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.

Monday, June 4, 2012

Scarlet Sumac bloom June 4th

I took this picture in my yard today.  It is the flower head of a scarlet sumac tree.  Not a very pretty flower, but you can see that the bees and the flys love it.  According to ABC and XYZ of Bee Culture it yields nectar heavily if the day is hot and clear.  It also says that on a good day a hive can pack in 20 pounds of honey.  I suspect that with the low levels of ground moisture, it won't perform that well around here but one can always hope.  It is supposed to bloom for three weeks.  Hope my bees pack some of it in.
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