[DCBryan1]

State’s specialist is busy as a bee

— Janet Carson

Arkansas has nearly 1,500 registered beekeepers, most of whom are hobbyists who maintain fewer than five hives. They collectively manage more than 50,000 colonies. In 2009, the Natural State ranked No. 9 nationally in production of honey, with 2.1 million pounds produced.

Arkansas is fortunate to have its own honeybee specialist, Jon Zawislak, hired two years ago by the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture to help strengthen beekeeping programs. Zawislak works with beekeeping groups. He has posted detailed information on bees and beekeeping on the Cooperative Extension Service website, uaex.edu, and is available to present programs statewide and work with beekeeping groups or individuals who want to learn more about beekeeping. He is also interested in starting a Master Beekeepers group in Arkansas. To get in touch with Zawislak, contact your county extension office.

Special to the Democrat-Gazette/DON STEINDRAUS
A European honeybee gathers nectar and pollen from a spiderwort, or Tradescantia.

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/JANET CARSON
Bee expert Jon Zawislak shows a frame from a beehive with capped honey and nectar the bees store for food.

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/JANET CARSON
Smoking the bees makes them more docile while the beekeeper works the hive.

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/JANET CARSON
Worker bees, all females, are busy at their tasks.

[DCBryan1]

Arkansas state insect PING!

(Note: contrary to local belief, the common Tick, is NOT the state insect, nor is the chigger).

[Artemis Webb]

One of my best memories as a child was with an elder in our church who took me to his beehive in his backyard. He taught me how to smoke the bees while he collected honey and gave me a piece of honeycomb to eat. Bliss.

[WOBBLY BOB]

[DManA]

I have a big patch of Bee Balm in my yard. Boy is that accurately named. Honey bees swarm over it. Wonder where they come from?

[Daffynition]

Here's to bees! Bless them all!

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

***European honeybees arrived in North America in the 1600s.***

Called by the Indians, “The White Man’s flies”, when they showed up well in advance of the white men and announced to the Indians that Europeans were closing in.

[rickb308]

Awesome post! Thank you. I tried to smoke bees once. But they kept flying out of the papers.
(rim shot) LOL

[GreenLanternCorps]

Just watch out for killer bees...

[TheBattman]

Having lived in the rice country of Lonoke County for over 13 years - I just don’t buy that the bee is the state bug...

Far more mosquitoes than bees....

[SunkenCiv]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EgE6PbBEIc