Lower Cape May Regional 4-H Club

Insects have always interested me. The Honey Bee was most interesting – the way they work as a family and take care of each other, protecting their home and young. They communicate with each other and work together for the better of the hive. It also is important to me to be as organic as possible for the protection of all mankind. Without the Honey Bee or other pollinators, our crops would die and that would not be a good outcome for our planet.
The students in the Lower Cape May Regional 4-H Club maintain the school hives by checking biweekly on the bee population and honey flow. If the population of bees is low or not actively collecting pollen, the students will look deeper to see if the queen is visibly around and producing young. Also, if the honey flow is low, the students will know that we must start feeding the hive a sugar substance, especially in the fall months to help them over winter when there are no plants to pollinate.
We check the hives biweekly from spring through fall, and monthly in severe winter. On warm days in winter, we will check the hives for movement to see if the bees are flying for water and to relieve themselves. In winter, we do not open the hives inner covers. We check by opening the lids to see if they are grouped in a ball and if they need a little sugar for feed.
We will lift the hives from the back to check for weight of hives as the winter moves on. This will tell us how much honey may be left in the hive for them to eat, and how many bees may be left in hive after the cold winter months.
First, we don’t make the honey, the bees do! Sorry had to do that! The bee population and the location and type of pollen will determine how much honey the little girls will produce. Honey is used by the bees for food all year round. There are many types, colors and flavors of honey, depending upon its nectar source. The bees make honey from the nectar they collect from flowering trees and plants. Honey is an easily digestible, pure food. Honey is hydroscopic and has antibacterial qualities. Eating local honey can fend off allergies.
This past year, we worked five hives and produced 460 pounds of honey. The members of the Lower Cape May Regional 4-H Club shown in these photos are students Paige Riess, Greg Holden, Autumn Zeigler, Bryanna Vanhorn and Sean Gavan. Students not shown in the photos include Julia Gindville, Kara Stephen and Makenzie DeAngelo.