Honeybees have a very developed social structure and the more you learn about bees the more you realize how little you really know. Thousands of beekeepers across the US manage colonies in their backyards.

The honeybees that we are familar with are not native to North America but were brought to our country by colonists in early 1600. Honeybees flourished here under the care of man and in the wild until the mid 1980's when the appearance of a parasitic mite reeked havoc on managed and wild (feral) colonies. In more recent years, Wax Moths and Small Hive Beetles have threatened hives. As honeybees are subjected to new pests, beekeepers must be alert for new management techniques.

For those of you interested in becoming a beekeeper, many resources are available.  Many books have been written about honeybees and bee management.  The internet has created a free (well almost) wealth of information for the  beginner beekeeper as well as information regarding ongoing research.  Public forums such as Beesource (beesource.com) and Beemaster (beemaster.com) allow contact between beekeepers worldwide.

Honeybees are really serious about family connections. The Queen (there is usually only one per hive) gives off a special scent that the other hive members recognize. The special scent promotes unity in the hive. In the photo (to the right), some bees were on a frame taken out of the hive for inspection. They desperately wanted to get back into the hive with the Queen so they started walking back up the frame to access the hive.

You may notice a couple of bees near the top of the picture with their abdomens raised. They are "fanning" flapping their wings to distribute the queen smell to other family members.

With proper managment, Honeybees can be alot of fun. If you are interested in beekeeping, find a local beekeeping group. You will probably find a mentor to help you learn all you need to know to get started and you will have alot of fun too !