Bees know how to bee, so just let them be is the philosophy of urban beekeepers Jason and Lauren Baker. Lauren Baker said that she and her husband raise bees a little differently than some. They take a hands-off approach, trusting that bees know how to do the tasks that are inherent to their nature, and that philosophy has worked for them thus far.
The Bakers, who live in the Enos Park neighborhood in Springfield, placed their first hives in their backyard in late winter 2020 to early spring of 2021. They inherited two established hives and purchased two additional colonies. Baker said their first year went pretty well. The established hives withstood winter and they are still active hives today, but the two that were purchased died off organically.
"Winter is the big hurdle," Baker said. "If you're going to lose a hive, you'll likely lose it during the winter. Our theory is that when you purchase hives you may get bees from out of the region. Commercial beekeepers transfer hives from California or southern states, and the bees aren't used to winter. If you can get through the first winter, you're good."
Award-winning beekeepers Mike and Joyce Dullenty raise bees on Busy Bee Farm, their home in the country just outside of Morrisonville. Joyce said they have been beekeeping for nine years agreed the goal is to get the bees through the Illinois winter. Last winter went well for the Dullentys. They treated for mites with oxalic acid, fed the bees sugar bricks and otherwise left them alone, much like the Bakers. The Dullentys have 10 hives and would like to increase to a maximum of 25, depending on how well their hives winter and if they can capture swarms.
The Bakers have been working with the inherited hives which have had splits. Splits happen naturally when the colony is running out of room. The bees inherently recognize that some of them will need to leave and form their own colony. In preparation they'll establish a new queen, and when it's time to exit the hive, they'll leave in a swarm along with their queen. The swarm is easy to spot and can be loud and intimidating, but in actuality the bees are very vulnerable and docile at this time as they are looking for a new, safe place to call home.
A swarm can find its way to a new home in the wild, or the beekeeper can add the swarm to their tower – white boxes elevated a couple of feet off the ground and usually placed in a backyard or field – scooping the bees into a new box where they will form a new colony. Each box tower is a colony, and the box contains frames that function like drawers. That's where the honeycomb is filled with nectar.
Both couples said they have learned from experience as well as other beekeepers. Here are their tips for new beekeepers:
• Do plenty of research to make certain you want to be a beekeeper before buying expensive equipment. Dullenty admits it's more work than you might imagine, but there are plenty of good reasons to be a hobby beekeeper.
• Be open to learning new beekeeping practices because there are many ways to successfully raise bees. Some beekeepers are very analytical and others are not. But as long as your bees make it through the winter, you're good.
• Take a class on beginner beekeeping at an area college or university. The cost is typically minimal, and the benefits are great.
• Participate in an association such as the Lincoln Land Beekeepers Association or Family Beekeepers of Illinois and have an experienced mentor for your first couple of years.
• The Illinois State Beekeepers Association's website is a wealth of information about what you should know before you decide if beekeeping is for you. Also, there are regulations that even a hobby beekeeper needs to follow.
The Bakers harvest honey twice a year, in May and again in late July. Some beekeepers do a third harvest, depending on how abundant the honey is, because the bees rely on the remaining honey for nutrition over the winter. Beekeeping in an urban area has the advantage of slightly warmer temperatures, which allows bees more time to forage.
If you're ready to be a hobby beekeeper, don't be hard on yourself if it doesn't work the first time around and never stop learning. Bees know what they're doing, so give yourself a little grace and give it another go.
