Thu, Nov 20 2008
|
Published August 01, 2008 11:44 am - Beekeeper Jerry Wilson pulls a hive filled with Russian honey bees in the backyard of his Jeffersonville home on Monday afternoon. A master in the art of beekeeping By MELISSA MOODY CNHI News Service JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. — Jerry Wilson knows how to treat a queen. A queen bee, that is. Wilson has been keeping honey bees in his backyard, and at farms and gardens around Clark County, for the past decade. He also makes and sells honey, and breeds queen bees for other beekeepers. And the ladies fascinate him — female honeybees do all the work in the hive. Male honey bees, called drones, are strictly there for mating — they get kicked out come winter. “That’s all they’re good for, in the honey bee world,” Wilson says with a wink. For every hive housing about 50,000 bees, which is average, there are only about 100 to 200 males. As he shows off his hives, without gloves, netted hat, or suit that other beekeepers often wear, he tries to soothe his bees. “Calm down there, little girls,” he said, before spraying the fog that calms them down when his voice won’t. “That’s one thing — the girls always cause trouble.” Another wink and, “the males don’t sting.” Wilson keeps about 50 hives of Russian and Italian honeybees around the county, with 10 in his backyard in Jeffersonville. He started 10 years ago with two, and his love for beekeeping blossomed from there. “I could keep you here all day, and into tomorrow, and into next week talking about bees,” he said. “Bees are fascinating. “Once you get a hive and start doing it, you get really fascinated — I’ve never known a beekeeper to quit.” And Wilson isn’t quitting anytime soon. He has traveled to Central and South America, to Russia and around the world, learning from other beekeepers and teaching them what he has learned, too. “What I find is that once people get into beekeeping, they get enthralled,” he said. But, he said, it’s not for the faint of heart. “The No. 1 thing that comes up is honey, and the No. 2 thing is stings,” Wilson said. “If the first thing you think about is the sting, then beekeeping is probably not for you.” 
•
Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.
More from the Outdoors section
Mahaska County Conservation Board events for November and December Ski deals available nearly everywhere Oskaloosa rec trail receives award Another chapter of Iowa pheasant hunting tradition begins Saturday |
Print this story
E-mail this story
Post to del.icio.us
Discuss this story
 |
 |
 |
|||||||
|
|||||||
 |
|
|
© 2008, Oskaloosa Herald Oskaloosa, Iowa |
|
Popular Business directory links - Oskaloosa Apartments | Oskaloosa Attorneys | Oskaloosa Auto Dealers | Oskaloosa Auto Parts | Oskaloosa Auto Repair | Oskaloosa Beauty Salons | Oskaloosa Car Rental | Oskaloosa Dentists | Oskaloosa Doctors | Oskaloosa Flowers | Oskaloosa Hotels | Oskaloosa Insurance | Oskaloosa Loans | Oskaloosa Mortgages | Oskaloosa Movers | Oskaloosa Pizza | Oskaloosa Realtors | Oskaloosa Restaurants | Oskaloosa Storage | Oskaloosa Tax Preparation | Oskaloosa Travel | Oskaloosa Featured | More...
|
|
Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc. • CNHI Classified Advertising Network • CNHI News Service |