The buzz on beekeeping as a hobby

Hour 2

City rooftops, suburban backyards, even fancy hotels like New York’s Waldorf-Astoria and Intercontinental are buzzing with bees.  Beekeeping is becoming a popular hobby across America.  In recent years, bee populations across the United States have faced colony collapse as they’ve battled a virus, a fungus and pesticides.  This news of entire bee colonies dying off spurred many people to get hives and has led to a beekeeping boom.  In this hour, we’ll get an update how bee populations are doing.  We’ll also get the buzz on beekeeping and learn about the challenges and the sweet rewards.  Our guests are JIM BOBB, a commercial beekeeper and chairman of the Eastern Apiculture Society and DAVID TARPY, an associate professor of Entomology at North Carolina State University and the extension apiculturist for the State of North Carolina.  We’ll also hear about urban beekeeping with SUZANNE MATLOCK,  vice-president of the Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild.

More on urban apiaries from WHYY-TV’s Friday Arts program.

Listen to the mp3

Listen:
[audio: 061212_110630.mp3]