Modern Beekeeping and the Ancient Honey Bee

Location: Zoom
Days: Tuesdays and Thursdays
Times: 6:30pm-8:00pm
Dates: 1/23/2024-5/16/2024

Modern Beekeeping and the Ancient Honey Bee – Tuesdays and Thursdays

Descended from a vegetarian wasp and successfully evolving over millions of years in pace with the blooms that feed & beautify our planet, the humble honey bee has been cherished by humans as long ago as the earliest cave drawings; yet it is only recently that we came to understand the important role of insects in pollination. In this course we will study the biology of apis melifera, the indispensable honey bee, as pollinators, beeswax producers, honey makers, dancers, navigators, nannies, loyal daughters & precision engineers. We will gain insights into how their resilience has contributed to the management practices threatening to either bring their species to an end or insure their survival in our modern agricultural environments. Keeping honey bees in Northern New England’s challenging climate will also be explored in the classroom as well as in field day excursions to local apiaries with examples of modern beekeeping equipment options and management practices.