Hive Heroes
Beekeeping in West Virginia
MEGAN BEVINS WEST VIRGINIA BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION
Bees often go unnoticed as they fly , usually overlooked and sometimes feared . Yet , these tiny creatures , along with other pollinators like butterflies , birds and moths , are essential for the food supply . The U . S . Department of Agriculture ( USDA ) notes that they pollinate one in every three bites of food humans eat . Beekeepers play a crucial role in maintaining the health and preservation of these bee colonies .
In West Virginia , beekeepers are hard at work protecting the state ’ s many species of bees . While beekeeping is often seen as a hobby , it significantly contributes to the health of the state ’ s environment and agriculture .
Louisa Householder , president of the West Virginia Beekeepers Association ( WVBA ), explains that foods such as fruit , vegetables and almonds , which make up 90 % of worldwide crops , require pollination to survive . Both commercial beekeeping and backyard beekeeping are equally important practices , as backyard gardens , trees and wildflowers need to be pollinated just as much as larger crops .
“ Beekeepers ’ large and small operations support agriculture through pollination of backyard gardens and commercial crop production ,” Householder says . “ Honeybees also support the livestock industry in a way by pollinating grasses such as alfalfa used to feed livestock .”
Part of the work of beekeepers includes combating threats that might harm the bee colonies . Householder mentions the current most common danger is the varroa mite , a parasite that feeds on honeybees . These mites are particularly
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