Jon Working Honey Bees

Jon Working Honey Bees

Jon's Bio

I graduated from SIUC in 1981. After college I worked as an officer in the Air Force until retirement in 1997. I had a second career teaching middle school science and retired again in 2010. In 1968 I married my high school sweetheart, Shirley, and we have two beautiful daughters and four grandchildren.
I have always loved to study natural history and bees are a fantastic organism for that pursuit. Their communication, cooperation, and life cycles are amazing. It is fun just to sit by the hive and watch them rush in and out with their cargo. Beekeeping tunes you into the ecology of plants in your area as you learn which ones produce the nectar and pollen the hives depend on. This knowledge is a key ingredient of hive management. Many of the posts I make on this blog will be about plant happenings.
I am also interested in fishing and woodworking. I enjoy animal husbandry and have raised many kinds of poultry. Currently I only have a couple of yard dogs and three Boston Terriors.
Thanks to the MV Beekeepers for hosting this site.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

I like to work bare handed and smoke my hands heavily before working.  I rarely get any stings on my hands using this method and like to feel what I am doing.  In this picture you can see the bee tool box I made to hold all my equipment.  It holds everything necessary and is convenient to just grab and head for the bee yard.  Thanks to my wife, Shirley for the beautiful painting of the box.
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2 comments:

  1. Diane (SpeedKin.com)May 3, 2012 at 12:54 PM

    What a brilliant idea -- smoking your hands! I'd never have thought of that. Thanks!

    Love the box, too. I still need to build something like that.

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  2. Buzzy BeeMay 6, 2012 at 5:51 PM

    Thanks Diane, I always worry about putting up a hot smoker and my box has a compartment for just the smoker. My smoker has the little hook on the front, so when It hangs on the front, there is an air space all around it. I will bring my box to the next meeting for show and tell.

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