I am a biology student in my last year at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. In early 2012 I set out on a semester abroad, keen to study bees and beekeeping. In January I found myself driving a forklift in Outback Australia, operating a 96-frame honey-extracting centrifuge with a crew of 3rd generation beekeepers. In New Zealand, I encountered alternative Varroa treatments that give new meaning to the words “fog machine.” Then I moved on to Thailand and met queenless colonies which were not so much beehives as honey factories. And then I went to China as a substitute manager on a sustainable beekeeping project.
Here at HoneyBeeSuite, I hope to share a fragmented account of a few of my (mis)adventures. For further news and other stories, feel free to check out my blog at www.smallwrld.wordpress.com.