The Richland Area Beekeepers Association wrapped up their Basic Beekeeping Workshop Saturday with a Field Day at Kingwood Center in Mansfield. The event included opening hives for inspection and bee identification as well as catching a swarm.
H.L. “Sonny” Barker, Richland County Bee Inspector, noted that 32 new beekeepers attended the workshop, more than double the number that attended last year.
All of the Field Day attendees were enthusiastic about beekeeping, some anxious to learn more, others anxious to pass on their knowledge.
Carma Hankins, an experienced beekeeper and member of the Richland Area Beekeepers Association, demonstrated how to open a hive as well as find the queen. She was assisted by her great-grandson, 7-year-old J.J. Palm Rhoades. Hankins said that Rhoades is very interested in beekeeping and often works with her at home.
Among other hands-on instruction for the event, association members Rob Crain and Jennifer Hurst demonstrated how to split hives. Barker explained the nuances of lighting and using a smoker for beekeeping, and Bill Bauer, accompanied by volunteers, demonstrated the proper technique for capturing a swarm.
New beekeeper Jake Goettel watched closely as Barker explained how to look for mites in a hive. At 15 years old, he was the youngest to attend the three classes offered by the association. When asked what sparked the interest, Goettel replied, “I wanted honey. I wanted a lot of honey.”
As a result, Goettel will finish up his freshman year at Lexington High School with a letter in track and a new hive of bees. His fellow athletes are looking forward to access to fresh honey and bee pollen.
Dennis Newcomer and Jonathan Dewitt, both of Loudonville, donned bee veils to get a closer look at the hives.
“I’ve always had an interest in beekeeping. I’ve heard about the colony collapse disorder and thought it would be interesting to help with that. Also, bees are beneficial for gardening,” said Newcomer. “Free honey is a powerful attraction, as well.”
Che Sahara, also new to beekeeping, said she enjoyed the classes. “It was wonderful; they brought equipment and were some very experienced beekeepers. It was a lot of fun.”
“It’s just fascinating,” she said, watching bees at the event. “They are a whole world, a whole microcosm.”
Matt Johnson, of Lucas, said he has been keeping bees for a year. He did not attend the classes, but said he learned a great deal with the Field Day event and talking to more experienced beekeepers.
Barker noted that the number of beekeepers in the area has multiplied and, as a result, the association has outgrown their former meeting room at Richland Public Health. The group now meets at the Longview Center.
When asked how the bees had fared over the winter, Barker replied, “I lost over 60 percent myself. I don’t know why. We did the things we are supposed to do. We treat for the mites, we fed them, we went into the winter with strong hives with a lot of honey on. In the spring, the honey is there and the bees are gone.”
However, Barker noted it was not just this last winter that showed a loss in the bee population. “This is my third bad winter,” he said. “The cold had nothing to do with it.”
Two winters ago, he added, the situation was even worse. “I went in with twenty and came out with six,” he said of his number of hives.
The Richland Area Beekeepers Association meets on the third Tuesday of each month at the Longview Center, 1495 West Longview Avenue, Mansfield, at 7 p.m. The meetings are open to the public.
