This week on the farm we'll disassemble my parents' beehive and try to see if we can find some clues for why their bees might have died over the winter. Here are a couple of videos that will give you a little background on Colony Collapse Disorder, including one on beekeeping in cities:
Marla Spivak on Colony Collapse Disorder: http://www.ted.com/talks/marla_spivak_why_bees_are_disappearing
Noah Wilson-Rich on Urban Beekeeping: http://www.ted.com/talks/noah_wilson_rich_every_city_needs_healthy_honey_bees
And from PBS's Nature, a clip on the "dance-language" of bees: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lE-8QuBDkkw
If you are interested in learning more about bees, beekeeping, and other pollinators, there are many local opportunities to do so. The Kalamazoo Bee Club meets monthly at the Kalamazoo Nature Center and hosts monthly field days at their club apiary beginning in May. John & I will be attending these events and you'd be welcome to ride with us if you are interested. Also, on April 12, Dr. Ann Fraser will be leading a native pollinators workshop at The Barn at Riverview Launch. You can find out more information about that here: http://kalamazoobeeclub.org/images/NPW_eFlyer.pdf.
Also this week, we will talk about a variety of methods for starting your own transplants from seed. And of course, you'll be checking on your worms to see how they like their new homes and the apple mash you gave them last week. Remember to bring them some fresh food!
We'll see you soon. Amy & John
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