COVER FEATURE
Busy as a bee
After ‘ retiring ,’ longtime beekeeper Charles Vick is lured back
A
month ago , longtime beekeeper Charles Vick was asked by his Sunday school teacher for help in establishing a bee colony near his garden to aid in pollination .
Vick gave away his last beehives almost five years ago but is always eager to lend his expertise to anyone in need . While helping his teacher , he decided , on a whim , to try and catch a swarm of wild honey bees for himself . Since it was nearing the end of swarming season , or that time of year when half of the bees leave one hive to establish a separate colony , he thought he might have a little luck . He put out a bee box with a lid and bottom and used a lure spray made to attract honey bee swarms . “ I thought , ‘ I will try my hand and see if I can catch a swarm ,’ and lo and behold the first day I tried it ,
I caught one ,” Vick laughed . continued on page 12 www . meridianstar . com
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