Stogner 1
Alexis Stogner
English IV Honors
Mrs. DeBock
24 March, 2017
Essential question: How can beekeepers benefit the future bee population?
Working thesis: How necessary are the bees and the jobs they fulfil?
Refined thesis: The bees jobs are vital to human existence and the education of an apiarist are
crucial for the survival rate of bees.
Annotated Bibliography
Ferlow, Klaus. "How Important Are Bees?." Positive Health, no. 226, Nov. 2015, p. 8.
In the article How Important are Bees?, it talks about the importance of bees and the
helpful ways you can utilize honey. Honey can be use to treat wounds, and for skin benefits. It
gives some insight nectar and pollination. Without the bees, the process of pollination would not
be possible. Humans simply could not live without the bees. The article states how to store
honey, and as well as how to handle the delicacy. It tells the importance of nectar, honey, and
why we should save the bees. This source is relevant to my topic as well as my service hours
because it gives me a good understanding of honey, its benefits and the role that bees play in the
environment.
Jacques, Antoine, et al. "A Pan-European Epidemiological Study Reveals Honey Bee Colony
Survival Depends on Beekeeper Education and Disease Control." Plos ONE, no. 3, 2017.
Stogner 2
This article claims that the survival rate of a honeybee colony depends on the
education of the beekeeper. The author states that apiaries with little experience in
beekeeping had a double mortality rate in the winter time. They also said that
professional kept bees usually do not display symptoms of disease compared to beginner
beekeepers. The inexperienced apiarist bees showed signs of bacterial infection and a
severe infestation of the deadly Varroa mite. Overall this article claims that a possible
reasoning for the sudden population decrease in bees could be from the lack of education
beekeepers have. This source is relevant to my service hours because it discusses not only
the educational benefits of beekeeping, but it also ties in with colony collapse disorder.
Kincaid, Hannah. "Beekeeping Basics." Mother Earth News, no. 270, Jun/Jul2015, p. 54.
This article discusses the basic materials and tools one would need to have a
successful beehive. They inform the reader that he/she cannot buy used beekeeping
equipment. Being that bees are very susceptible to diseases and viruses. They talk about
different harvesting techniques and what works best with the environment you choose.
The author also sheds light on the fact that one needs to consider which bee is the best
choice, considering which design one chooses. Overall this article goes over the basics to
beekeeping, it is important information because it relates to my service hours. It gives me
background information on beekeeping. It will be helpful when I have hands on
experiences with the bees.
Maloney, Brenna. "Into the Hive." National Geographic Explorer - Pioneer Edition, vol. 15, no.
Stogner 3
7, May 2016, p. 2.
This article describes the jobs that every bee has. Each bee in a hive has a specific job. It
is important that every single bee does its job so the beehive can thrive. Without the bees, us
humans would have no fruits, vegetables, or plants. The worker bees have more than one job.
The worker bees are in charge of cleaning the hive. The hives must be clean and ready for storing
nectar and pollen. The worker bees also watch the baby bees. They feed the young bees and the
worker bees watch over the most important bee, the queen. This article give me more
information on the worker bee, and all of its jobs. It also explains why each job is important.
This source is helpful for my service hours because it gives me and better understanding for the
things that the bees do, inside and outside of the hive.
Theobald, Tom. "A Journey with the Bees." Countryside & Small Stock Journal, vol. 99, no.
3, May/Jun2015, p. 74.
The article featured demonstrates the lifecycle of bees, and useful tips to know when
beekeeping/breeding. It also talks about how bees build and clean their beehive. The article tell
the reader which season is the best season for producing honey, as well as what life stages the
bee goes through. It describes the queen bees position in the hive. There is also a system used
and created by the bees to prevent crowding. The author conveys details about honey and how
important it can be. It also prepares future beekeepers for a significant loss of bee in the
offseason. This article is helpful and full of relevant information which can further me in my
hours of service.
Stogner 4
Tyler, Laura. "Natural Comb Building: Boon or Bust?." Countryside & Small Stock Journal, vol.
101, no. 1, Jan/Feb2017, p. 84.
This article explains the benefits and drawbacks of foundation-free beekeeping. It also
shows the two different styles of foundation-free frames called the T frames and the V
frames. It also talks about the importance of reducing contaminants in the bee hives. Since
foundation-free comb slows the hive management down and requires extra work, you should not
participate in this comb building style if you are inexperienced. But if you have experience, this
technique might bring you some joy and entertainment. Some benefits from foundation-free bee
comb building is saving time and money. It is pesticide free and it could only help the bees keep
good health. Overall this article is relevant to my service hours because it gives me information
on the way combs are built. It tells me the pros and cons of different styles as well.
Work Cited
Ferlow, Klaus. "How Important Are Bees?." Positive Health, no. 226, Nov. 2015, p. 8.
Jacques, Antoine, et al. "A Pan-European Epidemiological Study Reveals Honey Bee Colony
Stogner 5
Survival Depends on Beekeeper Education and Disease Control." Plos ONE, no. 3, 2017.
Kincaid, Hannah. "Beekeeping Basics." Mother Earth News, no. 270, Jun/Jul2015, p. 54.
Maloney, Brenna. "Into the Hive." National Geographic Explorer - Pioneer Edition, vol. 15, no.
7, May 2016, p. 2.
Theobald, Tom. "A Journey with the Bees." Countryside & Small Stock Journal, vol. 99, no.
3, May/Jun2015, p. 74.
Tyler, Laura. "Natural Comb Building: Boon or Bust?." Countryside & Small Stock Journal, vol.
101, no. 1, Jan/Feb2017, p. 84.