In recent years there has been a tremendous increase in interest in beekeeping, on a global basis. This has been largely driven by more awareness of the plight of bees, as they face an ever-more challenging world. As one example, Colony Collapse Disorder has had a major impact on beekeeping as a whole, not just to the hobbyist beekeeper but also for commercial beekeepers.
While there are some signs that this story is starting to improve, bees remain “in trouble”. Thankfully, many around the world now recognize this, and effective and vocal “bee advocate groups” do great work.
Why are You a Beekeeper?
With all this and the associated awareness throughout society, though, come some challenges. In particular, as the rush of new beekeepers has gathered momentum, so does the chance it becomes a passing fad – a passing train to which many jump, because it’s “the done thing”. This is a dangerous thing. Bubbles burst and, when they do, bad things happen. One of the more important parts of your responsibilities as a beekeeper is to have an earnest discussion with yourself to ensure you are taking up beekeeping for the right reasons and with a view towards continual learning. If it’s mainly the honey that draws you in – or because it’s a cool thing to do – then, to be blunt, beekeeping doesn’t want you.
OK, that was a little blunt! But behind that direct statement is something we hope you will consider – why do you want to be a beekeeper and are you in it for the long run? If so, read on…
A Million Good Choices…and a Few Bad Ones!
One of the joys of beekeeping is that there are MANY ways to do things right. And in most cases, there is no “right way”. But there are also certain ways that beekeeping can be “done wrong” – and that can cause problems not just for your bees, your neighbors, or you, but for beekeeping as a whole.
As you consider your beekeeping, we urge you to consider the notion of “responsible beekeeping”. What are the reasons you are a beekeeper? What responsibilities do you have? How far does your beekeeping influence stretch?
These are important questions and, in this lesson, we take a look at some of the factors to consider. While this is not an exhaustive list, it is hopefully food for thought.
A Way to Frame Beekeeping Responsibility
One way to look at your responsibilities is in terms of the “who or what”. Your impact and reach is considerable and you have a responsibility to the following:
- Friends, Family…And You
- People with whom you interact
- Your bees
It may seem strange that you have any meaningful responsibility to or with, for example, people with whom you interact incidentally. That’s a pretty broad statement. But that is really the point. An “irresponsible beekeeper” can leave a lasting impression and one that helps no one.
Cycling – as an Illustration of “Impactful Responsibility”
Here’s an example. The author of this lesson likes to ride his bicycle. He does so with enjoyment, takes in the countryside but does so with respect for the rules of the road and, particularly, the safety of others. And yet he very frequently comes across people who have an almost militant attitude towards “those crazy cyclists” – to the point that some of the statements and attitudes are shocking!
Of course, what is happening here is that there are, indeed, some crazy people on bikes! If you happen to be driving along in your car and one of these cyclists comes piling through a red light or putting others in danger, then you’ve likely just formed an opinion about cyclists. It is VERY easy to extrapolate that to all cyclists who ever lived!
This is, of course, a simplistic example. But it is also a fairly good illustration of what can happen in beekeeping circles. You, too, can be the reckless or careless beekeeper. And you have the “opportunity” to leave that lasting and possibly quite negative impression.
Don’t be that beekeeper.
Let’s take a look at some of the responsibilities you have, as a beekeeper.
Friends, Family….and You
Let’s think about your interactions with people around you. Your discussions with friends and family are important. This goes beyond “defending” your beekeeping with the difficult or unreasonable neighbor, which we will consider below. There is also a huge opportunity to explain and encourage beekeeping to more receptive audiences.
Responsibility isn’t just about avoiding the bad stuff…it’s also about stimulating and making the most of the good stuff!
This is particularly evident when speaking to kids. You already have a certain level of authority and credibility as an adult (admittedly, the acceptance of that may vary greatly between kids!). And that’s a great opportunity to encourage the young mind to want to explore and learn more.
For that individual, beekeeping offers the chance to get close to nature and observe some of her more wondrous gifts, all in the confines of a small box in a garden. If your world involves a responsibility to kids (you don’t need to be a parent for that, of course!) and helping them grow their sense of curiosity and a desire to learn, you are being HIGHLY responsible by encouraging an interest in beekeeping.
On the other side of the balance sheet – literally – is making sure those who have a say in your time or money are aware of the impact of beekeeping. Thankfully, the story here is normally a good one!
In the big scheme of things, beekeeping need not be an expensive or overly time-consuming hobby. You can easily manage the extent of your initial investment (perhaps start with just a couple of hives, tools, clothing, and an accessory or two) and ongoing costs (all very reasonable).
In terms of your time commitment, once your hives are established, the best approach is to generally let bees do their thing! If you are opening up your hive every day or two for an inspection…you are doing it wrong!
Note: It is worth mentioning that, like any hobby, as your enjoyment and curiosity grow you are vulnerable to “the hobby magnet” – where you just want to do more, more, more! It happens, in the form of an ever-growing number of beehives, for many beekeepers. But it’s not mandatory!
Others with Whom You Interact
You will enjoy interacting with fellow beekeepers, whether in person or online. As you build your experience, how people perceive you will transition from “beginner to expert”. But both of these terms are relative.
When speaking to a beekeeper with decades of experience, he or she is unlikely to naturally consider you an “expert”, per se. When speaking to someone who is not a beekeeper, even if it has just been a few weeks since you installed your first beehive you will likely come across as a true expert!
One of the most obvious aspects of your beekeeping, particularly if you live in an urban environment, relates to how you interact with those around you. This doesn’t just mean your immediate neighbors (remember, bees have no problem foraging up to five miles from the hive!). It also means you understand and respect local, state, and federal regulations. It is, at a minimum, poor form to intentionally ignore such rules. At worst, you could be setting yourself up for a legal issue.
This is, of course, rarely a factor for beekeepers. We certainly don’t wish you to panic about this! Most beekeepers have no problems following the rules and enjoying their peaceful, gentle hobby. But we do urge you to take the time to understand those regulations relevant to you (think local, then work out…) and adhere to them.
One of the more common scenarios, particularly for those in urban areas, is regulations from housing associations. Again – don’t panic! Housing associations are increasingly aware of and accepting of bees and the value they bring to the local environment and beyond. As such, there is a very good chance your housing association will be accommodating and supportive. But please check this out and if there is a problem, engage, educate, and listen (see “People with whom you interact” below). There’s generally a solution!
We cover hive placement in Course 2: Your Beehive. But it’s common sense that your choice of location should consider not just your needs, but those around you. Yet again, this is generally not a problem but if your neighbor’s swimming pool runs up against your plot of land, that is probably not a great place to install your beehive!
Indeed, a significant part of responsible beekeeping is working with – not against – your neighbors. In the vast majority of instances, you will find them to be curious and supportive of all you do for your bees. The explosion of color they might experience in their garden always helps – as does the odd jar of free honey, if you feel so inclined. Gently support and encourage their interest, whether in the simple form of questions they have, allowing them to watch and perhaps video your marvelous bees, or even to lend a helping hand with inspections.
Now there’s a chance you may get an unlucky roll of the neighborly dice! This can range from the very unfortunate of a simply hostile neighbor who sees bees and thinks bad things and for the first reaction to your beekeeping is negative. It might also be a neighbor who is known to be allergic to bees. This needs consideration and discussion with empathy.
We don’t offer a single, catch-all solution to these situations, because there isn’t one. Like all neighborly relationships, we encourage a case-by-case discussion, always with the view to listen and fairly reflect on the points made.
Thankfully, most beekeepers don’t experience significant issues with neighbors.
Your Bees
It goes without saying that you have an ongoing and serious responsibility to your bees. We’re not even going to argue that case here!
But what is a little less clear is exactly what that means. Let’s take the notion of “natural beekeeping”, for example.
There is no widely accepted definition of natural beekeeping. For some beekeepers, this might be a “best efforts”-type of beekeeping, rather than a full and complete adherence to non-negotiable natural practices. Here’s one example.
Many beekeepers enjoy foundationless beekeeping, which we will discuss in Course 2: Your Beehive. In the common case of the Langstroth beehive, this often involves the use of simple rectangular wooden frames, within which bees build their own natural comb. This contrasts with those who use (often) beeswax-coated plastic foundations. All this is for another time, but the key point here is that those who go foundationless will rightly claim that they are at least following a “more natural” form of beekeeping.
Taking it further, many beekeepers also avoid the application of treatments to their bees wherever they can, but will use them when they detect certain issues with their bees. If we follow further this continuum, we will find beekeepers who will avoid treatments EVEN when their bees experience major issues with mites. Without igniting the never-ending debate right here, such beekeepers will tell you they are being “more responsible” in the stewardship of their bees.
That decision – where you fall on this line of “naturalness” – is for you to take and is well beyond the scope of this particular lesson. But consider this…
Even the beekeeper who refuses to treat his or her bees under any circumstances has installed those bees in a beehive – a non-natural wooden box. So, it’s really not so simple to define the appropriate level of responsibility and adherence to natural beekeeping, at least in a way that will satisfy everyone.
But we have a take on this.
As a beekeeper, you can install your beehives, place bees in them, monitor and check them, and take action if things take a turn for the worse. In doing so, you can feel that you are fulfilling your responsibility to your bees and feel comfortable that you have at least done your part.
But here’s the thing. It goes much further than that.
Bees fly and forage and when they do, they also interact with other bees. This can take some obvious forms, such as through mating. There is also robbing to consider, where your bees might be attacked by bees from another colony, for the resources (and your bees might be the robbers).
So it’s a simple fact that bees interact across colony boundaries on a regular basis. When they do, the characteristics of one colony can greatly impact another. The most dangerous of these interactions relates to the passing of diseases or mites. A perfectly healthy colony can be quickly and dramatically hurt in this way. And it might be your bees doing the hurting!
And there’s the rub. If you decide to take a totally hands-off approach and are not overly concerned if this means your bees don’t survive because it’s “just your bees and your choice” (that’s a pretty irresponsible attitude right there!) …. well, it’s not. Your bees may have played a key role in causing highly negative situations with colonies in the local environment. That’s the very opposite of “saving the bees”.
Let’s be clear. Even this example will cause debate in beekeeping circles. Some beekeepers are of the opinion that any form of treatment is the proverbial “bad thing” and will simply let nature take its course. While we can debate exactly where the line falls for the definition of natural beekeeping, just letting diseased or mite-ridden bees continue unabated and intentionally, is a step too far for us.
In terms of positives, we will assume you are reading this with a strong awareness of the benefits to the environment from the actions of your bees. We won’t dwell on this here, beyond reflecting on the amazing power of pollination and all the “downstream” benefits that has on our planet and on us.
But it is worth keeping this in mind at all times.
Have we planted a seed in your mind? Are you now considering what it means to be a responsible beekeeper?
Excellent.
In Summary…
This is one of our longer individual lessons. The intent here was not to dictate any particular form or way of beekeeping. Rather, we hope this lesson has simply made you think a little and reflect on the impact you have on friends, family, other beekeepers, neighbors, strangers, the environment…and, of course, your bees. An acceptance of the responsibilities is important for any successful beekeeper.