A bee pollinates some flowers on the grounds earlier this season. Photo by Eric Shea.
Beverly Hazen | Staff Writer
What’s the buzz? Talking about honeybees!
A Brown Bag lecture about bees and beekeeping is at 12:15 p.m. today in Smith Wilkes Hall. Jamestown resident Walter Dahlgren will share his knowledge about the hobby of beekeeping, which he has done for more than 40 years. The Bird, Tree & Garden Club sponsors the lecture.
Dahlgren said his interest in bees began when he set out with a borrowed smoker and protective clothing to help a friend remove bees from a fence post.
“I will bring an observation hive, a model of the beehive itself, and all the parts with me. It will have live bees in it, but they are behind glass, so it’s usually safe,“ Dahlgren said with a smile.
He said he will bring the lightweight jacket, veil and bee gloves used for beekeeping. Dahlgren usually brings beeswax and a jar of extracted honey.
Dahlgren will explain the life cycle of the honeybee, pollination and honey production during his lecture. He will give the history of beekeeping and the beehive, and discuss beeswax and its uses, as well as talk about swarm removal and Africanized honeybees.
He has experience working with bees and finds that sometimes what people think are bees, are not.
“I collect swarms of bees, and get called for what turns out to be other insects,” Dahlgren said.
Although bees are useful outdoors, indoors is another story.
“Bees in the house are like roses in a vegetable garden,” he said. “They just shouldn’t be there.”
Dahlgren will answer questions following his lecture. He is a member of the Chautauqua County Beekeepers Association and a member of the Western New York Honey Producers.
The Chautauquan Daily 
