Apis mellifera mellifera—Honey Bee
Apis mellifera, the name of the species of Apis well known to keepers of the bees! And yet, as is true of much about the honey bee, even the name can get complicated . . . Among the complications is … Continued
Making Sense of the Honey Bee Antenna
A Multi-Sensory Appendage The honey bee antenna, delicate as it is, provides a wealth of information essential for function and survival of both the bee and the colony. It comprises the scape, which attaches to the honey bee head, the … Continued
Touching Feet to the Ground
The 27 bones that comprise our foot and ankle help us negotiate terrain of many kinds. We make changes in their position and articulation when we find ourselves walking on ice or skating in socks across a marble tile floor. … Continued
Honey, for Real*
The Complaint A highly regarded beekeeper passed along a complaint he has received, one that is filed with the Department of Justice. The complaint states that his honey has failed four “common home tests for real honey.” Unconcerned because he … Continued
Finding a Flower in Bloom
A small, fuzzy honey bee makes her way to a clematis flower growing in a garden nearly two miles from her home. How did she find that flower? This common occurrence tends to go without much notice—other than by some who see … Continued
Microbiomes Matter!
So many things, we cannot see. Even so, some may make their presence felt. Take, for example, the classic “stomach bug” we cite to little ones with tummy troubles. This has long been the case. I still remember my own … Continued
That Grand Interaction
John Skinner, University of Tennessee, opened his presentation at the Oregon State Beekeepers Association 2016 conference by telling us that the interaction of plants and pollinators is his favorite topic. It is indeed nothing short of amazing. Further, the ramifications … Continued
So Many Things for a Mandible to Do!
Defining a Mandible If we think of a mandible in terms of ourselves, we find it defined as: the jaw or a jawbone, especially the lower jawbone in mammals and fishes. We are able to move our jaw up and … Continued
Connecting with Nature
As my dad and I followed a raccoon trail one fall afternoon many years ago, I bent down and picked up a seemingly luminescent maple leaf. When I showed it to him, he said when he was young his teacher … Continued
There, I’ve done it again . . .
I have now done it again—both revised the Beargrass Press website and made a mess of things in the process. For the website, time was a consideration, as I’ve described in another post, yet I wanted more flexibility than was … Continued
Transitioning into a petaloso world
I spoke of the impulse in “Hunkering Down – A Lesson From Bees,” which appears in Frederick Swan’s ezine, 2nd Tuesday, and have indeed hunkered down throughout the days of winter. Emerging now from darkness, I am among many who … Continued
New review of Honey-Maker
Among many kind words about Honey-Maker: How the Honey Bee Worker Does What She Does, now in its second printing, are those just in from Fran Bach, who edits the Western Apicultural Society newsletter as well as that of the … Continued
Segments in the insect antenna—counting one, two, three!
In insects, the head of the adult typically has two attached antennae, each of which contains a total of three segments. For some, the idea that there are but three segments in the insect antenna raises questions. Even a glance … Continued
What might we learn by elevating bees to a new height?
We have grounded honey bees for quite some time now. We have sent them “to their room” in a sense by placing them in boxes that we then move where we want—and when. Although we have done this for good … Continued
Can it be this easy to help the bees—and ourselves?
There’s no escaping the fact that honey bees are in trouble today—nor that people genuinely want to do something to help. Yet, good intentions have ways of running aground in the face of full schedules and other demands of daily … Continued