The buzz about beekeeping
<p>Beekeeper Barb Ford demonstrates how to use an accessory tool called a "frame clamp," which is used to lift the frame from the box, while tending to the hive to monitor the health of the honey bees at her residence in summer 2015.</p>
<p>Mature honey bees buzz about a frame with capped honey cells in this summer 2015 photo. University of Idaho is offering two classes on bees and beekeeping on Feb. 8 and 13.</p>
<p>Beekeeper Barb Ford showcases a "feeder board" while tending to a hive at her home in spring of 2015. A "feeder board," which looks like a strip of peanut butter, is used in the spring and fall to give honey bees a jump start and keep them going.</p>
<p>Honey bees are hard at work producing honey on this hive frame. Honey bees are social, productive and cooperative creatures that benefit neighborhoods by pollinating flowers and increasing harvests in vegetable gardens.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE — It’s never too late to master the art of beekeeping. And now, even in February, it’s not too early to start learning.
The University of Idaho Extension of Kootenai County is offering two classes, on Monday and Feb. 13, about bees, friendly insects and the basics of beekeeping.
"The Lonely Bee! Growing with Mason Bees and Other Friendly Pollinators" will provide information about mason bees and other insects while teaching how to identify and protect them.
"Mason bees are wonderful pollinators that got their name from their habit of making their nests out of hollow reeds or holes in woods which they line with mud," said Carol Randall, honorary master gardener, beekeeper and entomologist. "Mason bees do not make honey or beeswax, but they are important
pollinators often cultivated to improve pollination for early spring flowers."
The "Lonely Bee" class will be presented by Sean Cruz, owner of Le Potager Market Garden, an intensive urban farm inspired by European market gardeners from another era. Le Potager, located in Spokane, grows a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and herbs where many depend on insect pollination for success.
"Without insect pollination there will not be any harvest," Cruz said, adding that bees are fun to observe "and help you feel connected to the environment."
Randall said many plants humans eat depend on pollinators like the mason bee, and many flowers need pollinators to produce seed.
"As a master gardener and professional entomologist, bees and other pollinators — like flies, butterflies and beetles, to name a few — fascinate me," Randall said. "I started keeping bees about a dozen years ago, and when the winter gets me down, I love to go to my quiet bee yard and dream of the warm, sunny days to come when my bee yard will resemble a busy airport with individual bees leaving in search of pollen and nectar, and others coming back with full pollen baskets and a jig in their heart!"
The "Introduction to the Basics of Beekeeping" workshop will give the basics needed to develop beekeeping skills as well as provide education about bees. Attendees will explore the art and the insect with Idaho master gardeners, who will cover topics such as biology, physiology, equipment, honey extraction, parasites, pests, disease, troubleshooting, pesticides and nectar sources.
Honorary Idaho master gardener, local beekeeper and Inland Empire Beekeepers Association member Kim Knerl said beekeeping is extremely popular in this region and the hobby even serves as a social connection.
"One thing I feel most people experience very quickly after starting their first hive is you seem naturally drawn into a tight-knit, friendly group of local beekeepers who love nothing more than to share knowledge they have gained working with honeybees," Knerl said. "I often find when I am discussing beekeeping with those who are not currently involved with the activity, so many express an interest in starting their own hives."
When it comes to the cost of beekeeping, Knerl estimated first-year beekeepers will spend $500-$600 on equipment such as a protective suit, hive tools, the hive body and package bees. As far as it being a dangerous hobby, IEBA member, superintendent of Educational Honey Booth at the Fair and honorary Idaho master gardener Kelly McSheey said it's not extremely dangerous "unless you are allergic to honeybees or fall off a ladder trying to climb up high on trees or a roof to catch swarms of bees."
"I will say that it is more dangerous than stamp collecting," McSheey said. "The art of beekeeping is not difficult but does involve a commitment to educate yourself about what beekeeping involves by learning the basics from books, classes and other beekeepers. In this area, there are many microclimates, so you need to be able to take what you learn and adapt it to the area where you will be keeping your bees."
"The Lonely Bee! Growing with Mason Bees and Other Friendly Pollinators" will run 6-8 p.m. Monday at the UI Extension Office, 1808 N. Third St. in Coeur d'Alene. The class is $10 per person.
"Introduction to the Basics of Beekeeping" will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 13 at the UI Extension office. The class is $25 per person or $30 per family sharing materials. Age limit for this class is 12 and older. Beginner's manual, handouts and light refreshments included. Pre-registration is required; space is limited to 30 participants.
Register by sending payment, with your contact information, to the above address or stop by. For information, call 446-1680.
The IEBA will have bee booths at the North Idaho Fair and Rodeo Aug. 24-28 where spectators can observe live hives up close and find the white-dotted queen bee within the cluster of busy bees. For info, visit www.ieba.wildapricot.org.