Aspiring beekeepers learn the ins and outs of honeybees
Master Beekeeper Apprentice Lee Davis share knowledge to beginner beekeepers.
IMPERIAL- The City of Imperial, along with local beekeeper Lee Davis, held a seminar for beginner beekeepers at the Imperial Public Library on June 20, where attendees learned how to properly care for bees for environmental purposes.
“We hope that this class will give people the knowledge to understand the importance of honey bees and their role in nature, as well as help aspiring beekeepers with the knowledge they need to maintain hives and give the honey bees the appropriate environment to do their duties,” said local beekeeper Lee Davis.
Attendees were provided with information on how bees help plants grow. Honey bees allow plants to produce vegetables and fruit through pollination, and in return, bees feed on the nectar contained in the flowers of plants. While the bees feed on nectar, some of the pollen in the plants sticks to their bodies. When the bee travels to the next flower to feed, they deposit the pollen that is attached to their body.
“Polination is an important process that allows plants to be fertalized as well as to produce seeds, which means it is an essential process for the survival of terrestrial ecosystems,” said Davis.
Another fact that attendees learned was the structure of a honeybee hive. These colonies create a hive, which is a honeycomb structure that the bees build themselves using beeswax. The members of the hive are divided into three different types: queen bees, worker bees, and drone bees.
After learning about bees and their duties, attendees learned what they would need to become backyard beekeepers for themselves.
During the first season, there are a few things that will be needed before acquiring a hive. This usually takes place during the months of March and April. Beekeepers will need to acquire beehives with frames. Attendees also learned they will need a bee suit, gloves, tall boots, a hive tool, a bee brush, a smoker (with pellets or cotton fiber pieces), and top feeders.
The feed will consist of Honey B Healthy (a feeding stimulant with essential oils; add sugar and water) and Amino-B Booster (liquid protein with sugar and water).
The last things attendees were told to acquire were hive stands, frame holders, pollen patties for feeding in winter, mite strips, a water source, and shade for the summer months.
Beekepers are encouraged to view the website of the California Master Beekeeper Program.
The last thing that new beekeepers need to do is register their initial hive with the Beewhere State Registration as well as the Imperial Coutny Ag Commissioner Office. Registration is required in January each year and will cost $10.00 per year, but may be waived if you have 10 hives or less.
“We hope that the attendees of this class will now have the knowledge of how to become their own beekeepers and complete the necessary requirements to maintain a hive of their own that follows all the regulations and guidelines,” said Davis.
