This is honeybee swarming season. If you find a colony of honey bees in a tree or anywhere in your yard, PLEASE DO NOT call an exterminator. We have a local beekeeper who will be happy to take them away. Remember that when bees are swarming, they are loaded up with honey in their abdomen (what they took from the original hive in order to start a new colony because the old one was crowded) so they are much less likely to sting as they have difficulty extending their stinger. Do not disturb the swarm and please call Richey Lancianese at 451-9990. If he cannot reach them, he will find someone who can. Let’s keep the honeybees in business!
Did you know?? Bees are battling for their lives and their colonies are weaker than ever. The latest data, from the 2012-2013 winter, indicate an average loss of 45.1 percent of hives across all U.S. beekeepers, up 78.2 percent from the previous winter, and a total loss of 31.1 percent of commercial hives, on par with the last six years. About a third of our foods (some 100 key crops) rely on these insects for pollination. In total, bees contribute more than $15 billion to U.S. crop production, hardly small potatoes. Also, bee health can tell us a lot about environmental health, and thus about our own well-being.
