I do bee keeping and have been keeping bees since I was 6 years old. I also do sustainable gardening workshops and sell products from my garden.
Have you always loved bees and what do you love about them?
I have always been fascinated by bees. They are a perfect ecosystem and self sustainable. They know their jobs. Bees live about 45 days. They remain in the hive about 3 weeks and are out foraging for about 3 weeks. They die because they wear out their wings. The Queen will take a cluster with her through the winter.
What are the dangers that bees are facing right now?
The Verola mite from Asia is a big problem. It is like a tick that gets on a bee. It is the number one reason people are losing hives and that wild bees are not surviving.
Pesticide use is an ongoing problem. I usually lose hives due to pesticides. Bees go 3 to 5 miles to get pollen and a bee owner can’t control where they go. If people are going to use pesticides please use it in the evenings so it can dry before the bees get to it. If pesticides are used in the morning it is devastating for bees. It is horrible to see the bees dead outside the hive, testing and convulsing. I then have to burn the hive as pesticide stays in the wax. It is devastating to all bees and pollination in general.
What is something about bees that people usually don’t know?
95% of a hive is female. The queen and workers are female. The queen lays males from March to summer to fertilize virgin queens. The old queen leaves with half the hive. The new queen is fertilized by 15 to 20 male drones. In winter there are no males in the hive.
Is there a story that you like to tell about working with bees?
I caught my first swarm at 8 years old. I lived in Tucker, GA. The horse farm behind us had a swarm and I caught it myself. I was so proud andI knew bees were something I wanted to work with forever.
If someone wanted to keep bees in their backyard, how would they go about doing that?
Contact your local Bee Keepers Association. Find someone like me who does bee keeping workshops. It is not as scary as you may think. Do your own research, there are a lot of Facebook groups and information out there.
Are bees thriving in any areas of the USA?
Bees are not thriving anywhere. In 2021 bee keepers lost 48% of their hives. 40% were lost in 2019. Some years are better than other. In GA last year (2022) I didn’t lose too much. I lost 3 hives in the freeze due to wind. Some lost 80% last year due to the Verola mite and weather. If there are no Goldenrod flowers in February in drought times this will starve bees who rely on those flowers.
Are there any big conservation groups helping bees?
All Bee Keepers Associations help bees. Every State has them. There are a lot of organizations working on bee conservation including the University of Georgia is working on creating a ‘hygienic honey bee’ that has the ability to take the Verola mite off themselves.
As individual people, how can we help bees in our own backyard?
Plant pollinator gardens and don’t use pesticides. Buy local honey bee products.
If bees become extinct what would happen?
Honey bees pollinate over 1/3 of food crops. We would have a food crisis for sure.
You do honey bee rescues and capture swarms. Tell us a little bit about how you do it and why?
Initially when a hive swarms they land between 12-24 hours in one place. This is my best opportunity to get them so call as soon as you see them. I take my NUC box with me and inside put in baby bees that haven’t been born yet. If the swarm is on a branch I shake them into the box. Bees will always go to baby bees even if not theirs. If I can get the queen in there they will all go in. I then bring them back to the farm and set them up here.
If someone finds a swarm of bees in their back yard what should they do?
Call your local Bee Keepers Association, someone will come and get them.
Sometimes I have seen boxes of bee hives on trailers on highways. Where would they be going to?
Usually that would be commercial bee keepers. In Florida and California there are not enough honey bees to pollinate orange groves, avocados etc. They contract with a commercial bee keepers to pollinate their fields.
You do a lot of work with bees. What else would you like people to know about Moran Family Farms and how can the community contact you?
I visit schools and libraries to talk about bees. I also do workshops at the farm and can help anyone set up hives anywhere. It is important to get past the fear and into the fascination. Visit my website: Moranfamily farm.org. I am also on Facebook and Instagram.