Looking out over the courtyard within Trinity College (one of the colleges on the St. George campus of the University of Toronto) at 8:45 am this morning, it was hard for me to remember that this is actually a busy site. With most students either already in class or sleeping in, the area was deserted - it's the bees who are doing all of the work! I met up with three members of "UofT B.E.E.S." (Beekeeping Educational Enthusiast Society) to visit the hives perched atop the College roof. We checked up on the healthy bee colony that has been living on campus since this spring; this year's bees replaced the ones that, sadly, succumbed to the cold of this past winter after calling Trinity their home since May 2010. Coming up in late October, I hope to help winterize the rooftop apiary and give the bees a better chance at surviving the cold months ahead. Meanwhile, here are some of the photos I snapped this morning:
I'm sorry that most of these images were taken at weird angles with my own shadow in the frame - with so many bees buzzing around me, I wasn't keen on standing in their flight path just to get the perfect shot. I've never been stung and hope to keep it that way!
To learn more about UofT B.E.E.S., check out their FB page. To learn about other projects of the Dig In! Campus Agriculture Network, visit their website.
Those are some amazing photos! You're a far braver person than I... while I admire all the hard work and effort bees put into my honey, I'd rather keep them at arm's length.
ReplyDeleteGood on you for doing that, though! Very cool!
I wasn't afraid at all! And we weren't wearing full suits. I had a helmet/veil headpiece that zipped onto a jacket, but everything below my waist was vulnerable, and my hands - holding the camera close to the bees - were naked! But it wasn't scary. The bees seemed to be preoccupied with their work. That, and fighting wasps that tried to enter the hive. What a vicious fight! Good bees die to kill wasps that threaten the colony. They actually fought in the air, at times, which was really neat.
ReplyDeleteWow, wasp-bee battles, that would be a sight to see. I would like to get bees one day, or at least have them legal in urban lots... possible?
ReplyDeleteSherry: I don't know about Alberta, but Ontario law dictates that hives may not be placed any closer than 30 metres from the nearest property line - essentially restricting legal apiaries to non-residential properties. But, just as with backyard chickens, people are bending the rules! If you want to start your own colony, the initial cost will be a few hundred for the hive, equipment, and obviously the pollinators themselves.
ReplyDeleteSherry: if you're in Calgary, check out http://www.backyardbees.ca/
ReplyDeleteThanks Gurushabd! I remember meeting you at the Dig In! spring shindig, which is where I first heard about the campus bees. Thanks for posting the link!
ReplyDeleteFantastic photos Andrea! I've always been fascinated by bees. It amazes me how they all work together to make such an intricate living space. Now that's team work. What a cool project to be involved with.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lori, it's definitely cool. I've always been impressed with bees and their work ethic, drive, and orderly social structure. They didn't seem to really care that we were disturbing their hive, and since we weren't collecting honey we didn't need to smoke them. I got the impression they were thinking, "just leave us alone and let us get on with our work"! :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great opportunity to see a hive up close! I tried this Summer to connect with a local beekeeper, but had no luck. I'd love to keep a hive someday and I'd first like to shadow a beekeeper to see how it all works. I know a farmer who said I could keep bees on his property if I wanted to. Sherry- landsharing could be an option if it is not possible to keep bees on your own land.
ReplyDeleteEmily - good point about shadowing a beekeeper first! It's always nice to get a feel for what is involved before jumping in with both feet. Landsharing is a brilliant idea; it would make a lot of sense if you connect with someone who has a large property (and plenty of wildflowers) but not enough time or interest to keep bees themselves.
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