"Understanding Bee Stings in Beekeeping: A Plan Bee Perspective"
This engaging blog post shares the experiences of a beekeeper as they recount a trip to the grocery store to buy sugar for their honey bees. The story begins with the comical image of the beekeeper loading their shopping cart with an abundance of sugar bags, prompting thoughts of a potential cart collapse and a sugar catastrophe.
As the beekeeper navigates the store, they encounter curious and judgmental glances from fellow shoppers who are puzzled by their excessive sugar purchase. The post humorously touches on the assumptions people make, including the mistaken idea that the beekeeper might be using the sugar to make wine or moonshine.
The blog then delves into the intriguing question of why beekeepers, despite frequently entering their bee colonies and disturbing the bees' routine, don't get stung more often. The writer provides three main reasons, supported by beekeeping history and bee behavior:
Smoking the Colony: The use of smoke interferes with the bees' sense of smell, making them unable to detect low concentrations of alarm pheromones. Beekeepers employ this technique to maintain calm during hive inspections.
Use of Removable Frames: The introduction of removable frames by Lorenzo Langstroth revolutionized beekeeping by allowing beekeepers to harvest honey without destroying the comb, reducing bee aggression.
Top Access to Colonies: Beekeepers typically access hives from the top, where less aggressive house bees are found. In contrast, attackers in the wild approach hives from the front entrance, where the main defenders, the guard bees, are stationed.
The author emphasizes that beekeepers are not immune to the pain of bee stings, and some areas of the body are more sensitive to stings than others. They also recognize that the fear of getting stung may deter some potential beekeepers.
The blog post closes with a quote by William Shakespeare: "He is not worthy of the honey-comb that shuns the hives because bees have stings." The author invites readers to learn more about honey bees and beekeeping through their Plan Bee series.
This post is informative, offering a unique perspective on beekeeping while maintaining an engaging and approachable tone.
