What's the buzz about beekeeping?
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PARIS — On the weekend, David Stotesbury was busy as a bee — keeper.
Owner of Beekeeping It Real of Ayr, Stotesbury manned a booth in the agricultural awareness building at the Paris Fair, which wrapped up its 160th edition on Labour Day.
“It has been a busy weekend,” Stotesbury said. “That’s why I like this fair so much.
“A lot of people come through here and it’s a great opportunity to meet people and educate them about bees and beekeeping.”
It’s also an opportunity to sell some of his products, including jars of honey and honey sticks.
“When you’re in the beekeeping business, most of the business is selling bees,” he said.
“When you come to fair like this, it’s a chance to get some exposure, sell some of your products and meet people.
“I’ve made some really good contacts here and so, yes, I’m quite happy to be part of this fair.”
Stotesbury, who participated in the fair for the first time last year, said he plans to be back next year. The only other fair that he’ll do this year is in Drumbo later this month.
“I really like the education part of this,” Stotesbury said. “People want to learn more about beekeeping and bees.
“By far, the biggest question I get is about the decline in the bee population and pesticides.”
Although pesticide use is a factor, it’s just one of several issues affecting the bee population, Stotesbury said.
The bee population is also being hit by disease and illness, as well as changing weather patterns, he noted.
The Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists reported that as many as 46 per cent of Ontario honey bee colonies perished due to harsh winter weather. The association also said Ontario beekeepers suffered the highest losses among Canadian provinces.
Ontario losses exceeded the Canadian average of 33 per cent largely because of weaker than normal colonies going into an unusually long winter.
Still, Stotesbury, isn’t about to give up on his beekeeping dream.
“I enjoy this too much and we’re continuing to build the business,” he said.
A graduate of the University of Guelph, Stotesbury studied kinesiology and stumbled into beekeeping.
“It was kind of a fluke, really,” he said.
“They have a research lab at the university and I kind of became familiar with it and ended up getting job there.
“I really liked it and just decided that I’d like to be a beekeeper.”
And, yes, he has been stung a few times.
“Probably a thousand times by now,” Stotesbury said.
“But in most cases it’s an accident on my part, like closing my hand on a bee.”
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