“Why do Beekeepers Feed their Honeybees?”

“I ain’t feedin’ ma bees ‘cuz I don’t wanna create no welfare bees!”

January 2014: We were in our first beekeeping class learning about honeybees. Our instructor and future bee colony supplier told us to feed our bees, but the reason and explanation he gave did not make sense to us. One classmate muttered that opening statement about “welfare bees,” and many of us nodded in ignorant agreement.

May 2014: Our instructor and now bee colony supplier delivered our three new colonies of bees and again, told us to feed our bees. We smiled politely, but demurred. Honeybees are wild critters; God feeds them, and they seem to do just fine without us, right?