most of you have), then you’ve earned that honey, but let’s hold ourselves to higher standards and, more importantly, keep in mind that there is more to beekeeping than honey.Continue Reading

Let’s All Try to Bee There

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I have a girlfriend who fosters cats.  It’s lots of work, but she loves it and has learned a lot.

The biggest thing she’s learned over the years?  Her limits.  She says six felines are all she can handle and love without going crazy.

I asked her how many she had at that time.

“Eleven,” she replied sheepishly.

Thinking about her answer still makes me laugh.Continue Reading

A Look Inside the Hive

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Inside the Beehive

Last week I was out in the apiary giving a future beekeeper a “hive tour” when I thought I saw the beginnings of queen cells in Mega Hive. During that trip to the hives I was really just showing this new person some basics, so I couldn’t really explore any further at the time. For two days I stewed and worried about these cells. We had seen eggs in this hive, but had never actually found the queen, so I wondered if she maybe died. Then I thought about how enormous that hive is and, despite our constant efforts to stay ahead of it, the bees are building like crazy, so I started to worry about a swarm. We had two days of rain, so I was just twiddling my thumbs, convincing myself that by the time we got out there again, the hive would be empty (dramatic, I know). We finally had a chance to get out to Mega Hive today and really take the time to look through each box. Here are some things we found…. Continue Reading

Breeding Better Bees

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Of all the things potentially killing honeybees (pesticides, poor nutrition, colony collapse), disease is one of the areas where the individual beekeeper may have some impact. Most commonly, hives are plagued with varroa mites. Varroa mites are external parasites that attack both adult honeybees and brood. They attach and suck the blood of the bee. In cases of brood infestation, bees often hatch with deformities and/or weaknesses. Left untreated, mites can ultimately kill a colony.  I recently watched a video on youtube and the man said, “Are you in denial about your mite problem? Repeat after me: I HAVE A MITE PROBLEM.” If you aren’t sure if you have mites in your bee yard, you probably do.  I think they are more responsible for weakened colonies than we perhaps give them credit for.

varroa

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Why I Hope to Raise Beekeepers

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raising keepers

I have two sons and it’s important to me to raise beekeepers. I mean this both literally and figuratively. Sure I’d love for the boys to grow up learning about and loving honey bees the way their father and I do, but more importantly, I’m interested in beekeepers of the figurative variety.Continue Reading

Choosing your Ladies

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It’s March already and spring-like forecasts are just about here!  For seasoned beekeepers, that means we should be out checking for signs of life in our hives and planning any necessary replacement orders.  For new beekeepers, the time to order is probably yesterday – but there are still plenty of places to order from if needed.

Here’s What I Know About Buying Bees

First, you can buy them locally if you connect with people and ask around.  Sometimes we order too many and need to sell a package.  Sometimes we produce nucs to sell and they have actually survived the winter and makes them stronger survivor stock.  So, checking out the club’s website offerings is a great starting point and a great way to connect locally.

If you do plan to purchase from a business, the bees are typically sold in 2 or 3 pound packages with a queen.  The queen can be marked or unmarked.  The marking on the queen is located on her thorax (the body part next to her head).  The colors of marked queens are done by the year and it is an awesome system for keeping track of the age of your queen.Continue Reading

Still Learning

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Last Saturday I taught two sessions at the Kalamazoo Club’s annual bee school.  This Saturday I’m teaching two at Albion’s bee school.  I’m glad I’m an instructor because I learn so much.

 

I know that’s likely not what you want to hear from an instructor—that she’s still in the steep part of the learning curve—but continued education is one of the blessings of honeybees!Continue Reading