Notes for Bees

1:00 Learning Garden – intro lecture

2:00 Bee Field trip

3:00 Snack time

3:20 Gardening

5:00 Dismissed  

Why are bees important to us?

Honey

Pollination – 3 out of every 5 bites

Honey bees are not native to the Americas

Mason Orchard bee

Africanized Bees – African genes are spread throughout the population of all wild bees in the warmer portions of the US – however, these genes are not all bad... they can be more aggressive, but they are also harder workers and more productive – all bees can be aggressive

Colony Collapse Disorder - since at least 2006Why?

Varroa mite

pesticides

GMOs

Industrial beekeeping

Shipping bees for pollinators

Or we just don't know...

Bee Losses from CCD

Future of the honey bee

Urban beekeeping

Introduction to practical beekeeping:

Equipment you need:

        Bee suit - covers your entire body except your hands

        Gloves - vented with sealable gauntlets 

        Veil - some have helmet inside; others you need a helmet with

I suggest purchasing these at LA Honey where you can try them on and get items that fit you. If I had purchased these items online, I would not have gotten the correct size.

Smoker

Hive tool

Rags (some wet) (honey is sticky!)

Flashlight

Epi pen

Hive box(es) and frames

Couple of good books and a mentor

Resources;

http://www.backwardsbeekeepers.com/

http://honeylove.org/

Los Angeles Honey Co

Address: 1559 Fishburn Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90063

Phone:(323) 264-2383