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INTRODUCTION <br /> • <br /> BEEKEEPING AND BEE BIOLOGY <br /> A honey bee colony is an unusual combination of While honey bees are able to survive on their own in <br /> a wild and managed animal.Although we manage the wild, we as beekeepers acquire honey bees and <br /> honey bees in boxes, they are able to mate and manage them in an environment that the bees may <br /> survive in the wild on their own, unless parasitic mites not be best suited to. By becoming a steward of a <br /> and viruses overtake them. Unlike more domesticated honey bee colony, a beekeeper has a responsibility <br /> pets and farm animals, bees collect their own food, to their bees and neighboring beekeepers to work <br /> flying miles to find nectar and pollen from flowers. towards helping their colonies be healthy and <br /> The best beekeepers follow the bees' lead. They learn thrive. Beekeeping is a human insect partnership: <br /> to anticipate the local floral nectar and pollen blooms beekeepers provide the bees with a home and care <br /> (called "flows") and ensure their colonies are strong as needed, and the bees can provide the beekeeper <br /> and healthy to survive winter. In a sense, beekeeping with a rich experience, honey, and pollination of <br /> is like surfing, learning to ride the waves of flowers nearby flowers, fruits, and vegetables. Beekeeping <br /> throughout the season. Variations in management is a meditative occupation, requiring presence <br /> styles and opinions abound in the beekeeping world. and focus. Beekeepers find themselves learning <br /> Strategies for taking care of diseases and pests of something new each time they open their hives, <br /> bees may change, but basic beekeeping practices do deepening their connecting with nature, and taking <br /> not because they are based on the natural life cycle of a deep dive into the fascinating biology of the honey <br /> the bees. bee superorganism. <br /> I <br /> Biology Boxes and Words of Wisdom <br /> 36o»i In this manual, we introduce beekeeping management practices based <br /> 84. on the biology and natural life-cycle of the bees. We highlight certain <br /> practices in boxes labeled "Biology Boxes" to help you understand the <br /> /"/11/ reasoning behind our management guidelines. There are also tidbits <br /> of information that we have collected through the years that have been <br /> especially useful, which we highlight using a box for"Words of Wisdom." <br /> FOUR PRINCIPLES OF PRODUCTIVE BEEKEEPING <br /> This manual helps beekeepers maintain healthy colonies by describing beekeeping practices that are based on <br /> the biology of the bees and follow these four principles of productive beekeeping: <br /> 1. Every colony must be protected in equipment with removable frames and located in a good apiary site. <br /> 2. Every colony must have a young, prolific queen. <br /> 3. Every colony must have adequate honey and pollen reserves at all times. <br /> 4. Every colony must be monitored and managed for diseases and mites, and treated only when necessary. <br /> A healthy colony has all four of these factors. Keeping these principles in mind while learning about beekeeping 411 <br /> can help form a basis for good management decisions. <br /> Beekeeping in Northern Climates 2 <br />