Backyard honey bee keeping

At one time I had thought about having a few bee hives in my backyard to pollinate my fruit trees and garden. That was before I found out I was allergic to bee stings. But if you are not allergic it can be a worthwhile hobby and adventure.

From what I have read in recent years there is a great need for more bees as many colonies are dying off. There are many factors involoved in this decline including moisture and predators, availability of food and diseases like "Colony Collapse Disorder," and "Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus," which was detected in bees brought in from Australia in 2007. The use of Round-up and other pesticides used by farmers and consumers, and the growing of GMO foods has killed off native honey bees as well.

It is stated by the Deptment of Agriculture and various Beekeepers Associations around the country, that when bees are exposed to pesticides it impairs their immune system.


They say that a bee's health is contingent on a diverse source of local plants which it can pollinate and local bees have that variety from dandelions and other wild flowers, and trees. Also from pumpkins and cucumbers, and countless other vegetable crops. This assortment of plants to pollinate is necessary for healthy bee colony growth.

However, large commercial beeekeepers tranfer bees from northern states to southern, and western states in truckloads, to pollinate orange groves in Florida and then to almond trees in California, and to Maine for cranberry pollination, as well as, to apple and peach groves in different states. These groves, such as the orange groves in Florida, are so vast that bees can't pollinate anything other than the oranges, limiting the diversity needed to sustain their life.

This farming out of bees all over the United States and other countries as well, is what allows us to have pure honey from certain types of crops. However, it is helping also cause the loss of bee colonies.

That is why we see less native honeybee's and few bumblebees. It is also why many people put up with wasps and the carpenter bees that drill holes in houses and power poles. And why many people plant butterfly gardens to encourage butterflies into their yards and gardens.

I think honeybees are very worthwhile insects to have as a hobby, as well as, to help with the local pollination of many crops and wild flowers.

So Ram, are you going to start some bee hives in your backyard?