And why might this start with a picture of a bug that looks like Edward Scissorhands? This is a teeny tiny pseudoscorpion we found on my farm, and we are super-enthused about it being here. Last summer at the Netherlands “Learning from the Bees” conference, we were introduced to Torgen Schiffer’s groundbreaking work. He has […]
Recently I wrote about the hive I built from sticks, clay, sand and cow manure. The mud hive sits on the right side of the bee gazebo. Soon after I placed it there, I collected a swarm from my friend Anna’s bees and invited them to move in with us. Anna’s bees are prolific swarmers, putting […]
Every spring I am swarm-betrothed. I am deeply moved by everything a swarm does. I’m touched by knowing the hive is filling up with drone eggs weeks before the nursery ‘s seams swell with the baby-maidens. I feel like the colony and I have a secret that few know. I revel in the busyness of […]
In late November seven years ago, a distant neighbor cut down an alder tree that was hanging over his driveway. Unbeknownst to him, that tree was a bee tree – home to a feral honeybee hive. The top of the tree broke off when the tree hit the ground, leaving an eleven foot section where […]