Bees?
Honeybees are in trouble. Several species have been put on endangered lists, and the numbers of other species keep declining. Considering bees are some of the world’s best pollinators, something needs to be done to keep them around to help keep our environment in check. I ran into a local beekeeper in Newark who really loves bees.
Since I don’t know much about beekeeping or bees to begin with, I asked her a few questions. She’s still a beginner since she’s only been beekeeping for a year now, but she’s very passionate about bees.
Q: What got you started in beekeeping?
A: Well, I was going to work one day and there was a bee on the ground just… twitching. I picked it up and gave it some sugar water. It just really made my heart hurt and I wanted to help it!
Q: What’s your favorite thing about beekeeping?
A: Um… Probably just watching them be bees. And they make this great humming noise when they’re keeping warm in the winter. Bees are pretty cute but a lot of people don’t think that.
Q: What’s one thing you want people to know about bees?
A: They aren’t out to hurt you! They’re so busy they don’t have time to sting you like people are afraid of. Just let them be bees.
Not everyone has to be a beekeeper to help the bees. If you want to help the bees at home, plant some wildflowers. And the next time you get spooked by one of them, remember that they’re not out to get you. They’re just trying to get their job done and go back to the hive.
