West Coast Butterfly

I reside in Los Angeles, California and work full-time as an Environmental Researcher.

[westcoastbutterfly]

Top 18 Best Honey Extractors - Manual & Electric (2020 )🥇 | EbeeHQ

Discover the Best Honey Extractors to buy in 2020! (UPDATED) With our Top 18 Best Honey Extractors for Beekeepers. Ultimate Buyer's Guide at EbeeHQ 🥇

For those who are looking for high quality honey extractors, take a read of this article by EbeeHQ, which talks about both manual and electric honey extractors, so you can find the best unit, that’s suited to your needs.

[westcoastbutterfly]

This is such a great post, one of the first posts that I read on Ebee’s website. And it really gave me the inspiration and information I needed to go out and get started beekeeping... So thank-you...

We really like this beekeeping resource!

[westcoastbutterfly]

How to Start a Beehive - A Step By Step Guide | EbeeHQ

Beekeeping is nothing more than keeping a colony of bees in a hive and harvesting the honey that they produce. Sounds simple right? Well, not really... Honey bees are not (and cannot be) domesticated so you

I know that I usually like to discuss the environmental aspects of sustainable beekeeping, and in particular that in recent times we have been neglecting the well-being of bees around the world. 

Well, something occurred to me, we need to have more ears involved in beekeeping, this means getting more people interested in beekeeping itself and what better way than to actively promote the way of becoming a beekeeper. 

Therefore I wanted to feature my good friend Steve’s website ebeehq.com, this is a resource for aspiring/new & intermediate beekeepers where they can learn the craft, have discussions and make fellow beekeeping friends... all in a very friendly environment. 

Steve actively writes on different topics surrounding the subject of beekeeping, these include everything from how to start a beehive, the equipment needed, how to prepare for winter months, etc. 

Anyway, if you’re interested in becoming a beekeeper, I’ve no doubt that you’ll find the site extremely useful.

[westcoastbutterfly]

In recent years, beekeepers report they’re losing on average 30% of all honeybee colonies each winter — twice the loss considered economically tolerable.

Did you know that we rely on bees to pollinate 71 of the 100 crops that provide 90% of most of the world’s food. Imagine no almonds, fewer apples and strawberries, less alfalfa to feed dairy cows, and the list goes on.

Image: Flickr User: Fried Dough - Creative Commons

6,000 times more toxic than DDT

Scientists point to several causes behind the problem, including global warming, habitat loss, parasites and a class of bee-killing insecticides known as neonicotinoids (or neonics).

When seeds are treated with neonics, the chemicals work their way into the pollen and nectar of the plants — which, of course, is bad news for bees and other pollinators. Worse, for the bees and for us, neonics are about 6,000 times more toxic to bees than DDT.

Just one example: After a nearby farm planted corn seeds coated with neonics in 2013, a farmer named Dave Schuit lost 37 million of his bees. “Once the corn started to get planted our bees died by the millions,” said Schuit.

The fact is, we cant afford to not have bees around. And according to https://archeroracle.org/33493/opinion/op-ed-bees-in-decline/ we’re already beginning to see the negative effects of honey bees dying. We need to move fast if we’re going to work together and save the bees.

[westcoastbutterfly]

We’ve all heard the bad news: An epidemic is wiping out honey bees in California and the nation. Bee populations have been declining significantly over the past 25 years, and a substantial and growing body of evidence points to neonicotinoid pesticides as a key factor. The Golden State has a special responsibility to respond to this threat: Our state's agricultural production accounts for more food than any other state in the nation – and that means our local economies depend on the health of honey bees. Tell your State Senator to act to save the bees and vote YES on the Pollinator Protection Act! Why are we hearing so much about bees lately? Last year, California beekeepers lost nearly 40 percent of their hives, a rate more than twice what is sustainable. In addition, wild bee populations have declined 23 percent between 2003 and 2008 in the Central Valley and other important agricultural regions of the nation. Given the staggering decline of honey bees in California, Senators Ben Allen and Scott Weiner have introduced legislation that would protect pollinators against toxic pesticides that are contributing to bee colony collapse. Senate Bill 602 will inform retail consumers about plants and seeds that have been treated with neonicotinoid pesticides and will make the chemicals available for use only by trained professionals. We have the chance to help save our honey bees by passing the Pollinator Protection Act. Tell your Senator to vote yes here: http://www.ecovote.org/SaveTheBees Amazingly, bees pollinate one in three bites that we eat, and their decline poses a serious threat to our food supply, the viability of agriculture, the livelihoods of beekeepers and the sustainability of our environment. Nearly 100 varieties of fruits depend on them for pollination, including produce like almonds, cranberries, avocados, and apples. They also help to generate more than $15 billion in agricultural production in the U.S each year! In 2014, the Task Force on Systemic Pesticides determined that neonicotinoid pesticides are a key factor in bee colony decline. The chemicals kill some bees outright, but also impair their ability to communicate, navigate and reproduce. It’s up to Californians to help reverse this trend by making sure our lawmakers vote YES on SB 602. Contact your state Senator now. Unfortunately, many well-meaning Californians buying bee-attractive plants at their neighborhood nurseries are unknowingly exposing wild bees to harmful chemicals. We can help reduce the risk to bees by informing consumers about the harm these pesticides present to beneficial insects. The Pollinator Protection Act will require labeling of all retail plants and seeds that have been pre-treated with neonicotinoids, indicating that the products can harm bees. The bill will also ensure that these pesticides are available for sale only to certified applicators, farmers, or veterinarians, which will prevent overexposure and overuse by people who are not properly trained. The bill is sponsored by Bee Smart California, a coalition of food, farming and beekeeping organizations. A survey of bee-attractive plants purchased at home and garden retailers across the country found that more than half contained levels of neonicotinoids at levels that could kill bees outright. Consumers also often overuse the chemicals, which may be applied at a rate 120 times higher than what is approved for agricultural uses. Let your lawmaker know you stand for the bees, and so should they: Tell them to support SB 602 now! Take action here: http://www.ecovote.org/SaveTheBees

If you can find the time, please follow the link and take action on ecovote.org.