Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Honey-bees can navigate using the position of the sun, polarized light and landmarks.
They can 'tell' other bees about the distance and bearing to sources of food using a well
developed symbolic language based on movement and sound. They can also regulate
the temperature of the nest to an exact degree using heating and cooling systems of
immense complexity. As long as it has water and food, a colony placed on the sides of a
volcano or iceberg will maintain its brood nest at 34º C (93º F).
It is these facets of the honey-bee's ability that have caused it to be one of the most
researched insects on earth, and all countries maintain at least one institute devoted to
bee research, and many universities have bee research departments.
So, could you manage to keep these highly complex creatures? The answer is yes, you
could - if you knew how to, and that can be learnt from this topic. It is not difficult at
all, as long as you know what you are doing.
A beekeeper, then, is someone who is not only engaged in a hobby or business but also
someone who (by design or not) is taking an active part in protecting the future of the
planet. This sounds dramatic but in fact is true, as you will find out if you continue.
Spending your time beekeeping
Unlike other livestock, bees do not need constant attention. They will go out each day
and get on with it whether you are there or not. If you devote one day in ten to them
with occasional bursts of more attention when required and during the harvest, you
would be able to keep bees satisfactorily, and this is, in the main, for only part of the
year. During the winter months you can leave them alone completely unless something
dramatic happens, such as flooding or lightning strikes.
