BELFAIR HERALD

If you're thinking about owning honeybees, Belfair & Beyond Beekeepers group says answer this question: Why?

Do you want honey?

Do you want beeswax?

"What do you actually want to do?" Debra Langley-Boyer, president of the group, asked workshop participants at the North Mason Timberland Library Dec. 9.

Secretary Brian Stefanko jumped in with his answer.

"I keep bees because they're awesome!"

Most people keep bees for honey, Langley-Boyer said, but before you decide, get to know the bees.

"Beekeeping is really all about the bees," she said.

A honeybee hive only has one queen, whose job is to lay eggs. Most of those eggs will turn into female workers, who keep the hive going. They clean and feed other bees, and as they age will begin building comb and guarding the hive. A few bees in the colony will be male "drone" bees whose only job is to breed with the queen.

While the bees are taking care of their colony, the beekeepers are ideally taking care of the bees' environment.

"You learn about the bees and you can take care of them at any hive you've got," Langley-Boyer said.

Location is important, both where you place the hive and your region's habitat. In Mason County, the main sources of food are maple and blackberries. If these aren't plentiful, you may have to plant some around your hive. Even if wild food is abundant, there are still dangers for the bees. Langley-Boyer lost a lot of bees when Mason County sprayed to kill nearby blackberries and bees brought the tainted nectar back to the hive.

"Don't use herbicides or pesticides," Langley-Boyer said, and encouraged people to think about natural products instead.

If you live next to a farm that sprays crops frequently, it's not the best location for a hive, Stefanko said.

He lives near Union and has a large property to place his hives with good water and food access, but still has to think about predators.

In our area, the top bee predators are bears and yellowjackets.

"I have cougar, black bears, raccoons ... Fortunately they haven't gotten my bees yet," Stefanko said.

What about hazards for the beekeeper?

"Expect to get stung. It's going to happen," Langley-Boyer said.

Unless you're allergic, it shouldn't be a problem, but she reminded people if (when) they get stung to quickly remove the stinger because it will continue pumping venom into your skin. It's worse for the bee, she said.

"When a honeybee stings, they die."

The bee ruptures its abdomen when it tries to pull the stinger out.

Bees sting when they feel threatened, and they can smell fear, Langley-Boyer said.

"If you wave your arms, you're telling them to attack you."

Bees also dislike certain scents including perfume, strong body odor and bananas. Honeybee venom smells like bananas. When the bees catch that scent, they think the hive is threatened.

"Think about your smell when you are around bees," Langley-Boyer said.

After you've learned about the bees and their needs, it's time to factor in cost.

The beehive structure is between $100 and $200. The most popular hive is the Langstroth.

Langstroth hives resemble rectangular boxes stacked on top of one another. Bees build comb in the removable frames.

Another type of hive is the top bar. These hives have individual bars across the top and bees build their comb straight down from the bars. Top bar hives are good for getting wax or honeycomb.

These two are the most common hives, but there are many others.

"We have a weird group that keeps all types of hives," Stefanko said.

Additional expenses are tools, at around $100, and the initial shipment of bees, for between $150-$500, according to the group.

"I usually tell potential beekeepers it is about $1,000 startup cost," Langley-Boyer said.

Another investment is time.

"Do you have time?" Stefanko asked.

Master Beekeepers have a lot of knowledge, but there's always something more to learn," said Langley-Boyer, who is a Master Beekeeper.

There are three certifications for beekeepers, apprentice, journeyman and master, and each is earned with years of skills and knowledge, she said.

"Bees are like kids. They need patience, acceptance and some personal space," Belfair & Beyond Beekeepers wants to be a community resource for education and support, according to their goals. They meet on the fourth Thursday of every month (day changes for holidays) at the North Mason Timberland Library.

The next meeting is Dec. 21, when Langley-Boyer will talk about her trip to Slovenia to study the county's beekeeping.

Stefanko, who has eight hives and hopes to have 16 next year, had a warning for potential members.

"It's addictive."