As honey bee populations drop worldwide, the Forest Preserve District of Will County is trying to take the sting out of the worries of those who may be thinking of taking up beekeeping as a hobby.
And in the process, officials hope a newly expanded training course will help better prepare potential hobbyists to become successful, long term beekeepers.
“People will come out much calmer and much better informed to decide if they want to be a beekeeper,” said Kate Caldwell, an interpretive naturalist at the district who oversees the program.
Formerly a four-hour class, Bee a Beekeeper!: Introduction to Successful Beekeeping is offered from 6 to 8 p.m. on six consecutive Tuesdays starting Feb. 21 at Plum Creek Nature Center, 27064 S. Dutton Road, Beecher. The registration deadline is Feb. 10.
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“The quality type of class if you want to be a beekeeper,” Caldwell said, “is the six-week format.”
Taught by veteran beekeeper Mike Rusnak, the class will cover a different topic each week, starting with an introduction to honey bees, including a history and costs and continuing with honey bee anatomy and life cycles, equipment and stock such as hive components and tools and supplies, management bees, such as inspecting and feeding the hive, and pests; the colony dynamics, including honey production, winter clustering and temperature regulation. The last week will be for review and feedback.
Though not a part of the curriculum Rusnak encourages those interested in getting started to read the book, “The Backyard Beekeeper,” by Kim Flottum, which is available at the Plum Creek Nature Center, or can be purchased through major online retailers.
The impact of beekeeping goes beyond just participating in a hobby, Rusnak said in a district statement.
“Bees are the only part of agriculture where you do not have to use herbicides, fungicides or any agricultural chemicals,” he said. “And their honey is the only sustainable food source where you are putting nothing into it and getting everything out of it.”
He said beekeeping is becoming more and more important as well, as some bee species are declining while others have become endangered.
Because bees pollinate trees, flowers and grasses, creating more beekeepers is important for sustaining the ecological cycle, Caldwell said. One beehive can conceivably pollinate plants within 100 square miles.
“The more the bees pollinate, the more seeds you get and the more plants that come back next year,” Rusnak said. “The greatest part about using honeybees as pollinators is that they are easily manageable. That is why beekeeping is becoming popular.”
The class will be offered with a maximum of 25 students, Caldwell said. The cost is $40 per person, and includes adults age 18 and over.
After the class is complete, Caldwell said, Rusnak be available to graduates and others who are interested to answer questions and dispense free advice from 12:30 to 3 p.m. the first Sunday of every month from April 2 through autumn near the Plum Creek Nature Center’s indoor, enclosed beehive.
More information and reservations for the class are at 708-946-2216. Registration is not available online, but more information is at www.reconnectwithnature.org.
Erin Gallagher is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.