I have been fascinated by bees since my childhood. I was a science ‘kid’ I was intrigued by plants, animals and insects for as long as I can remember. I was always intrigued by where honeybess fly to get their supply of pollen which then through a complex feat is converted to honey. How do the bees know where to go.
It was the year 1972 where I read about the magic. Was it magic that the bees knew where to fly or was there some scientific evidence. The question was answered in Scientific American. The smell of the returining bees could have tipped off the other worker bees on where to go but only if the distance was short.
A German professor who completed a study noticed that the retunring bees did two kinds of ‘ dances’ int he hibe. Yes I said ‘ a dance ‘ One was caleld the round dance and the other was the ‘waggle dance’ The number of turns told the other bees the dances. The experiemnts tooks years to complete and were quite conclusive. That article changed my life.
Years later after becoming a clinical rgeistered herbalist I thought about those bees of my childhpood. I decided then to become a beekeeper. I started to read all I could about honeybees and beekeeping. I started to collect all books on Honeybees and Bees in general. I read “ Fifty Years of Beekeeping” by CC Miller a former MD who retured early to become a beekeeper. Beekeeping became anoither hobby of mine but it is a passion of my life. I have read more than 100 books of beekeeping, bee culture and on medicinal aspects of a beehive. One book, Honeybee Democracy still fascinates me
Today I a proud member and Vice President of the American Apitherapy Society ( www.apitherapy.org ) Support your local beeleeper. Visit my friend Andrew Cote at the Union Square market and buy his honey Andrew is the President of the NYC Beekeepers Association
Stop the use of pesticides as they are killing our bees. Be an acvtivist
Until tomorrow…