Where are the honey bees??

[Phil Florian]

I heard someone mention that some bees got blasted from some blight and this brought to my attention that I haven't seen a single honey bee all season in Lakewood. Plenty of bumble bees but in all the flowers and flowering trees on our street I haven't seen a honey bee at all. That's kind of scary. Anyone else see any?

[Ivor Karabatkovic]

I haven't seen any honey or bumble bees so far. My macro photography has really taken a hit.

last year I could spend all day chasing them around from flower to flower. this year I've had to find another hobby.

[Joe Ott]

Ivor,

Go to the valley. Take a walk off the paths. There's plenty to shoot.
















http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 205303.htm

[Brian Pedaci]

They were all rounded up and shipped via truck to Canada.

[Joe Ott]

I just read lkwd enacted a Honey Bee ban...

[dl meckes]

shhhh.

They're all over here. Bumbles, honey, sweat, etc.

We've up to our knees in bees.

AlsoPlusToo many dragonflies and baby preying mantises.

[Will Brown]

The administration won't let any honey bees work in Lakewood unless they live in Lakewood.

[Terri Richards]

I am a Lakewood beekeeper (yes there at least one or two of us out there!). I have kept bees in my Lakewood yard for around 10 years now and its been a bit of a challenge keeping them alive for a variety of reasons. However, I can tell you that after last year's devastation, my hive seems to be pretty healthy this summer, so far. The honey they collect from Lakewood flowers is very delicious and wonderful!

The bees are out there, but in fewer numbers and in a very fragile state. My advice to all is to grow many nectar producing flowers but more importantly, minimalize the use of pesticides in your yards. Honey bees are not like yellow jackets, they don't want your cola or picnic food. They might come around to water sources if its particularly dry but really won't bother you if you are not aggravating them.

Also, if you see a swarm of honey bees up in a tree, please, please, please, don't call the exterminator! At this time of year, if a hive gets too populated, the bees will raise a new queen and swarm. That means that half leave the hive with the new queen to find a new place to establish. They will often hang from a tree branch or some other place in a cluster close by for up to 24 hours until their scouts find a suitable place. Problem is, that most people freak out when they see this and break out the Raid and other chemicals to kill them. However, there is no need. Honeybees with no hive to defend are very non aggressive. The bees here are not Africanized and are not going to come after anyone en masse. In fact, if they are accessible, a beekeeper can collect them fairly easily and remove them to start a new hive. In any event, they will be gone within a day or two.

The answer is: yes! there are honey bees both living and working in Lakewood and not costing the city a cent! Be kind to all of the pollinators - without them, we will not be seeing many of the foods we currently take for granted!

[dl meckes]

This is the beginning of a very interesting Observer article, Terri.

Please write it!

How long have you been an apiarist?

Do you need a big yard to keep bees?

[Joe Ott]

Do you need a big yard to keep bees?

No.

You don't even need a yard.

When we were kids here in Lkwd (early 70's?), one of my brothers had an indoor bee observatory. As I recall, it was maybe 5 inches wide by 2 or 3 feet square. The sides were glass with removable covers so you could watch them. It had a tube running out the window for the bees to come and go.

I remember one time the tube came loose and our bedroom was full of bees. I remember another time when the hive became over crowded and they swarmed.

My brother later had about 25 active hives. Not in Lkwd. Lots of honey.

[dl meckes]

I had no idea.

Thanks for more info. I still think an article would be wonderful.

And speaking of wonderful, your images are breathtaking.