After mulling over this troubling thought for a while, I started thinking about why anyone would want to keep bees. My thoughts propelled me to the library to seek the wisdom of the ages on the subject. Here's a sampling of what I found:
Postmaster, Anthony Frank, at the first-day-of issue ceremony for the honey bee U.S. postage stamp, "Now here is an insect that teaches us two of life's most important lessons; one is not to be idle, and the other is not to get stung."
William Shakespeare in King Henry V, "For so work the honey bees, creatures that by a rule in nature, teach the art of order to a peopled kingdom."
Sue Hubbell in A Book of Bees answers the why bees question nicely. "For a long, long time - for nearly forty years - I never had any bees. I can't think why. Everyone should have two or three hives of bees.... I have kept bees now for fifteen years, and my life is better for it."
Lorenzo Langstroth, whose discovery of bee space revolutionized beekeeping, wisely guided the growing industry by his counsel. The following invitation to beekeeping was given by him when he released his book, Langstroth on the Hive and the Honey Bee, in 1853. "I have determined in writing this book, to give facts, however wonderful, just as they are; confident that in due time they will be universally received; and hoping that the many wonders of the economy of the honey bee will not only excite a wider interest in its culture, but lead those who observe them to adore the wisdom of Him who gave them such admirable instincts."
Wow! After digesting what others have said about the "why would anyone want to keep bees" question, I began to list my own observations and experiences. Now, not everyone is going to want to be a beekeeper, nor should they. However, I am sure you have met, and will meet, people who should be beekeepers. Take time to encourage new beekeepers, especially young ones. This small act of kindness may shape the future of our industry more than many of the grand designs of those seeking to guide our industry. Here are a few thoughts to share when you extend an invitation to beekeeping:
Keeping honey bees allows one to be a part of the natural world that our tinsel and television society has hidden for many people. One cannot observe bees returning to their hives laden with pollen without wondering where it comes from, and beekeepers learn to recognize the plants that grace the countryside around them. Flowering plants have always brought joy to mankind; this effect is doubled when you are a beekeeper. Also, you cannot succeed with bees without understanding their biology and behavior. Human beings are a part of the natural world, and we share many of our genes with other living things. Can we truly know ourselves without an understanding of them? Honey bees provide a link to the natural world that will enrich your life.
Honey bees are superb teachers when trying to instill an environmental awareness and conservation ethic in young people. In learning about the importance of honey bee pollination, they realize how living things depend on other living things and that, while a few insects are pests, many are essential to our survival. Honey bees teach young people to be patient and gentle. Hastiness and carelessness have painful consequences, a lesson honey bees can teach you at a young age if you keep them. Honey bees are superb teachers.
Honey bees teach their keepers the virtue of cheerful labor. Langstroth advised, "Place yourself before a hive, and see the indefatigable energy of these industrious veterans, toiling along with their heavy burdens, side by side with their more youthful compeers, and then judge if, while qualified for useful labor, you ought ever to surrender yourself to slothful indulgence." I have many fond memories of extracting, supering, putting on winter cartons, and other bee labors with my two children (too many according to them). Many parents play with their children but often do not find opportunities to share useful labor with them. Honey bees provide ample opportunity to engage young people in meaningful work that will teach them valuable skills, give them confidence in their abilities, and allow them to earn spending money. The lessons learned from producing a product, learning how to prepare it for market, and perhaps, winning a blue ribbon at the county or state fair cannot be compared with assigning children mindless tasks such as emptying the trash to teach responsibility.
Honey bees have taken me out into wide-open spaces I would have never known without them. They have mired my truck in the mud in desolate places allowing my wife and me to share beautiful walks back to the paved road. They have introduced me to many wonderful beekeeping friends. I cannot imagine my life without bees. I have kept bees for 28 years, and, like Sue Hubbell, my life is better for it.
The Beckers have used grandpa's honey bees to teach their children about nature. They have learned to be gentle, to work together, and to honor and admire the one who gave such admirable instincts to an insect. They all finish each beekeeping year by working together to prepare beautiful entries for the Nebraska State Fair, including the photographs used to illustrate this story. This year they won the sweepstake's trophy, and each child won one or more ribbons. It doesn't take much imagination to see why the Beckers keep bees and their life is better for it.
Honeyhouse apprentice, photo by Robert Becker. Andrew Becker is schooled in
the art of uncapping by his mother Lesa. Andrew's frame of sweet clover honey for
extracting won him a red ribbon at the state fair.
Ready for work, photo by Ron Eley. Andrew, Jonathan, and Daniel Becker are
suited and ready to help their grandpa harvest honey from his hives.
Three generations, photo by Robert Becker. Grandpa Ron Eley hold Daniel for a
better view while Jonathan and Andrew work the hive under the watchful eye of
their mother, Lesa.
Proud exhibitors, photo by Robert Becker. Daniel, Jonathan, Hannah, and
Andrew Becker proudly display their state fair entries and ribbons. Each family
member won one or more ribbons. Their mother, Lesa, won the sweepstake's
trophy for her many beautifully crafted entries.
What: 12 hours of training in three sessions.
Where: Two evening sessions at a county extension office and one hands-on lab at the UNL Agricultural Research and Development Center (ARDC) near Ithaca.
Cost: $10 - $132 (depending on supplies/equipment you already have)
Note: You must have hive supplies and protective equipment to fully participate in the lab session. We will order the supplies and protective gear you will need.
The scope of the research is an essential judging criterion. The number of sources consulted, the authority of the sources, and the variety of sources are evaluated. Personal interviews with beekeepers and farmers who use honey bees for pollination are valued sources of information and should be documented. Sources should be listed in endnotes or cited in a bibliography.
Dipping wooden hive components in paraffin wax is a cost-effective alternative to protect equipment. The advantages of paraffin dipping are that it: (1) extends the life of woodenware; (2) is inexpensive (about 10 cents per hive body); (3) penetrates joints and repaired sections; (4) cleans propolis, wax, and loose paint from equipment; (5) can be used to clean queen excluders; and (6) can be used to sterilize equipment from diseased colonies. The dipper can also be used to clean up old frames by draining the paraffin and replacing it with water.
A simple heated box made of 3 mm plate steel is sufficient. The unit should be made to hold two full depth supers at a time. A guillotine type lever or weight is needed to hold down the boxes. A draining tray for treated boxes, an overflow collector, and a bottom drain are also needed. Paraffin dipping equipment has been popular with beekeepers in New Zealand for many years. Plans for simple dippers were published by Murray Reid and Andrew Matheson in the New Zealand Beekeeper in 1978 and 1980, respectively (available on request from the editor). The authors recommend dipping boxes for four to seven minutes at 1600 F. If diseased boxes are being sterilized, they need at least 15 minutes and are usually done over lunch or a coffee break. Paraffin can be brought economically in large blocks from oil refineries. The New Zealand dipping boxes are surrounded by bricks for uniform heating and safety (to keep wax from contacting the heat source). They have a chimney at the rear and rely on a wood fire for heat.
The boxes are lifted from the waxer onto the draining plate. When the supers are free of surplus surface wax, they can be scraped to remove any remaining propolis or flaking paint. Boxes are then given two quick coats of acrylic paint while still warm. The paint goes on thick and dries very quickly. It is pulled into the wood by the drying wax and a very good adhesion is obtained. Some beekeepers do not paint after dipping. Paraffin wax is a good preservative on its own, but the paint is extra protection and gives the box a neat and tidy appearance. The boxes are very hot when they come out of the dipper and rubber gloves or tongs are needed.
A relatively small amount of wax is consumed in dipping hive equipment. Paraffin dipping will greatly extend the life of new wooden hive components. It will also give new life to old equipment. It is safe for bees, safe for your honey, and is a wise protection for expensive hive equipment.
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