Beekeeping in the Virgin Islands

Last week I graduated from beekeeping class. It was a very proud moment! The class was a 12-week pilot program sponsored by the V.I. Department of Agriculture on all three Virgin Islands. Here's a picture of me at the graduation ceremony on St. Thomas.

I confess my initial motivation was the honey. I love honey! I cook with it, bake with it, and use it often. But once I started learning about bees that quickly changed. We take a holistic approach to beekeeping on St. John. We're not honey hunters here! It's all about the bees, caring for them and ensuring their well being. The honey comes later. 

St. John graduated 24 beekeepers in this class. Here's a picture of the class after visiting our classmate's hives. Thanks Mark & Mark! Picture is courtesy of photographer and fellow classmate Kathryn Wagner.

Beekeeping unites people from all walks of life.  The group is composed of a chef, a midwife, a musician, a hairdresser, energy healers, photographers, landscapers, carpenters, and a designer of course.  Just to name a few.  It's an eclectic bunch here on St. John. 

Some of my classmates have already started hives.  I am patiently waiting to start my own.  Starting a hive is quite different here.  First off we work with Africanized bees not the Italian variety popular stateside.  It's the species we have in the Virgin Islands, and importing honey bees is certainly frowned upon as our local variety is plentiful and healthy.

A hive is started by either rescuing a wild hive or catching and attracting a swarm through the use of pheromones and a swarm trap.  The later being less work but more difficult to find and catch.  In contrast, rescuing hives can be a labor intensive yet rewarding endeavor.  It involves going out to a location where someone wants to remove an unwanted hive.  This picture is from a recent rescue and removal effort, the hive was in between the floor and ceiling in a home on Gifft Hill.

It's funny, I had a natural and normal fear of bees when I started the program.  That fear has turned into respect and today I am much more confidant and at ease when working with hives.  We learn that our state of mind certainly affects the bees.  Calm beekeeper = Calm bees. Hmm, I think this will become my new personal mantra! But I'm never lax about it, wear protective gear and spent a lot of time in class learning when and how to properly approach and handle bees to avoid attacks.


I never thought beekeeping would be something I would ever do, but once I started to learn about bees it became positively addictive!  Although some of my classmates have plans to develop bee businesses, my goals are modest.  A strong, healthy hive, and just maybe a little honey for me and my friends :-)


More of beekeeping in the Virgin Islands soon!
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