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Times-shamrock communiTy newspapers 149 Penn Avenue Scranton, PA 18503 Phone: (570) 348-9185 Fax: (570) 207-3448
January 14, 2016
abingtonsuburban.com
Let It Bee
ON THE INSIDE The latest happenings in our area Page 3
SUBURBAN
Want to be a beekeeper? Here’s a class to show you how by Linda Scott
SPECIAL TO THE ABINGTON SUBURBAN
Do you have an interest in bees, have thought of becoming a bee keeper and want to know how to get started? This is your chance. The Lackawanna Backyard Beekeepers will hold a program at the Abington Community Library, “So you want to be a beekeeper” on Thursday, Jan. 14, at 6:30 p.m. The event is free. The Lackawanna Backyard Beekeepers was founded in 2011. The first meeting was held in January of that year at Everything Natural in Clarks Summit. The meetings were moved to Keystone College and are now held at the Abington Community Library on the second Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm. “Whether you are already a bee keeper, are interested in becoming a bee keeper or have land that you would like to use to help sponsor a bee hive than this is he place for you,” said member Renee Czubowicz. The Lackawanna Backyard Beekeepers mission statement is to foster interest in backyard bee keeping and provide a forum for discussion among local bee keepers. Czubowicz and Dr. Maggie Miller took over running the club in September of 2015. “We have about 12 to 15 active members,” Dr. Miller said. “As a club we try to maintain the interests of our group, provide pertinent information and honest discussion. We get calls all the time to help with infestations, swarms and people looking to become beekeepers.” At previous meetings swarm removal, mite problems, hive winterization, queenlessness, pesticide and herbicides harming bees and honey harvesting were discussed. Guest speakers have been invited to speak about bee topics. The group is active in the community. They have set up a demonstration at Every-
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Members of the Lackawanna Backyard Beekeepers inspect a hive.
thing Natural and the Waverly Community House. Club members participated in the Green House project in Scranton and the Everhart Museum as well as Earth Day in Clarks Summit. “For the January 14 meeting, I will have a power point presentation. I will talk about getting started in bee keeping, the equipment needed, money it cost and the knowledge you need. Participants are encouraged to ask questions and anyone interested in becoming a beekeeper or interested in bees is invited to attend,” said Czubowicz. Czubowicz has six hives. There are two different hives the Top Bar and Longstrogh hive. She will bring a Longstroth hive to the meeting. The Top Bar hive has planted sides,
TIMES TRIBUNE FILE PHOTO.
is horizontal and made from bars instead of four-sided frames. According to Wikipedia, the Langstroth bee hive was patented in 1852 and is the standard beehive. It is used in many parts of the world. In this beehive, the bees build honeycombs into the frames. Here are some facts about bees from the Lackawanna Backyard Beekeepers Facebook page. • Bees pollinate 80 percent of the world’s plants including 90 different food crops. • One out of every three or four bites of food you eat is thanks to bees. • The honeybee is responsible for $15 billion in agricultural crops each year. • “Bees are so important to pollination and for the food we eat” said Czubowicz. “If honey bees become endangered, what does that say about our environment? Bees are healthy for the environment and we should help save them.”