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"From Pollination to Protection: The Incredible Superpowers of Bees"

A warm welcome to my blog! In one of my earlier posts, I gave a description about “conscious travel.” Biz3B’s (busy bee’s) goal of “conscious travel” is to bring awareness to and highlight the impact of travel on others and the environment. My most recent travel experience brought me out to the country to visit a friend. I call it the country because there’s significant space between homes, lush, wooded areas, a lake or body of water, and unfortunately, I don’t have cell service (*the latter sucks by the way*). However, I was game for the change of scenery and a chance to immerse myself fully in the surroundings.


Post-retirement, my friend has decided to stay buzz-y and acquire another skill. I applaud her for staying active, being motivated and enthusiastic, and embracing personal growth. Alright, Ok! No need to prolong the answer. What is this skill that your friend has chosen post-retirement? Well, since you’ve asked so politely, she’s BEEKEEPING!! In the bee community, this is known as apiary. An apiary consists of one or more hives that the beekeeper maintains in conjunction with the bees. (Look at me using my newly learned words and being all student beekeeper-ish.) LOL!!



The North Carolina State Beekeepers Association (NCSBA) stands as one of the country's largest and most dynamic state beekeeping organizations. Additionally, North Carolina holds a prominent position in the top 10 states renowned for their excellent beekeeping practices. Below, I’ve included some insights from the beekeeper herself, Lynn Duncan. Lynn is also part of the Granville County Beekeepers Association along with 400+ members.

Are you ready to bee-gin this adventure with me? Well, I hope so. Also, if you have any known allergies, you are marked safe for reading this post. HAHA!!


*This post is written in a Q&A format between me (BB) & the interviewee (LD).*


BB: #1 Retirement means different things to people. It’s a time to do what you want, go where you want, without being tied to someone else’s schedule. So, what made you decide to invest your time and resources into beekeeping?

LD: Well, I will tell you … I’ve always had a fascination with everything life science wise. So many interesting things in nature, and I’ve learned that bees are a very important part of our survival on planet Earth. They pollinate a large portion of the food we eat, for one thing, and that is pretty important. We humans are making it harder for bees to survive, and they are dying out which means we would die out as well. I feel compelled to help the bees survive. Their society is a very interesting one because they do not fight like we do. Every bee has their job and they stick to it. It’s a very interesting societal structure. It’s a structure I think that we can learn from.


BB: #2 What are some essential skills or knowledge that aspiring beekeepers should acquire before diving into beekeeping?

LD: One very important piece of information prepare for beekeeping is to get an Epipen before starting. If a beekeeper gets stung and the reaction becomes systemic, you would need an Epipen to avoid an anaphylactic reaction, which could be life threatening. You should have the Epipen available and know how to use it. However, not all stings are life threatening. If you get stung, it’s very likely you would have a local reaction, which would be a swelling at the site of the sting. This is a “normal” reaction. If you can see the stinger, you should try to remove it with tweezers. The stinger carries the venom which causes the reaction, so removing it minimizes the venom spreading in your body and therefore also minimizes the reaction.



BB: #3 Could you share any memorable or interesting experiences you’ve had as a beekeeper?

LD: One memorable experience involved me talking with a beekeeper who actually did have an anaphylactic reaction to one sting. He had been stung previously without any systemic reactions, but, on this one particular occasion, he got stung and had to be taken to the hospital for treatment. He recovered and did not give up beekeeping. As a sad addition to this story, this man just recently died from a septic reaction. (The sepsis that developed was not from a bee sting but from something totally different.) The thing that I found interesting here is that when a beekeeper dies, there’s a ceremony that is conducted afterwards for the bees. It’s a Celtic tradition called "Telling the Bees.” So, a minister comes to the hives of the deceased and tells the bees that their master has passed away. When our colleague Don died, we held this ceremony at his hives. And a minister said a prayer and told the bees that their master had passed.


BB: #4 In your opinion, what are the most rewarding aspects of beekeeping?

LD: Beekeeping helps us humans not only live, but live healthier lives. Bees help pollinate our fruits and vegetables. 70% of the food we eat is pollinated by bees. Without bees, our survival would not be possible. The honey that bees produce has medicinal and immunological benefits. Bees are our life savers.


BB: #5 Are there any particular challenges or risks associated with beekeeping that you think people should be aware of before starting?

LD: The main risk is mentioned above in response to number 2. Beekeeping can also be costly in the form of the purchases one must make to maintain the hives and to keep them healthy.



BB: #6 Fun question: if you could shrink to the size of a honeybee for 24 hours, what would your day consist of?

LD: I would be a "worker bee." Although their lifespan is short (averaging 42 days), those bees get to do most everything to keep the colony alive. They take on the role of hive cleaners and caretakers for the baby bees. They diligently collect and store nectar and pollen, ensuring their survival during winter. Additionally, they attend to the needs of the Queen bee. The Worker bees are also tasked with maintaining the hive's temperature at a precise 93 degrees. This bee gets to fly out of the hive and discover and collect the things in nature to help preserve the whole colony. I believe this would be an incredibly significant and enjoyable job! *End of Q&A*


In conclusion, bees play a vital role in pollinating flowering plants, ensuring the reproduction of numerous plant species and maintaining biodiversity. Pollination by bees is essential for the stability of ecosystems and the honey they produce is simply bee-licious. The superpowers of bees are truly amazing. Bees are also important indicators of environmental health, as their populations can be affected by pollution, habitat loss, and climate change. As a conscious traveler I believe in supporting local businesses like beekeepers by purchasing honey products that are sustainably sourced and packed with natural antibiotics.The amazing lady below is me rocking some protective gear. LOL. I hope that you stick around because in the next post I share some real cool bee myths and folklore that will have you intrigued.


4 תגובות


אורח
26 באוק׳ 2023

Really Educational and funny too!

לייק
Biz3b
27 באוק׳ 2023
בתשובה לפוסט של

😃thanks for your feedback

לייק

אורח
13 באוק׳ 2023

Really interesting! Especially “Telling the Bees!”.

לייק
Biz3b
13 באוק׳ 2023
בתשובה לפוסט של

I know right!! It was an awesome experience and I'm glad that I'm able to share it with you all.

לייק
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