All about bees

As the buzz surrounding the nation’s dwindling honeybee population increases, more people are becoming interested in beekeeping as a hobby. Southwest Austinites can comb through local events listings and resources in this Bee Guide to learn about local honey, beekeeping basics and training opportunities.

Bees can establish hives in the sides of homes and in trees. Bee rescue expert Jim Hogg recommends staying away from such hives and calling an expert to remove them. Some bee-removal experts offer services for free, but pricing can vary depending on the location, size of the hive and other factors, he said.

Hogg said his hive removal services start at $150. He removes the honeycomb, uses a special vacuum to safely extract bees and transports them to a new hive elsewhere. More information is at www.daddysbees.com.

The benefits of beekeeping include:

• Produces honey
• Encourages pollination of plants including fruits and vegetables
• Helps with conservation of the bee population, which is decreasing in size as a result of colony collapse disorder and other factors
• Inspires deeper relationship with nature

Source: Jayne Clark, beekeeper and instructor of informal classes at The University of Texas

Sept. 15

Austin Area Beekeepers meeting

The social group meets monthly to discuss honeybees and other pollinators, share books and ideas on the subject, and establish cooperatively managed honeybee colonies around town.