Rich Flowers
The Athens Review
Athens —
Honeybees bring more than just a taste of honey to the world, beekeeper Dick Counts told the Athens Rotary Club, Thursday.
Counts is the executive director of the East Texas Beekeepers Association. He says honeybees are amazing creatures that are among the most unusual and useful of God’s creations.
“Every third bite you eat is made possible because of the honeybee,” Counts said.
The bees have been in decline for the past 15 to 20 years, and with them goes their ability to pollinate an array of plants that translate into food for the table.
Who is to blame for the thinning population?
“We are,” Counts said.
Counts asked for a show of hands from those who had not picked up a can of insecticide at sometime and sprayed into the air. There were none raised.
“We’ve been dumping chemicals on this old earth for about 125 years, and it took that long to get the honeybee,” Counts said. “How long is it going to take to get us? ”
Counts said the East Texas Arboretum in Athens has one of the eight observation bee hives in the East Texas area. Anyone interested can see the intricate workings of the queen, workers and other bees in a controlled environment.
When a member of the audience asked about swarms of bees, Counts explained that they take place when a queen will take half of the population of an overcrowded hive, and head for a new location. A new queen will assume that role in the hive left behind.
Occasionally, bees will sting humans. Counts recalls getting 17 bites on one hand on one occasion. If you get stung, and feel your throat start to tighten, that’s trouble.
“You are going into anaphylactic shock,” Counts said. “You have 15 minutes to seek medical attention or it could be fatal.”
Counts is one of the few beekeepers in East Texas with the tools and experience to remove hives from homes. He can be contacted at 903-566-6789.
