Understanding the Honeybees

Workshops

Understanding the Honeybees

Anthea van Geloven

In this workshop we shall dive into the life of the honeybee colony to gain deeper understanding. We will learn about the queen, the worker bees, and the drones and their different roles. We will also dive into swarming and 4 part metamorphosis to understand the reproductive systems of the colony. We will cover substances of the beehive such as wax comb, propolis, pollen and nectar, bee bread and honey. These topics will weave together to create a deeper understanding of the life of the honeybee and then to get a sense for how the roles of a beekeeper support a healthy hive.

Teacher Bio:

Anthea van Geloven is a lover of the honeybees and has been deeply working with them for 6 years. She spent 4 years working as the farm manager of Spikenard Honeybee Sanctuary and bases the foundation of her beekeeping methods on the practices taught there. Currently, she is the farm manager at Against the Grain Farm where she manages the 3 acre intensive vegetable production in Boone, North Carolina. She manages the bees at the farm and has a handful of beehives herself in addition to helping community members with their own beekeeping projects. Her philosophy is that if we understand the life of the honeybee, it’s anatomy, biology, history and social structure, then, combined with our own careful observation, we can enter into deep relationship with these beautiful insects and successfully partner with them as beekeepers.