Pollinator: Beekeeper John Johnson

Asheville Bees are Pollinating in these Areas

John Johnson resides in the Montford community, belongs to the Buncombe County Beekeepers Club and works in project management for a local Internet company. John keeps several hives of bees near the center of the downtown area.

PA: Can you give us a bit of background on what’s happening to our pollinators?

One can read plenty of articles and news pieces about what can commonly be called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) – a term coined to describe the seemingly rapid loss of honeybees since the 70’s. CCD , in my understanding, represents a cumulative ’syndrome’ – so many factors could contribute and those sources are currently being studied by entomologists. The list of contributors to CCD include the obvious: pesticides (like nicotine based neonicotinoids), viruses, mites, the new African Hive Beetle, pathogenic fungus and others. The not so obvious factors, or sources of CCD, may be directly related to technology, industrialization and urbanization. Cell towers, electromagnetic fields and other vibrational sources were cited as culprits by several researchers within the field of Apiology (a branch of science that deals only with honey bees).

The Beekeeping ‘industry’, ironically, could be included in that list of negative factors. Commercial beekeepers ship their bees across country to help pollinate the California almond crops – this causes additional stress on the bees and rapidly exposes them to new diseases. The bees come home sick and many of these migratory hives are ’sold’ in the Spring as package bees that get sold all across the country. When one looks at the broader picture, they have to include the fact other pollinators, not just honey bees, show signs of ‘collapse’ and population decline. The North Carolina native – our own black Mason Bee, serves as a good example of a local pollinator that deserves our attention. We do need to consider other species when we look at the adverse conditions facing our pollinators right now.

PA: When did you become a bee keeper and can anyone do it?

I started to get interested in bees when I was a around seven. One of my parents worked with the state Forestry Commission and an older ranger introduced me to the craft while I was still in elementary school. We hosted an apiary on our farm for a while and I also became interested in ants.

If one can handle being stung, ideally, I would like to say that anyone who has the desire to host a hive could become a beekeeper. Keep in mind that beekeeping has aspects to it that are similar to marriage. Once someone takes on the responsibility of keeping a hive, they should then consider that their relationship to the bees is a serious commitment that requires both attention and maintenance.

PA: How do you determine where to put hives?

Location and proximity to both food and a water source are the first two factors that come to mind almost immediately. Bees need access to a wide range of floral and tree resources in order to keep the growth of the hive going. I do strategically place bees in areas where the relationship between the bees and the community is mutually beneficial.

For me, I like to have the hives nearby for observation – so within walking distance. Plus, when I walk around the block near my home, I get to experience their work in action. Seeing the bees working on the neighborhood flowers and gardens brings me a great deal of satisfaction and enjoyment.

PA: Please explain the map above and what it says about the area bees and pollination.

The map represents the location of several known bee yards throughout the city and each blue circle can be considered an accurate, but not exact approximation of their pollination coverage. To date, I do not know of any study that has focused directly on the positive effect of beekeeping within the city – so I created the map after realizing that a visual representation of their presence here would be easier to understand than a typed report. Local honeybees make a definite impact on the biodiversity and botanical health of Asheville .

We should consider ourselves fortunate here – the City of Asheville passes laws in favor of urban beekeepers like myself. While there are laws that govern the location of the hives in relation to houses, the city does make appropriations. In New York City, beekeeping was made illegal and one can go to jail for having a hive.

I was able to visit most of the hives represented on that map and many of those bee yards have more than one hive present. This can mean up to 100,000 bees per hive during the height of the summer – which translates into a lot of bees, a great deal of pollination and a more abundant urban harvest this fall. These points alone should help to encourage more people to garden within the city’s limits.

PA: Do you consider yourself a pollinator?

In a way – yes, but I keep in mind that the bees do most of the work. I enjoy providing them a protected place to live. Plus, keeping bees in an urban area helps to remind people about their own relationship to the immediate environment, where their food comes from and our society’s interdependence on Nature.

I believe Albert Einstein said this best – without the bees, there would be no food and in turn, no people. While honeybees should not be considered the only pollinator in town, they are one of our best it appears. We should always bear in mind the debt of gratitude that we owe these small, but important creatures.

For those that desire to know more about local beekeeping, I recommend WNCBees.org as a good destination for information.