Welcome to Gobeekeeping

§  Home Page § About me and my bees § Install a package of bees § Why new packages fail § Spring Management § Test your knowledge § Beekeeping classes § Power point presentations

Beekeeping is not rocket science.  But many approach beekeeping as something anyone can get involved in.      I see some things happening which are a great concern to me. "New beekeeper's Failure" The information I share at this site is free.  No class, no book, no web site is going to make you a successful beekeeper.   One would make you believe that there is a solution to every problem.  Sorry but honey bees die not because you do not manage them properly, they die because we make the assumption that they can take care of themselves.  We are destroying our planet and the high death rate of honey bees should be of concern to us.    Concern for the bees?    Or What about concern for mankind?

Go to a bee club meeting and look around the room (Are there young people full of energy or old guys like me?).   If you can not find a club, use a search engine on your browser for beekeeping organizations -- state or local bee clubs usually have a web site.  Bee meeting and bee events are happening all over the place.    These groups desire to help you get started.  They want to educate people about honey bees because that is included in most mission statements.   Many are great social group.  These are great goals.   The problem as I see it is  -- many people join, take classes, attend meetings and after a few years give up trying to keep bees alive.   This large group of people who drop out are still interested in honey bees but they have come to realize that spending a lot of money and time doesn't keep bee hives alive for very long.  Some would make you believe the bees died because you did not do this or that.   They may say your bees did not have good queens or good genetics.  Or maybe something is wrong in your management style.   As a beekeeper I face the same issues -- how in the world can I keep going on with keeping bees.   I am buying new packages every year and I am re-queening my hives with good stock and yet my bees struggle to survive even with all the experience and knowledge that I have.    What can a new beekeeper expect -- not to face the same problems that I am facing.   I will share with you and try to answer question you have about anything I have learned from the day I was born into a commercial beekeeping family in 1938 to the present time.  I am concerned about honey bees -- they have been my life and I continue to live each day to see them fly and forage and make my day a bit brighter.      Dana Stahlman