| |
Frequently Ask Questions: |
| |
Q: I've heard that the bees are dying, is this true? And why? |
A: To a large degree yes. There are many reasons that beehives die. The biggest problems faced by beekeepers has been Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), Vorra Mites (named Vorra Destructor), and various diseases such as Israel Acute Paralysis Virus, and numerous other pathogens. These factors together can effect the immune system of honeybees, thereby causing other diseases and pathogens to gain a foothold in the colony.
Add to this the fact that many large commercial beekeepers are retiring, urbanization, and destruction of habitat. With all of these factors at play, we have seen a steady decline of both managed and feral honeybee colonies. However with the recent addition of CCD we have seen a dramatic increase in the decline of honeybees. |
| |
Q: Have researchers found the cause of CCD yet? |
A: No. But there are many clues. One theory is that all of the known pathogens play a part in CCD by weakening the immune system of bees, allowing these pathogens to gain a foothold, causing the colony to decline in population. |
| |
Q: Can CCD be prevented? |
A: That remains to be seen. However beekeepers have been taking precautions by trying to keep colonies strong and healthy. This is really the only thing we can do until the cause is found. Recently we have seen a shift from the use of pesticides as a means of controlling the various pests of the honeybee to more natural or organic means of controlling pests. |
| |
Q: Are your bees dying? |
A: Every beekeeper is faced with natural die off of some of their beehives every year. We have lost hives due to Vorra Destructor, winter starvation, and other pests such as skunks, and wax moths, but so far we have not experienced CCD. And by keeping our colonies strong, we hope to avoid ever having a problem with CCD. |
| |
Q: Do you ever get stung? |
A: Yes. On average I am stung three our four times each week during the spring while making new hive. |
| |
Q: Do bees hibernate? |
A: No. Honeybees remain active in the hive all year, in all seasons and weather. The reason you don't see honeybees in the winter months is that it is usually to cold for them to fly, and there are no resources such as pollen or nectar available. Southern states may be an exception to this. In many southern states the temperature remains high enough for honeybees to fly, and in some areas there is forage available all year. |
| |
Q: I've heard that honey can help a person with allergies, is this true? |
A: Research has shown that raw local honey can help with allergies, and in some cases it may even replace the need for shots or medication. Honey has been shown to have some pollen from the flowers that the bees have foraged on. The honey neutralizes the pollen, allowing your body to build up an immunity to that pollen source. In order for the honey to help a person with allergies, that person must be allergic to the flowers the honey was made from. We strongly suggest that you ask your doctor before attempting to replace any allergies medications with honey. However if you have no allergies to honey, it may help to take it in conjunction with your medication. If the honey does not help with your allergies, it still goes great on toast! |
| |
Q: Are there different flavors of honey? |
A: Yes. There are natural flavors such as clover, locust, lindin, and many others. Honey is made from nectar, and the flavor is determined by the nectar source. Some beekeepers or bottlers also add artificial flavors to their honey. If you want to know if anything has been added to the honey, simply look for the ingredients label. This label is required if the honey has anything added to it. |
| |
Q: How many hives can one beekeeper have? |
A: Most hobbyist beekeepers have less than 25 hives. What we refer to as a side-liner (those with another source of income) usually have between 25 and 500. Most commercial beekeepers have between 500 and 5000. The largest commercial beekeeper on record had approximately 50,000 beehives. Commercial beekeepers usually have employees to help them manage their hives. |
| |
Q: How many hives do you have? |
A: Pull my toe nails out and I'll still never tell. I will tell you that it's less than 50,000. |
