The Green Acres field experience was split into two main parts, the indoor video and the outdoor nature walk. The video summarized many of the topics we had been discussing in class, one of them being how the bees dance and communicate their sources of nectar. Inside the wooden lodge classroom there were several bee tools and devices. There was a wooden bee hive with its several chambers, each with a different purpose.
Another device, one I found particularly interesting was the honey and hive separating tool. It lined the honeycomb sheets with freshly cut wax on the inside in a triangle and using a hand crank the triangular prism of honey combs rotated. The centrifugal force causes the viscous honey to seep from the waxy honey comb and into the bottom of the tank where a spigot allowed fresh honey to be strained of wax and bee limbs before being collected.
The outdoor portion of the trip was especially great. Our guide was well versed in all the native species plant, bug, and bird alike—always able to answer our questions of “what is that?” As we walked and hovered, each of us peered carefully into the colorful flowers, every minute a new pollinator being discovered. The honeybees that were there, and there were many, seemed very busy. The honeybees were not at all bothered by us, even as we got close and tested our limits (without being disrespectful to the bee of course.) Towards the end of the tour we glimpsed into the world of a species of wood bee the uses tubes to breed chambers and is a native to Ohio. We also got a glimpse of Green Acres’ honey bee hives. They had 3 in production, but only one of the hives of thriving, and one was struggling to stay healthy. We were also not allowed to get close, which indicated to me the severity of the problem Green Acres was facing. It made me wonder and realize how close to home this wicked problem is, and that the localized solution to the urban bee problem might be unrealistic after all. I plan to visit a friend’s urban bee hive soon, and will make sure to document if this local hive is experiencing the same level of hardship and death.
Another device, one I found particularly interesting was the honey and hive separating tool. It lined the honeycomb sheets with freshly cut wax on the inside in a triangle and using a hand crank the triangular prism of honey combs rotated. The centrifugal force causes the viscous honey to seep from the waxy honey comb and into the bottom of the tank where a spigot allowed fresh honey to be strained of wax and bee limbs before being collected.
The outdoor portion of the trip was especially great. Our guide was well versed in all the native species plant, bug, and bird alike—always able to answer our questions of “what is that?” As we walked and hovered, each of us peered carefully into the colorful flowers, every minute a new pollinator being discovered. The honeybees that were there, and there were many, seemed very busy. The honeybees were not at all bothered by us, even as we got close and tested our limits (without being disrespectful to the bee of course.) Towards the end of the tour we glimpsed into the world of a species of wood bee the uses tubes to breed chambers and is a native to Ohio. We also got a glimpse of Green Acres’ honey bee hives. They had 3 in production, but only one of the hives of thriving, and one was struggling to stay healthy. We were also not allowed to get close, which indicated to me the severity of the problem Green Acres was facing. It made me wonder and realize how close to home this wicked problem is, and that the localized solution to the urban bee problem might be unrealistic after all. I plan to visit a friend’s urban bee hive soon, and will make sure to document if this local hive is experiencing the same level of hardship and death.