We are a group of bees and humans working at Sri Mata Amritanandamayi's Toronto Centre. Our goal is to support local bee populations and pollination. Our beekeeping is organic and in tune with our environment. We are happy to share information with you and hopefully, one day, a taste of our honey. It's divine.
Today we continued working in our largest hive -- the hive in which last week we discovered that the queen was laying eggs above the queen excluder! Markjan explains how we address that issue along with the beginning of our honey harvest for the season.
Our newest bee sevite, Ashwini, does an excellent job of assisting Markjan in these tasks.
We went out to the hives to see whether the two new queens had been accepted or not. In the first hive, this is what happened...
We then checked on the second hive. As we took each frame out from the boxes below the queen excluder and inspected it for larvae and eggs, our hope dropped a notch. In two boxes, absolutely nothing. We were quite puzzled, though, because the population in this very large hive looked like it was booming. When the queen's gone, it fades.
We had already started to talk about how we might order a third queen for the hive this season, and then we did an inspection of the honey boxes above the queen excluder.
Who would've imagined that the queen was above the queen excluder? As someone in our satsang put it later that afternoon, she is not playing by the rules! There a couple of ways it could've happened. Perhaps the new queen managed to get through the queen excluder. Or maybe the old queen did the same and when the new queen was placed in the hive, she was chased out.
My personal theory, and it's only a theory, is that in the absence of a queen, the bees had created their own queen upstairs above the queen excluder. And so, the queen we placed in the hive last week was chased out. We'll know for sure if it's the queen from the breeder if we ever catch sight of her and see that she has a white dot on her back, a mark from the breeder that is placed on a queen to help with visibility.
At this point, we are trying to figure out what to do next. In the meantime, we have removed the queen excluder. The purpose of a queen excluder is to keep her from laying eggs in the upper part of the hive. This is so the bees use those frames for honey only. Once honey is mixed in cells with brood, it is not used for human consumption.
We now have three hives at the Amma Canada Centre in Halton Hills, as we split one of them earlier this summer.
In one of our three hives, we thought there may have been a naturally generated queen, but it turned out there was not. In the other, the queen died. So today we put a new queen in each of the two hives.
In this video, Markjan and I talk about the procedure while out at the hives and place one of the queens in what is hopefully her new home. There is a chance the bees will reject her.
The other queen was placed in her hive in the same manner. Let's hope for the best! We will check on them next week.
By Amma's Grace, the bee workshop was a great success today. Nigama gave an incredibly informative and intelligent lecture on the history of beekeeping and bee biology. Markjan delivered a practical and humorous demonstration of beekeeping equipment. I gave a talk about the personal relationship that develops with the bees and presented a documentary about the worldwide disappearance of the honeybee, Silence of the Bees.
The highlight of the day, however, was an actual inspection of the hive. Most of the people who came to the workshop were seeing the inside of a beehive for the first time. I think it's fair to say the group consensus was, "Wow. That was mindblowing."
Nigama doing something she loves -- sharing information about the bees
Markjan demos the smoker
Inside the hive
At the end of a fascinating inspection of the hive
Amma Canada Bee Workshop: An Afternoon of Fun and Learning with our Bees
Sunday, June 12, 2011 from 1 – 5:30 p.m.
9158 Trafalgar Road, Georgetown, Ontario
$10 registration fee. Snacks included.
Limited spaces, so preregister!
In this workshop, we will introduce you to the fascinating world of the honeybee and tell you about our experiences with beekeeping at the Amma Canada Centre. Topics will include basic honeybee biology, beekeeping equipment, inspecting a bee colony, and the global importance of bees to humankind and Nature. We’ll also take a walk out to visit our bees and see them in action.
For more information or to register, email amritabees@gmail.com or call 416-807-1403.
Mohan Sookdeo has been an active and enthusiastic member of the bee committee since we first started our work in 2009. A couple of weeks ago, he got his first opportunity to don one of the white suits and come out to the hives to help Nigama. I asked him to write a few words about his impressions and he kindly agreed.
My First Time with the Bees
We approached the bees very carefully and not with a lot sound. When we got closer, I could hear them buzzing. As I was standing there, many of them came by my face net and were bouncing at me. Maybe to ask me what I was doing there. I knew I had to stay calm otherwise they would have gotten more mad at me. Anyway, they saw that I was not doing anything to harm them and they left me alone.
It is very interesting to look at the bees and learn from them.
Sitting here typing, it's challenging to put today's experience with the bees into words. The light gray mist everywhere gave an air of calm to all the grounds at the Amma Canada Centre. The images we took capture some of that atmosphere, so I'm going to let them do most of the talking.
Nigama walking out to the hive on a calm and misty day
All week, we watched forecasts of showers with concern. We didn't know how much we could get done and had some pressing tasks we hoped to complete. But when we arrived at the centre in the morning, there was no rain. We suited up and got out to the hive as quickly as possible.
Opening Hive 2
I always hold my breath when we open the hive for a check. Even though everything may look fine from the outside, you just never know what's happening inside. The first peek revealed that this hive is as strong as ever.
Does the video above look like a horrid mess to you? What you see are the bees hard at work doing some spring cleaning on the bottom board from the hive. This one has been in place all winter, so it's collected a lot of debris. This includes things like wax droppings, pests, and the bodies of dead bees.
Bees are extremely hygienic creatures, and these ones have been assigned the task of removing this unwanted filth from their home. I was very interested to see that they had completely cleared an area in front of the space where the entrance was.
Nigama puts a clean bottom board in place
One of the important jobs for us was to install a clean bottom board. This new one has a screen that is small enough for mites to fall through and get trapped in the grease applied to a sheet of paper in the bottom. However, it is too small for bees to go through. We also drew squares on the paper to help us with mite counts throughout the warm season.
A frame from inside the hive
We checked frames in both the top and bottom boxes of the hive. They looked fantastic. The outer frames were full of capped honey. On others, we found the "rainbow pattern" of brood, pollen and honey.
Larva and eggs in some of the cells from Hive 2
Short of seeing the queen herself, the indication that she is alive is to find eggs and young larva. We found several of these tiny shrimp-like beings and heaved a sigh of relief.
Rajeswari's new BF - bee friend
The best part of my time involved a tiny friend who decided to hang out with me. I looked down to find a bee sitting calmly over my breastbone, occasionally wiggling her attenna. Each time I checked, I thought she'd be gone, but there she was. She was with me for at least half an hour! In fact, when we were getting ready to leave, we had to use a feather to gently place her back in the hive. We didn't want her to come with me all the way to the farmhouse. She might not find her way back to the hive.
This bee really didn't want to leave Rajeswari
Later in the evening, I was telling my BFF Uma about it. She is seven and infinitely wise. She simply said, "Oh. That was probably just Amma in the form of a bee."
By the way, as soon as Nigama and I had returned all the equipment to the shed, a downpour started.
By the time Mohan* and I got out to the hive, it was in the shade and there was a cool breeze. This limited how much time we could inspect the hive as it's important not to expose the brood to cool temperatures for very long. Within 20 minutes, we determined that the queen is alive by the presence of eggs and young larvae. The pupating brood were also healthy and free of any disease.
The colony has lots of honey stores as well as pollen which the young bees mix together to form what's known as “bee bread”. They feed this to the developing larvae, as it is the perfect combination of carbohydrates and protein needed for growing bees. Sugar syrup supplemented with Honey Bee Healthy essential oils was added to the hive's feeder. This is an organic method to help protect the bees from the parasitic varroa mites whose growth is stunted when they come into contact with many types of essential oils such as spearmint, tea tree and wintergreen oils.
An earlier picture of Hive 2 - even a few weeks ago they were very strong.
As it was cool out and the colony is a medium size, we didn't add the screened bottom board which is used to trap varroa mites and increase ventilation in the hive during the warm months. That can wait until the colony has had time to build up its numbers. For now, the winter wrap is still on the hive to help keep the bees warm so that they can concentrate on raising the young ones.
It was a relief to see that the colony has a healthy queen and that, generally, the hive is performing well. After not being in their hive all winter except for a moment's peek, it was also a joy to see our gentle and ever hard working bees up close again!
*Mohan Sukhdeo helped Nigama with hive inspections today. Having been on the bee committee since the beginning, it was lovely for him to finally get a closeup look!
Nigama and I didn't have time to do a full hive check before satsang today. We had gone to a treeplanting seva in the morning in partnership with Evergreen. She decided to stay over at the centre and find someone else who could help her on Sunday. I had a little bit of time so I decided to take a stroll out to see how our strong hive was doing and say my hello to the bees. Everything looked great, as it had in the weeks before.
Closeup of bees at entrance to Hive 2
The forager bees continue to bring a lot of pollen into the hive. Nigama and I have been wondering where they might be collecting it from, especially because there are still cold days. When we first started working with the hives, we had the opportunity to ask Amma if we should plant a special bee garden. It was during one of her visits to the centre around the time of the Toronto program. Amma assured us that there was plenty around for the bees, so we've never worried about it. It's just interesting to figure it out.
There are some maple trees that generally blossom between February and April, so that was one possible source. Last week, we noticed a patch of yellow flowers about 30 metres east of the hive. So today I head over to take a look.
Source of pollen? A patch of yellow flowers about 30 metres east of the hive
Upon closer inspection, I found lovely, small flowers with petals like many rays. Somewhat like a dandelion. But I did not know what they were. Thanks to the digital age, I found the answer very quickly when I got home. This website on Ontario's wildflowers revealed that they are called Coltsfoot, and they are one of the province's earliest appearing spring flowers.Their stalk has reddish scales and they love wet waste areas, especially ditches along country roads.
Coltsfoot: one of Ontario's earliest appearing spring flowers
On Saturday morning, Nigama and I prepared ourselves as usual for the hive inspections. We donned our white bee suits and zipped our face protectors shut. We gathered all the needed tools and prepped the smoker (see video below). But both of us felt tense about what we might find in the weaker hive. Nigama had called the Ontario Beekeepers' Association during the week for advice, and what she heard from the specialist there was not hopeful.
First, we took a look at Hive 2, the stronger hive, and the good news is that it continues to thrive. A constant stream of foraging bees exit and enter, bringing with them pollen packed around their legs. This is a signal that they are raising young, as pollen is food for larvae. They are also starting to use the lower opening on the hive instead of just coming through the top one.
Bees of Hive 2 using the lower opening
We approached the weaker hive with trepidation. This was our first colony, started in 2009. Three weeks ago when we checked it, there was a decent-sized cluster of bees inside -- about as big as a basketball. They were sluggish compared to Hive 2, but Nigama and I figured they were simply waking up to spring a little more slowly. But last week, that bundle had shrunk to about the size of a grapefuit. When a cluster becomes too small, the bees can't generate enough heat inside the hive to stay alive.
As Nigama lifted the lid, my heart withered. No movement whatsoever within. Some of the bees actually appeared to be frozen in midstep. To me, it looked as though they could resume whatever they had been doing at any moment. They just simply stopped. I immediately thought of Amma who has said:
As long as there is enough strength in these hands to reach out to those who come to her, to place her hand on a crying person’s shoulder, Amma will continue to give darshan. To lovingly caress people, to console and wipe their tears until the end of this mortal frame—this is Amma’s wish.
Bees are beings completely dedicated to the seva of taking care of their hive, even to the last moment.
Hive 2 is on the left and Hive 1 is on the right
This may sound dramatic, but both Nigama and I immediately had the sense that we were staring into a coffin. Our first reaction was to say the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra along with Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu.
The relationship we have developed with our bees is significant. We have built them a home, fed them, and given them medicine to protect them from parasites and disease. We have watched them grow and change. They, having stung us a few times, have surely observed us become more relaxed and confident around them. To have a hive die truly is a loss. To be honest, I'm still working through my feelings about it.
We know that winter survival rates have been dreadfully low over the past few years in Canada. And this last season in Ontario, people have lost anywhere from 30 to 60% of their hives. April was a really tough month for the bees with warm, sunny days and then sudden blasts of snow and wind. But still, one can't help but wonder what we could've done to save them.
So what happened? Our best guess is that the queen died some weeks ago. No queen means no eggs being laid, and that means no new generation of bees coming up to replace the old ones. Dampness and an illness known as nosema could have also played a part.
The base where Hive 1 stood
We took Hive 1 apart and loaded it into our blue, fibre glass gardening trolley. Eventually, we rolled it over to the compost heap near the garden in order to clean out the corpses and other debris. Nigama felt called to attend satsang so she could take part in the singing. At the same time, she didn't want to leave me alone with this work. I felt that on a day of sadness such as this one, it was important for her to be in satsang. I didn't mind doing the job by myself, so I told her to go ahead. It was very important to me to get the cleaning done quickly. Kind of like burying your loved one within 24 hours.
I am so lucky, though, in that Maala offered to help me, even though she isn't on the bee committee. As we stood in the setting sun, picking tiny bodies and wings out of wax and honey, I knew there was no way I could have done the work alone. It was simply too hard, both physically and emotionally. I had no idea it would be that hard.
By the end of the day, I was comforted by Nigama's ideas for next steps. There was a lot of honey and pollen left in the frames of the hive. Both the physical structure and that store of bee food can be used for a new colony. In fact, Hive 2 is so strong it looks like we may be able to split it in order to start the new hive. We'll just need to buy a new queen. Looking at the abandoned base structure from Hive 1, Nigama said, "To me that is a symbol of potential. It's like a marker to the hive that died, but also points to what is coming next."
Amrita bees getting a breath of fresh air after a long winter
Towards the end of April, our bees are starting to venture outside the hive to gather pollen and nectar. Nigama and I made a syrup out of hot water and sugar so that we could offer the bees a post-winter snack. We added a feeding stimulant called Honey-B-Healthy that is composed of lemon grass and spearmint essential oils. It helps boost the bees' health in times when nectar sources are low (like spring).
When we got out to the hive we noticed that one hive was extraordinarily active. A cloud of workers buzzed about the entrance and many of them were re-entering the hive with large packets of pollen gathered on their legs. This is a sign that they are feeding young larvae. The video below documents this well, and even includes some bold appearances by bees who might be trying to catch a break in front of the camera. :)
The other hive was cause for concern, as we did not see the same robust activity. In fact, there did not seem to be any bees flying around the entrance. When we opened the hive, there was just a grapefruit-sized cluster of bees inside. We felt they were too fragile to start removing frames and checking for new larvae or the presence of a queen. We did notice that there is a lot of honey, so the problem is not lack of food. We will continue to think about and research next steps. In the meantime, your prayers for the health of this hive are much appreciated.
It was an emotional event. Speaking for myself, in caring for these bees, I have felt a deep bond form. When I come to the ashram and I feel sad, a visit out to the hives to connect with the energy of the bees transforms me. Seeing one of our hives in a weakened state got me thinking about the bigger picture of the health of bees. All over the world, they are dying.
Nigama offering the bees a post-winter snack
In Canada, it is becoming more difficult each winter for bees to make it through. The average survival rate used to be about 5 to 15%. In the winter of 2006-7, there was a dramatic increase when about 36% of bee colonies across the country died. Since then, it has hovered at about that same number. In the US and Europe, they are seeing an even more disturbing phenomenon called colony collapse disorder. Beekeepers open their hives and find that the bees are simply and suddenly gone.
Why are our bees dying? Researchers have been looking at two things in particular: infestations by mites who have become resistant to pesticides and climate change -- especially longer, colder winters.
The cooperation between humans and bees goes back 10,000 years when humans began to cultivate bees for honey. It was a relationship where the bees were respected and thanked for the their gifts. Bees are also responsible for the growth of much of our food thanks to pollination. Sources say from 30 to 40% of our crops are pollinated by bees. Without them, flowers would die, fruits would disappear and, of course, there would be no honey. When you think about it, bees would do much better without us than we would do without them.
Instead of working with nature in mutual partnerships, humans have been seeking to control nature. The bees seem to be telling us something. They've had enough and they withdraw. This has been made clear to me in a new documentary about bees called Queen of the Sun. I was shaken to the core when I heard these words by Gunther Hauk, a biodynamic beekeeper in the United States. He says this at the beginning:
Colony collapse disorder is the bill we are getting for all we have done to the bees. It's just a name that was given to a phenomenon that a hive is found empty. Food is there. Honey is there. But the bees are gone. The first thing we look for is who is the cause for that. Who is responsible? We are not going to solve the problem by us killing a virus or a bacteria or a fungi. Because the problem is an inner one. Personally I am grateful for a crisis. The crisis will give us the possibility to learn something if we are willing. If the heart opens up enough to tell the mind something.
Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu. Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu. Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu.
When Amma speaks about the environment and the importance of restoring Nature's harmony, she often mentions the state of honeybees. She said this in Paris in 2007 during a speech entitled "Compassion: The Only Way to Peace":
Usually, bees have no problem travelling as far as three kilometres from their hives when foraging for nectar. But these days, after collecting nectar, bees cannot remember their way back home and get lost. Unable to reach their hives, they die. In a way, it is because of bees that we have food. Bees play a vital role in the preservation of Nature and society. They pollinate the plants that provide us with fruits and grains .... All living beings need our help as well in order to survive. They are also our responsibility.
When we established the Amma Canada Centre on a farm outside Toronto in 2008, Amma's instructions included growing organic food, planting trees, and beekeeping. And so it was in the spring of 2009, we excitedly released our first nucleus of honeybees into a newly constructed wooden hive out by the maples.
Rajeswari holds a frame while Nigama dusts the bees with icing sugar to treat for the varroa mite
For me, working with bees up close has been nothing short of transformative. In the past, I hadn't given bees much thought other than to appreciate their fondness for flowers and enjoy the exquisite taste of their honey. I had no idea how they functioned as a community.
Each hive member has specific work. Each one executes precise tasks without question -- be it pollen gathering, hive guarding, larvae feeding, cleaning duties or reproducing. I went from viewing the hive as a cluster of individuals to seeing it as one organism. The spiritual symbolism, quite simply, blew me away.
The first season was about learning and experimentation. From the beginning, we practised organic methods to care for our bees and treat against parasites and other pests. Our bees responded well and they expanded quickly. By late fall, they were disease free and had stored more than 140 pounds of honey!
The success continued. Our hive not only survived its first winter, but had to be split into two in the spring. As we begin season three, things are looking equally optimistic. This time both hives have made it through another tentacle-chilling Ontario winter and one of them may have to be split yet again.
We're going to keep you updated here on the progress of our bees throughout the year and other things the beekeeping committee is up to. We're currently working on some lip balm to share with you that is made with wax from our own hives.
We also would like to post about the wider world of bees and beekeeping. This includes information about the global phenomenon known as colony collapse disorder and what we can learn from the bees about returning to a life in balance with nature.
