I am in the process of writing the "Gardening for Wildlife" section for
the FAQ for the proposed new newsgroup rec.gardens.ecosystems.
I'm a better gardener than a bee keeper and I'm not all that
comfortable about my comments regarding bees and bee keeping.
Would some kind hearted bee keeper look over my attached draft
and tell me how to do it better.
 
Thanks
 
Bill
____________________________________________________________
I.02.*: Attracting Bees and other Pollinators
 
  I.02.00: Introduction to Attracting Bees and other Pollinators
 
     Pollen is the male germ cell and pollination is when these male
     germs cells are moved to the female part of the flower. Self
     pollination is when pollen is transferred from the male to the
     female parts on the same flower. Cross-pollination is when
     pollen from one plant is transferred to another plant of the
     same species. The resulting offspring from cross-pollinated
     plants are more vigorous and seemingly more disease resistant.
 
     Plants produce nectar to attract insects to them so that the
     flowers can be pollinated. There are many insects that are
     attracted to this nectar and in the process pollinate the
     flowers. Bees, as a group however, are unique in that the
     nectar is their base source for carbohydrates and the pollen
     is their base source of fat and protein.  Bees are the primary
     pollinators of many plants. The honey bee population is down
     at the present time. It is impacting on gardens and
     agriculture.
 
     The best way to attract these various pollinators to the garden
     is through the use of nectar producing plants. This sub-section
     is about the use of the major and minor "honey plants" to
     attract bees and other pollinators to the garden; the use of
     water and propolis as attractants; and a guide to the major
     references and resources on bee keeping.
 
 
  I.02.01:
     Q: What are the best plants to attract bees to my garden?
 
     A: It varies with the region. "The Complete Guide to Bee-
     keeping" by Roger A. Morse lists the "major honey plants" as:
     Alfalfa, Aster, Basswood, Buckwheat, Clover, Goldenrod, Locust,
     Orange, Raspberry, Tulip Tree, and Wild Thyme. Morse adds that
     there are two hundred or more "minor honey plants" as well.
     Best bet is to talk with your local agricultural agent to
     learn which plants do the best job of attracting pollinators
     in your area.
 
  I.02.02:
     Q: I live in a crowded suburb with neighbors on both side. Is
     it feasible for me to keep bees?
 
     A: Screens seem to work in guiding bees over areas or
     structures close to the hive and there is some beekeeping that
     goes on in suburban and urban areas without any real problem.
     It would be a good idea, however, to talk it through with your
     neighbors and to check with the local authorities. There are
     some communities with ordinances forbidding beekeeping.
 
  I.02.03:
     Q: How about having a FAQ on bee keeping?
 
     A: There is a lot of interest and a lot of material on bee
     keeping. It warrents more than a section in this FAQ. There is
     already a good amount of material on bee keeping on the
     Internet. See "The Internet Apiculture and Beekeeping Archive
     at <http://sunsite.unc.edu/bees/home.html>; "The International
     Bee Research Association's web page at <http://www.cardiff.ac.
     uk/ibra>; and "The Beekeeping Home Page at <http://weber.u.
     washington.edu/~jlks/b>. There is also the bee keeping news-
     letter, [log in to unmask]
 
  I.02.04:
 
  I.02.05:
 
  I.02.06: