By Lorelei Elkins

August is honey bee month!  Have you ever thought about becoming a beekeeper?

We all understand how important pollinators are to our food crops, but becoming a beekeeper has its own rewards beyond that, not to mention the honey!

I still remember quite clearly the first time I caught a wild swarm of bees.  A neighbor knew that I was a beekeeper and stopped by one Sunday afternoon to tell me there was a “mess of bees” in a cedar tree in her front yard.  I grabbed my bee suit, a box, and headed to her place. 

Sure enough, there it was, a “mess of bees” hanging about six feet up from the ground, a huge ball of honey bees quietly humming as they rested before flying away to their new home.  Honey bees will swarm for a couple different reasons, but usually do so because they have run out of room in the hive.  It’s how wild honey bees spread, and it’s important to a healthy bee population. 

When working with a hive, beekeepers typically use an instrument called a smoker to encourage the bees in thinking there is a fire threat to the hive.  Consequently, the bees eat a lot of honey and become very docile.  I didn’t need to bring a smoker since swarming honey bees are gorging themselves on honey before leaving the hive. 

The trick to catching a wild swarm is to get the queen in the box.  Generally, she is at the center of the mass of bees.  This particular ball of bees was about a foot in diameter.  Carefully I set the box on top of a step ladder below the bee mass, then slowly I reached into the warm, buzzing clump of insects and scooped the bees gently into the box.  I could feel thousands of vibrations through my gloves – yes, I wore gloves, I’m a chicken.  My heart was pounding the entire time!

It was apparent when the queen was captured, all the other bees were quick to make their way into the box.  The queen pumps out a pheromone that tells them where she is and they hone in on her.  I closed the lid and walked the surprisingly heavy box back home and set the bees up in their new hive.

That was ten years ago but I still have a few hives and I still love it.  Beekeeping is a very rewarding hobby that I encourage everyone to check into.  I went to “Bee School” through the Forsyth County Beekeepers Association.  Most counties have a similar program, such as Guilford County’s Beekeepers.  They provide training and guidance on how to successfully raise bees.  Typically, the classes are held in the winter so that you will be all set to start your own hive in the spring.  The bee clubs also offer monthly programs related to beekeeping for continuing education on your path to becoming a stellar beekeeper.

Don’t miss out on the Honeybee Festival August 17^th at the Fourth of July Park in Kernersville.  With dozens of vendors, you’ll be able to experience bee related products, taste honey and learn all about what it takes to become a beekeeper, plus a whole bunch of family fun.