Buzzing Bees

by Marissa Creamer Rowan Public Library

On a mild day in early February, I sit on my porch and enjoy the warm sun, a special treat after a long cold spell. I notice a lone honeybee gently buzzing in the violas, which have bloomed steadily through the cold and snow. It is a welcome reminder that spring is on the way. I’m always happy to see bees because I know how essential they are to pollination, and eventually, a good harvest from the garden.

To learn more about bees and the important role they have played not only in the garden, but in art, religion, literature, and medicine, read “Honey Bees:  Letters from the Hive,” by Stephen Buchmann.  This children’s book discusses bee biology and behavior and examines our relationship with bees from prehistoric times to the present. Humans have cultivated bees since ancient times; in Lower Egypt bees and honey were so important to the economy that the honeybee hieroglyph was chosen as the symbol for the entire region. Early Egyptians also appreciated honey’s healing properties, and honey prescriptions appear on clay tablets and papyrus dating as far back as 1550 BC. Beeswax was used in a number of ways, including mummification, shipbuilding, and as a gel to slick down their elaborate wigs.

Buchmann also provides information about how bees produce honey and how we collect and use it today. He provides descriptions of many varieties, from the pale white clover honey to the more exotic and rare Tasmanian Leatherwood honey, as well as tips for using honey in cooking and a few simple recipes. More importantly, he explains the critical role that bees play in sustaining our food supply and in the ecosystem.

Concerns over the decline of honeybee populations have caused an increased interest in beekeeping as a hobby, even in urban areas.  If you are interested in learning more about beekeeping, Rowan Public Library has a number of books for the aspiring apiarist. “Storey’s Guide to Keeping Honey Bees,” by Malcolm T. Stanford and Richard E. Bonney presents a thorough overview of bees and their care. This guide will help you understand how to plan a hive, acquire bees, install a colony, keep bees healthy, maintain a healthy hive, understand and prevent new diseases, and harvest honey crops.

Concerns about the overuse of chemicals in maintaining hives has led some to take a more natural approach to beekeeping. “Natural Beekeeping: Organic Approaches to Modern Apiculture” by Ross Conrad offers holistic alternatives to conventional chemical practices. In addition, “Top-bar Beekeeping: Organic Practices for Honeybee Health” by Les Crowder describes the use of top-bar hives, in which the shape of the interior resembles a hollow log. These hives allow bees to build comb naturally, rather than simply filling prefabricated foundation frames in a typical box hive.

If you would like to learn more about the rewarding endeavor of beekeeping and its importance to our ecosystem, visit Rowan Public Library for these and other books.