Launched in 2005, WellesleyWeston Magazine is a quarterly publication tailored to Wellesley and Weston residents and edited to enrich the experience of living in two of Massachusetts' most desirable communities.
Issue link: https://wellesleywestonmagazine.epubxp.com/i/256387
sands of hives to almond growers in California and peach growers in Georgia and a dozen hives to farms on the scale of Weston's Land's Sake. State and county associations bring together beekeepers of all levels, from commercial opera- tors to hobbyists. They offer informative monthly programs, match people with mentors, and have resource-rich websites. Norfolk and other county beekeepers associations offers Bee School, nine weeks of classes and a field demonstration to help newcomers learn what is involved in bee- keeping. These associations have members qualified to capture or remove swarms, and property owners are encouraged to contact them before destroying or spraying an unwanted hive. Like caring for any living thing, one needs to know what to look for and when to perform critical tasks. Honey bees need the most care at transition times; when winter turns to spring, spring to summer, and summer to fall. Karle says, "When we see people run into trouble, it's usu- ally by the fall. Things go well in the spring, but when the family's schedule gets demanding for fall sports and other activities, it's hard to make time to get the honey off and get the hive ready for winter." The calendar is a guide, but with agriculture, no two years or seasons are the same. Honey bee populations throughout the United States have declined dramatically since the 1980s. Colony Collapse Disorder or CCD is believed to have been triggered by the arrival of two mites in North America that attack honey bee larvae, wiping out half the hives. CCD is not fully 124 W e l l e s l e y W e s t o n M a g a z i n e | s p r i n g 2 0 1 4 right: Apprentice bee keeper Marcus Roman, age seven, assisting "Grampy" (George A. Roman) installing a new colony E D B O C K Honey Bees Sweeten Suburban Life 120-126_WWMa14_Bee Keepers_v2_WellesleyWeston Magazine 2/2/14 12:23 PM Page 124