Getting Ready for Beekeeping Class
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Getting Ready for Beekeeping Class
It’s that time of year again when some beekeepers teach. No, that’s not quite right, beekeepers coach, bees teach.
Because spring and summer can be such a busy time for beekeepers, winter is a good time to concentrate on things one couldn’t do earlier - read, paint hives, take classes. Or provide advice and instruction to others with less experience.
Coaching first time beekeepers can be fun. The enthusiasm and interest in the subject carries many through the trials and tribulations of learning how to successfully keep bees. One experienced beekeeper told me once more bees die at the hands of beginning beekeepers than any other time. I don’t think that is true but beginning beekeepers can be hard on colonies.
Knowing what was ahead of everyone, I decided to add a little treat to the stack of paper. Can you guess what it was?
It took bees visiting 250,000 flowers to make this 2 oz honey jar. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)
Not that everyone keeps bees to get honey but it’s fun to share flower nectar as a treat.
This is a 2 ounce jar of honey. Do you know how many flowers it takes for bees to make that 2 ounces?
How about 250,000 flowers from plants, shrubs and trees.
Yes, that’s a lot of flowers!
Charlotte
