A Gardener's Notebook » Beekeeping

Photo: Bees Up Close

Douglas E. Welch — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 22:55:02 +0000

It took some time to make peace with honey bees. I grew up with yards that were more clover than grass, so summer days often involved accidentally stepping on bees in the yard while we played. Along with that we had nasty mud dauber wasps that seem to sting you for no other reason than just being there. Add to that the ground dwelling bees that would sometimes well up when you were mowing the yard and it tended to make you a bit scared of anything that flew and sort of looked like a bee or wasp.

I have learned over the years, though, how to identify a honey bee (and our somewhat bumbling huge carpenter bees) here in California. I am often showing people the difference between the gentle honey bee and the aggressive food scavenging yellow jacket wasps. I am always telling people that a honey bee doesn’t want to sting you because stinging means that it will die. Wasps, on the other hand, can (and do) sting multiple times without too much ill effect.

I have walked through clouds of honeybees who have been naturally swarming near trails and such and find them a docile, if acoustically intimidating, companion. Their buzzing can get quite loud in mass and I think this scares a lot of people, too.

I don’t have room for honeybees here in my yard, but I think in different circumstances I might become a beekeeper, tending my flock for the benefit of us both.

Photo: Bees Up Close is a post from: A Gardener's Notebook

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Video: Activity of local wild bee hive

Douglas E. Welch — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 07:52:30 +0000

Watch in full screen to see the bees at bottom of sign.

Lots of activity today at my local wild bee hive that lives in a sign post next to a busy section of Van Nuys Blvd in Los Angeles, CA. Not sure exactly what is happening. Bees seemed more agressive and agitated than usual. Perhaps there was some robbing going on. There is a lot in bloom right now so they might have simply been taking advantage of the big harvest. I have seen them bearding out during the hot summer days, but this activity looked different.

Video: Activity of local wild bee hive is a post from: A Gardener's Notebook

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Building a Native Bee Box

Douglas E. Welch — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 21:03:01 +0000

My friend, Keri, has created an excellent “Bee Box” for her garden. Read the entire article at her site.

“I’ve been wanting to do this for over a year, build a nesting box for native bees and other insects. My friend Doug Welch from A Gardener’s Notebook had sent me various plans and ideas. I had a wooden wine box with a sliding lid and it seemed perfect.”

Read Building a Native Bee Box via AnimalBytes

Building a Native Bee Box is a post from: A Gardener's Notebook

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Bees are swarming and being captured all over Los Angeles (with video)

admin — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:33:46 +0000

A recent blog post at the BackWards Beekeeping site included some photos and this video about capturing a recent swarm.

Read “Your Bee Rescue Hotline at Work”

Bees are swarming and being captured all over Los Angeles (with video) is a post from: A Gardener's Notebook

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