by AMANDA JOHNSON, UF/IFAS
In Florida, we’re blessed with long bloom periods and multiple nectar flows. Honey bees are a natural choice to maximize the usefulness of one’s garden, homestead, or farm. Honeybees, like any animal, require time and maintenance. Unlike many animals, honey bees perform much of their own maintenance.
The Highlands County Master Gardener Volunteers are offering a Beginner’s Beekeeping Class, the perfect opportunity to learn everything you need to know to start your own apiary. The class is taught by local, experienced beekeepers who will cover the basics of bee biology and behavior, as well as a hands-on, in-hive demonstration of equipment and techniques for setting up and maintaining a successful bee colony. The class is scheduled for March 8 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Bert J. Harris Agricultural Center in Sebring. The class is $40 and includes lunch and a year’s membership to the Heartland Beekeepers Association. For information on registering for the class, call (863) 402-6540 ext. 0. Read on to learn more about the amazing honey bee.
Communally, the hive meets all of its own nutritional needs. Foragers may travel more than two miles multiple times a day to gather nectar, pollen, and water. Nectar is the primary carbohydrate food source for adult bees. To remove moisture until it is converted into honey, the bees cure it by blowing air into it, beating the wings of many worker bees to dry it out until the moisture content evaporates. Once it reaches a water content of less than 18%, it becomes thick enough to prevent spoilage, and it is sealed in wax for times of scarcity. Pollen is transformed through fermentation into a protein-rich bee bread for growing brood (baby bee larvae). Water is used not only for hydration but also to control the temperature and humidity of the hive.
To ensure the proper functioning of the hive, honey bees are meticulous in their upkeep. Wax combs are scrubbed, repaired, and rebuilt. Contaminants are disposed of outside of the hive. Invaders that cannot be removed from the hive are mummified and sealed within antiseptic plant resin called propolis. The same resin is used to mend gaps and disinfect entrances.
A strong, established honey bee colony is prepared for anything short of a bear attack. A beekeeper’s responsibility is to ensure nothing threatens the work of their hives through routine checks for pests and predators. The less effort the bees spend protecting themselves, the more they’ll spend on the flowers.
For the beekeeper, the reward for this labor is compounding. Honey is a beloved, shelf-stable cottage food product. It can be easily made into a wine called mead. Wax has a litany of uses, from candles to waterproofing. Meanwhile, the honey bees increase plant productivity through rigorous pollination.