Are you interested in bees and beekeeping? Maybe even
thinking of taking the plunge yourself?. I thought it best
to start at the beginning. I apologise to the experienced
apiarist who may chance upon this. However these articles
are not aimed at you, but those starting the wonderful
world of beekeeping. Also those who may be considering
beekeeping as a hobby, or even a business.
I think it's quite important that anyone wishing to become
a beekeeper, either as a hobby, or hoping to make an income
from beekeeping, should know something about these
wonderful creatures, bees are fascinating, as well as
necessary. To be a good beekeeper requires at least a
working knowledge of these insects, their habits, and
requirements.
So we start with a description of the occupants of the
hive. That is to say the Queen, the Workers, and the
Drones. In the height of the busy summer season, a healthy
hive of bees will consist of a colony comprising a Queen,
anything from 30,000 to 60,000 Workers, and from 300 to 400
Drones.
The Queen is not as her name may imply, the sovereign ruler
of the colony, she is obedient, serving the colony. Born
specifically for the role, potential mother to millions.
She is the longest living of the bees. She may live for
several years. In size, form, and colour, she is unique.
Whilst not as bulky as the Drone, she is the longest, and
darkest, as well as being surpisingly delicately
proportioned. Her one purpose is to propogate, she mates
once, then exclusively lays eggs. Up to 3000 a day. This
only ceases on old age and death.
The Worker bees are the smallest in the colony, they are
all females, like the Queen, but undeveloped. Their life is
hard and brief, as the name says, they work incessantly,
and if born at the start of summer will only live a few
weeks. If a Worker bee is born in the autumn they may well
survive the winter, to start the work which as yet unborn
generations will take over. They gather the nectar and the
pollen. They manufacture wax for repairs and the building
of the combs (the colony's larder and cradle). They feed
the Queen, nurse the young, clean the hive, and also defend
it.
The Drones are the male bees. They are thick and bulky, but
not as long as the Queen. They do no work, their sole
reason for existence is to fertilise the young Queens. So
they are tolerated in the colony. They are allowed free
access to the honey cells. However, theirs is also a brief
existence, and those Drones that survive to the end of
autumn are then driven out of the hive to perish. A short
life, but a happy one, you could say.
Well, that's a brief description of the occupants of the
hive. As I said before, that's just the very beginning. It
is a wonderful hobby, and if you want to keep bees I
recommend you learn as much about the subject as you can
beforehand.
----------------------------------------------------
Chris Haycock is a successful information publisher with
many hobbies and interests. One such interest is the
fascinating world of beekeeping. If you would like to find
out more you should go to http://secretsofbeekeeping.com
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