Art of Bee-ing

As huge fans of both terrible puns and the TV comedy Community, N and I were *so* excited when we found out that there was an actual Community College in our area, and that they run a course on bees! Beekeeping seems to be one of those things that you just can't learn from books. I've read quite a few of them and decided that the secrets of the bee-world are best learned hands on (or bare-hands-on in the case of our brave teacher, Howard). With the last day of winter being a glorious sunny one we suited up today for our very first "prac".

I am bee man hear me roar!

Smokin' bees

As one of last year's graduates from Bee School described it, your first experience of beekeeping can be pretty life-transformative: being surrounded by all these bees, and feeling completely safe within your suit and with your smoker by your side. And it is a pretty incredible feeling, once you get over the fact that you are surrounded by hundreds of thousands of little venomous creatures who may or may not want to sting you. After trawling through half a dozen hives though, not one student got stung and we all happily hoed in to some of Howard's honey harvest (not before admiring Howard's amazing bee-mobile... see below...)

Apis mellifera ligustica (Italian honey bee)

Howard (our teacher's) sweet ride