Honey bees and beekeeping have sparked considerable interest
for years, but have recently gained renewed
popularity among those individuals who want to have beehives in their
backyards. People take up beekeeping as
a hobby for a variety of reasons, such as the pleasure of harvesting and eating
the honey, an increased interest in eating foods high in antioxidants, a
fascination with the social characteristics of bees, and as a means of adding to
their income with profits from honey sales.
Honey bees help plants grow by serving as important
pollinators for flowers, fruits and vegetables. Bees transfer pollen between
the male and female parts, allowing plants to grow seeds and fruit. In the wild, bees build their own hives, usually in a hollow
tree trunk or another sheltered place. However, a backyard beekeeper will need to
provide a beehive and do some work to maintain the bee colony and easily
harvest the honey.
To learn more about bees, pollen, and beekeeping, come to
the Al Harris Library and check out some of the books that we now have on
display until the end of October.
