Welcome to Bee & Bee.
I’ve put a lot of thought into what I’d like this website, and this business, to be. What I have decided is that I want this to be about education and bee health above anything else. I believe that through the former, you stand much greater success at the latter. I love bees, and worry about the trouble they find themselves in (thanks to us), but I actually know very little about them. Or should I say “knew” very little about them. I recently decided to embrace my inner bee geek (excuse me, apiarist) and deemed the best way for me to teach others is to write about what I’m learning and doing as it happens. These are the bumble beginnings.
Solitary bees are a thing.
I recently, and quite by accident, stumbled upon some profound information. There are more to bees than the honey and bumble varieties. But wait. There’s more. This other category of bees? They’re docile, calm, pollinating powerhouses and…wait for it…they won’t sting. Well, okay, they will, but only if you squish them (and who could blame them?). This sent me down a deep dark rabbit hole of solitary bee knowledge. I could not get the information into my brain fast enough.
I do actually have adult responsibilities, so I had to put down the internet at some point and step away from the daydreams of bee houses, cocoons, and the best-pollinated garden a girl could wish for. I’ve been spending my long work days still thinking about the possibilities. Not just for my yard. What about everyone else’s yard? What about all the farms and orchards around where I live? And what if I could educate others and we all became well-informed beekeepers together?
I looked at a lot of solitary bee houses. I mean, a lot, and I started to learn the good and bad about all the different kinds I was seeing. What became clear was that I wanted to make my own. I’m a pretty crafty and creative lady and dabble in this and that. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to start making unique habitats for these epic little insects. I do lack a few skills when it comes to carpentry, so I had to enlist the help of a family member or two to start showing me how to best not injure myself with power saws, but I’ve got sketches, ideas, and a bulldog tenacity that tells me these are going to turn out awesome.
What the future holds.
I’d like very much for the following to become things you can find at Bee & Bee in the future:
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- Education
- Unique dwellings for bees
- Accessories and supplies for proper bee management
- Mason and Leafcutter bees for purchase to local beekeepers
- Various packages for lease to local farms and orchards
- A community of like-minded bee geeks interested in helping each other help the bees
So, welcome to Bee & Bee. Bespoke habitats for backyard beekeepers, but also a place for education and exploration of these fascinating and hard working little creatures. Yes, I’ve decided I’m in the bee business, but I’m just one woman that’s learning as she goes so that she can help you…help the bees.