Natural Beekeeping: A Balance Between Responsibility and Sustainability
Lately, the concept of "natural beekeeping" has been on a lot of beekeeper's minds. Definitions of natural or organic beekeeping range wide and far, and many people feel strongly about what these terms mean. There are so many definitions out there, it can be confusing as a new beekeeper to decide what to do with your bees. At Betterbee, we want to share our definition of and offer ways that you can bring organic techniques into your apiary.
To be clear, Betterbee does not claim to follow every rule of natural beekeeping in our bee operation, but we do strive to be as natural as possible. (And we think that a flexible mindset about managing colonies leads to the best possible bee health.)
For the next three months, we'll offer new articles on how to best incorporate natural beekeeping concepts into your hive management. From beekeeping accessories to varroa management tools and treatments, there are plenty of more-natural choices you can make to help keep your bees thriving.
Before you begin your natural beekeeping journey, consider how you will define your practice. Remember, there is no one way to bee-keep, and someone's natural strategy might be considered unworthy of the title to another. There has been some work done to legitimize organic beekeeping. Dr. Robyn Underwood's study in coordination with PennState Extension looked at the efficacy of organic honey bee management, and you can read more about it here. For the most part, the world of beekeeping has not yet decided on definitions for these terms, but that doesn't mean you can't. At Betterbee, we've spent a lot of time thinking about what "natural beekeeping" means for us and our bees. Betterbee loosely defines natural beekeeping as:
- A balance of respecting honey bee health, space, and their ecosystems
- Based off of observation and the bee's natural cycle, not a set schedule
- A commitment to protecting honey bees from harmful chemicals and intrusive practices
At Betterbee, we also believe it's important to include what natural beekeeping is not, and that is the idea of leaving bees alone. Whether catching a swarm or purchasing a nuc or package, we are removing animals from their natural habitat, and it is our responsibility as farmers to provide shelter and care. Honey bee colonies in the wild grow, swarm, thrive, struggle, and die for various reasons,but bees under the care of a good beekeeper do better than bees who are neglected. As we attempt to domesticate these wild animals, we must remember that some intervention is needed as we tend to this livestock in the boxes we've confined them to. We hope you take our definition into consideration as you begin beekeeping with a natural/organic mindframe. Please write to us with any questions or join the conversation on Facebook or Instagram Natural Beekeeping Part One: Respecting Honey Bee Ecosystems
The slogans might seem trivial because we've been hearing them for decades: Plant a tree! Save the bees! Take this as your sign to commit to hosting an environment that supports honey bee forage this year. You may not have the space (on your property or your calendar) to become a fulltime horticulturalist, but understand that natural beekeeping means a commitment to the bees' ecosystem. At Betterbee, the deer enjoy our sunflower seedlings as much as the honey bees, but we do our best to keep native forage available at our headquarters. We're proud to have a "weed"-filled lawn of dandelions, and we just finished planting a row of sunflowers at our newest bee yard. As a natural beekeeper, it's important to make every effort to learn about the native, bee-friendly plants that grow in your climate. Your bees might still fly for a mile to collect nectar, but you'll have the stage set for them right near their home.
While we've crafted our seed packs specifically for the northeast, they are a good starting point regardless of where in the United States you're located.
We offer:
- Borage
- Buckwheat
- Country Garden Mix - All but one of the species in the mix is native to the lower 48 U.S. states. The non-native exception is crimson clover, a nitrogen fixing plant that produces ample nectar for pollinators, and can already be found across the U.S. as it has become completely naturalized.
- Native Flower Bee Seed Mix - A collection of native North American wildflower species that improve bee habitat. These wildflowers provide food for both honey bees and many native solitary bee species.
- White Clover
- Yellow Clover
Whether you consider yourself a "natural beekeeper" or not, remember that your bees came from nature, and nature is where they get much of their food. Building a healthy and nutritious landscape of flowers for your bees is good beekeeping, no matter what beekeeping philosophy you subscribe to. We hope you'll enjoy the rest of our series exploring different topics in Natural Beekeeping.
