A few weeks ago I shared a post telling about the mysteries going on in the hive I call Queen Charlotte at the Greensboro Science Center. The hive was weak, few bees, no brood, and no sign of a queen bee. If you read the previous post you’ll recall there were multiple queen cells and before […]
Early one morning last week I received a phone call from the horticulturist at the Science Center. She excitedly explained that something peculiar was going on with the bees in Queen Charlotte hive. “Lots of bees, acting frantic and buzzing about more than normal”, was what she told me. She asked if I thought they […]
I would like to introduce you to the Science Center Honey Bees! Because of the role a honey bee plays in producing the food we eat, berries, peaches, almonds, beans, peppers, tomatoes….the list goes on and on, I feel lucky to be at the forefront of educating the kids, parents, teachers, grandparents and care givers that visit […]
Before Pi Day is over I am sharing an old post with one of my favorite pies. Just could’t bear to miss out on this unique day. Also there is an interesting story about bees. It’s just about that time of year when we will see honey bees buzzing about and pollinating all our favorite […]
Do you know that those beautiful, colorful flowers you are bringing home from your local nursery or big box store could be killing bees that might venture into your yard or garden at an alarming rate? Much research has been done lately regarding a class of agricultural pesticide named neonicotinoids and the general consensus is that […]
Most people I know are a bit afraid of bee stings even if not fearful of bees. As a beekeeper I’ve been stung only 3 times and always while not wearing my beekeeper gear. I don’t enjoy being stung but am not particularly panicky about a bee sting. For centuries bee venom has been used to treat arthritis. […]
Did you know that the sweet worker bee has two stomachs? One for nectar storage and one for her own digestive purposes. Field bees collect nectar using their proboscis and store it in their “honey stomach”.
One of the first jobs Mr. F gave me while I was a beekeeper in training was to smoke the bees. He taught me how to give a puff at the entrance and then wait a minute before lifting the roof on the hive and giving another puff or two, creating an aura of smoke in both […]
This recipe is one of my all time favorites but honey is not on the original list of ingredients. I’ve worked to get the right proportions as I needed honey to be included, not only because I knew it would work and taste fantastic, but I wanted to share the recipe with you. While it is […]
The earliest form of organized beekeeping took place in ancient Egypt. With the flooding of the Nile delta plain, an area of rich silt was created and proved ideal for agricultural development. Crops and wild flowers such as chamomile, clover, cornflowers, flax, wild celery and roses flourished beside the river, an ideal area for bees. […]
