Rotary Club of North Muskoka members were all a-buzz as Rotarian Cheryl, who is also an avid beekeeper, offered insight into the life of a honey bee and advocated for Ontario honey.
Cheryl walked us through the day and the life of worker, drone and queen bees, talked about why swarms happen and why it's important to call a professional beekeeper if you see a mass of honey bees far from a hive, discussed the devastating effects of mites, bears and climate change, and reminded everyone to look for the "100% Ontario Honey" logo on honey when buying some of that sweet, golden liquid.
Did you know a hive can house tens of thousands of bees? The average lifespan of a worker bee is about five to seven weeks. And she will hold progressively difficult and demanding jobs as she ages, eventually leading up to pollen collection outside the hive. Cheryl shared a delightful video of the worker bee waggle dance bees perform when they return from a particularly good haul.
She also talked about the hard work and dedication of both honey bees and beekeepers to support pollination and honey production.
Want to know more about Ontario honey? Check out the Ontario Beekeepers' Association website.
Thanks, Cheryl!