Honeybee
by Catherine Haug, June 25
(photo from bugguide.net/node/view/3080)
I continue to be fascinated by the craft of bee keeping, but not yet brave enough to do it myself. So far I’m contenting myself with encouraging my native mason bees, by giving them a bee block each spring for nesting.
This morning while listening to MTPR, I caught an NPR-Weekend Edition interview of Bill Turnbull about his hobby and book: Confessions of a Bad Beekeeper (what not to do when keeping bees [with apologies to my own]). I was reminded of Ronny’s excellent presentation at our February Gathering on Managing an Organic Beehive.
Mr. Turnbull captures wild swarms, something Ronny recommends, but I’ve not yet read the book, so I don’t know if he also keeps smaller (regressed) bees. Yet something he said in the interview rings with truth: “Keeping bees is a way of giving back [to the earth].”
You can listen to the 6-minute NPR interview at BBC Host Becomes A ‘Bad Beekeeper’.
For More Information
Books
- Confessions of a Bad Beekeeper (what not to do when keeping bees [with apologies to my own]) by Bill Turnbull; peek inside the book on Amazon, and read more at www.badbeekeeper.com
- Idiots Guide to Beekeeping, by Dean Stiglitz and Laurie Herboldscheimer: A great beginners book (see Amazon for more:www.amazon.com/Complete-Idiots-Guide-Beekeeping/dp/1615640118)
- Principles of Beekeeping Backwards, by Charles Martin Simon:www.beesource.com/point-of-view/charles-martin-simon/principles-of-beekeeping-backwards/. See also www.charlesmartinsimon.com
Local Websites:
- Flathead Bee Club: Google Group-Flathead Beekeepers and Facebook – Flathead Beekeepers
- Western Bee Supply, Polson (www.westernbee.com)
ESP Articles:
On honeybees
- Gathering Summary: Managing an Organic Beehive, February 23, 2011 (essentialstuff.org/index.php/2011/03/26/Cat/gathering-summary-managing-an-organic-beehive-veronica-honthaas-022311/)
- Gathering Summary: Pollinators & Their Habitat, April 22, 2009 (essentialstuff.org/index.php/2009/04/25/Cat/gathering-summary-pollinators-and-habitat)
- Honeybees, Apr 15, 2009 (essentialstuff.org/index.php/2009/04/15/Cat/honeybee-be-mine)
- Video: Honeybees & Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), Mar 31, 2009 (essentialstuff.org/index.php/2009/03/31/Cat/honeybees-ccd-film)
On Mason Bees
- John Holbrook: Orchard Mason Bees (Bee facts and bee motel construction) (essentialstuff.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/orchardmasonbee_jholbrook.pdf)
- “Your Orchard Mason Bee Block” (2010 update of his original file; includes sketch of attaching hardware cloth or chicken wire to keep out birds) (essentialstuff.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/2010-YourOrchardMasonBeeMotel_JH.pdf)
- Construction of Bee Blocks for Orchard Mason Bees (more info on construction of bee motels; also includes sketch of attaching hardware cloth or chicken wire to keep out birds) (essentialstuff.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/BeeMotel-construction_JHolbrook.pdf)