Minnesota’s pollinators are in danger, and Clearwater area residents Melody Imholte and her partner Larry Schmidt are doing their part to help them. 

 

Three years ago, the couple decided to try beekeeping. They knew nothing about it when they started, and relied on their mentor, David Agnew, for advice.

 

“Dave has been keeping bees for over 40 years,” said Imholte. “Everything we’ve learned is because of him. He came out every week our first year to check on the hives with us.”

 

Even so, keeping her hives alive and healthy has been a struggle. Each year all her hives have died over the winter except for one hive last year. She split the survivor hive into two and started six more new hives.

 

“They’re very hardy but at the same time they’re very susceptible,” said Imholte. “You want to establish survivor stock.”

 

She explained there are numerous ways a hive can be lost, from condensation dripping on the bees in the hive, to pesticides, insecticides and mites, plus all the hazards outside the hive.

 

She and Schmidt try different areas for their hives in order to find where the nectar, pollen and water sources are the best. Currently they have four hives on their property, two at a brother’s place and two more at a friend’s.

 

“Bees will always go to the closest nectar source but will fly up to three miles to find it,” said Imholte. “They depend on specific flowers at specific times of the year. For example, in the fall goldenrod is a huge food source for them.”

 

Unfortunately for bees, many of the flowers they depend are considered weeds that people want to eliminate. Bees land on the sprayed plants and end up taking the chemicals back to the hive. The colony will feed on it all winter, become weakened, and the hive can collapse.

 

Imholte has spoken with the county about not spraying the ditches, which are often a rich food source for pollinators. Wright Co. does use biological control when feasible.

 

There are over 350 species of bees in the Midwest and each have favorite nectar sources they compete for. Imholte’s bees are Russian and Careolian. 

 

 Her hive configuration consists of supers (boxes) that hold the frames the bees build the brood and honey chambers on. The first two supers are for the bees, after they’re full additional supers are added one at a time for the honey that will be harvested.

 

Imholte collects the honey from her hives around Labor Day, which gives the bees time to build up their own stock again so they can survive through the winter. 

 

“If everyone acted as a bee does it would be quite a world,” said Imholte. “They do whatever it takes to be part of the success of the hive. Nothing is more important to them. Bees never sleep and they’re always busy. That’s what keeps me going.”

 

Imholte doesn’t process her honey, she only runs it through a filter to get any wax and pollen pieces out. It’s healthier when left raw, and she uses it in place of sugar when she cooks and bakes.

 

Imholte and Schmidt’s honey, Bee Wholesome, can be purchased at the Clear Lake Elevator, Becker Spine and at the Becker and Big Lake Farmers’ Markets during the summer. 

 

Along with honey, Imholte has started making soap, hand lotion and lip balm out of her bees’ wax. She only uses natural ingredients; after seeing what can happen to bees when exposed to chemicals she doesn’t want to use them on herself either.

 

“This is something I’m passionate about,” she said. “I want people to understand that what they do in their yard matters. All those chemicals aren’t good for bees and other pollinators, pets or the water system.” 

 

“Everyone uses chemicals now,” said Agnew. “I think it’s time we started taking this seriously. Our health is being affected too.”

 

He recommends anyone interested in beekeeping to join the Beekeepers Association and read The Backyard Beekeeper and Beekeeping for Dummies.

 

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) states that the honey bee population is in danger from a number of sources, including habitat loss, pesticides and climate change. As much as 70% of the bee population has died due to colony collapse disorder. 

 

The Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture has launched a campaign to protect pollinators across the state. For more information visit http://www.mda.state.mn.us/best-management-practices-pollinators-and-the....