Honey Bees in Oxford

FUTURE

Creating a Thriving Future for the Bees of Oxford, Ohio

Since 2006, honey bee colonies have experienced population loss at more than twice their historical loss rates. With honey bee populations pollinating 80 percent of all flowering plants in the United States, conservation efforts for honey bee populations are critical. The rapid decline

of bee colonies has been credited to both “biological and environmental stressors.” With this rapid deterioration unfolding in front of us, the question to ask ourselves is simple: what can we do to help?

Identifying the Issues

Insecticides, particularly those called neonicotinoids, are toxic to bees, and these are used in urban settings as well as on farms. However, there are ways to reduce the impact of pesticides on bees, including applying them in the evening, using proper formulations, utilizing pesticides that are less toxic and break down quickly, and changing the methods for applying the pesticides. To protect against pesticide harm to bees in your own garden:

• When choosing pesticides or flowers, reduce neonicotinoids by avoiding products with any of these ingredients: “acetamiprid,” “clothianidin,” “dinotefuran,” “imidacloprid” or “thiamethoxam.”
• Don’t treat the plants or crops when they are currently in bloom.
• Pesticides, even organic ones, can affect bees in several different ways, so select those with the lowest risk to pollinators.
• Adjust applications according to the current weather conditions, capitalizing on good drying conditions and avoiding temperatures at which bees are active.
• At times when bees are actively foraging or stopping by the plants, avoid using pesticides.
• Be aware of the relevant state regulations on pollinators.
• Know where bee colonies are located in your area.
• Don’t put unmarked colonies close to places that are going to be treated.

Across the nation, bees are facing habitat loss due to “agriculture and intensive farming” and urban redevelopment, which result in a reduction of space, habitat, and nutrition. This makes it imperative that we do what we can to preserve the habitats bees depend on.

Doing our Part

As contributing members of the community of Oxford and its ecosystem, it is evident that we must take steps towards conserving these wonderful creatures that play into our vibrant community and our survival. One way to take a step towards this mission is to begin planting

flowers that are considered “bee-friendly” in the spring months, when bees are preparing to pollinate. Some of these flowers credited to the facilitation of healthy bee colonies include primrose, buddleia, and marigolds (wildflowers in particular). It’s also helpful to select plants that will provide bees with nectar and pollen; many wildflowers and native plants will do so. Blue, yellow, and purple flowers tend to be appealing to bees, and blossoms that are flat or shallow, such as zinnias, sunflowers, or Queen Anne’s lace attract a variety of kinds of bees. Having variety in the types of flowers promotes the diversity of nutrition sources that are essential for bees, and planting flowers in groups allows them to visit lots of plants in one place. To help the many different kinds of bees, which are active at various points, consider having flowers blooming at different times of the year.

When assembling these bee-friendly gardens, consider taking an organic approach, such as avoiding any potentially toxic pesticides or other harmful chemicals for the bees. Around these newly planted flowers can also be included mixed plates of sugar and water, which will assist in

the revitalization of any exhausted bee. Another idea is providing bee baths, which provide the bees with a revitalizing drink as they’re foraging. You can make one of these by filling a shallow bowl with clean water and adding stones that break the surface of the water.

Another simple act to contribute to the preservation of bee colonies is to use and eat only local, sustainable honey, such as the great honey found at the Oxford Farmers Market. Supporting these producers not only promotes sustainable beekeeping practices but also positively affects the local businesses of Oxford.

The City of Oxford is also committed to preserving the biodiversity that is found in our natural environment. Furthermore, they’ve been working hard on naturalization throughout the community, which includes efforts aimed at “‘Rewilding’ our Local Landscapes, One Lawn at a Time.” These fit in with the city’s broader sustainability goals, an important part of which is the Climate Action Plan. Protection of natural spaces such as Miami University’s Natural Areas are also important conservation efforts.

Additionally, citizens can take action to protect endangered bee species. Audubon Miami Valley launched a project that allowed citizens to help track endangered bee species, such as the rusty patched bumblebee, with their Ohio Bee Atlas. 

For those who are interested in taking things a step further and keeping their own bees, the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Apiary Program provides useful information and resources for getting started in beekeeping, such as beginner instruction videos, organizations to associate

with, and bee data. There are programs to support beekeepers, such as the Apiculture Pilot Insurance Program and the Micro Farm Program. Also, be sure that your apiary is at a safe distance from places where pesticides are being applied.

Going Forward

The gravity of the issue at hand is quite apparent upon examination of the deteriorating bee population. It is up to us as a community to do our part in assisting our buzzing friends while they dedicate their lives to assisting us. Given Oxford’s historic connection to bees and the flourishing bee culture in the city, it’s especially important that the community steps up to ensure that bees and their connection to our community can continue for many years to come.

PRESENT

Buzzing Bee Life in Oxford, Ohio

After spending an extended period of time in Oxford, Ohio, it’s quick to see that the city is “abuzz” with bee life! Miami University affiliates and community members alike have invested their time into various projects to raise awareness of the importance of bees.

It’s a Sticky Business

From local farms to micro-apiaries, Oxford supports a range of beekeeping practices that make local honey accessible to all while bolstering local bee populations. Dr. B’s Honey Farm is an example of a micro-apiary - a cluster of smaller hives in different locations in a specified area.

This farm uses basic straining and bottling techniques to extract honey from their hives and sells them locally in Oxford, Ohio. You can purchase their honey directly through Oxford Coffee. Another local honey supplier in Oxford is Abbitt Family Farm. In addition to honey, they also sell eggs and chicken.

The Oxford Farmer’s Market also has an intricate history with beekeeping. At one point, they had six honey vendors that all did well. Larry Slocum, the Market Council President, described this era as a “sweet market.” To honor the history of beekeeping in Oxford, Larry has been

working on a public art project for the City of Oxford to create a permanent farmers market entrance sign to display. This top of the columns will include a cross hatchet to replicate the honeycomb. This small part of the installation will serve as a tribute to the beekeeping history in

Oxford. A sketch of the project is depicted below.

Oxford, Ohio Projects

Within the County limits, beekeeping is still buzzing with excitement. Ever since its establishment in 1968, the Butler County Beekeepers Association has been active in its service as a community resource for bees. They are most publicly active on their Facebook page, with their most recent post reminding residents of swarm season and offering to connect them to beekeepers if they have any swarms of bees on their property. Having a community resource such as the Butler County Beekeepers Association is one of the ways in which community education and local beekeeping businesses have been kept alive. This group also hosts monthly meetings to keep beekeepers and stakeholders informed on bee developments and best practices for the area.

Landscape naturalization has become an agenda item for the city of Oxford in order to enhance biodiversity and to sequester carbon. In 2023, the Audubon Miami Valley and City of Oxford’s Landscape Naturalization Master Plan worked to redevelop a turf grass area in the community park into a pollinator garden. Below, you can see a diagram of this circular garden with pinwheel colors representing the variety of plants that are included in this pollinator garden. As a pollinator garden, the goal fits under the plan for landscape naturalization but also has a goal of supporting Oxford’s pollinators, which are primarily bees!

Miami University Projects

Within the core of Oxford lies Miami University, where beekeeping culture is abundant. Miami’s Apiculture Society, commonly known as the Bee Club, has its own bees on campus and has an event every year where they give away honey to everyone who attends their meeting.

Miami also has an overlap with Oxford’s beekeepers! Rob Abowitz, Associate Director of Residence Life, spends his time outside the university as a local beekeeper. In 2021, he brought live bees into Hahne Hall and marketed the event as “1,000 Bees in the Lobby” to draw out students. This event ended up being a great introduction to bee-focused organizations on campus, drawing in students from a variety of majors.

Unbeknownst to many on campus, Miami houses a global program called Project Dragonfly, where graduate students have the opportunity to take online courses and work on action-based projects in their communities to drive “ecological and social change.” One of the projects within

this program is called Bee Quest, where students and community members can enroll in a free course to learn about a variety of topics related to bees. This started as a project in a graduate course and now operates as a course accessible to anyone interested in learning more about bees, with the goal of making this introduction engaging and exciting. You can begin your journey on the bee quest here. Attached with the accessible hyperlink is an accessible version of the course.

A Vibrant Bee Culture

Today, Butler County and the City of Oxford support a thriving bee culture through their dedication to maintaining a community where proper beekeeping is prioritized. This current care can be attested to the legacy Lorenzo Langstroth, the founder of modern beekeeping, has left in Oxford. 

PAST

Beekeeping and Its Connection to Oxford’s Past

Beekeeping is an ancient practice, traced back to ancient Egypt and China. This practice has seen many developments over the years, but some of the most notable are tied right back to Oxford.

Traditionally, beekeeping was largely based on the production of honey and beeswax. In creating these bee colonies, humans commonly utilized abandoned tree hollows, crevices, and otherexisting gaps in nature to harvest honey from. However, this was commonly detrimental to the bees themselves, as removing their products would also destroy their colonies and thus kill the bees. Oxford has connections to one of the key figures in solving this problem.

Lorenzo Langstroth

In 1858, Lorenzo Langstroth, known as “The Father of Modern Beekeeping,” moved to the city of Oxford, Ohio. Langstroth, a graduate of Yale, was a minister and teacher. Throughout his life, he went between acting as a pastor and being a teacher for young women, and he became curious about bees, leading him to begin keeping and studying them.

While in Greenfield, Massachusetts, Langstroth acquired bees which were housed in a log’s hollow section, and with time he grew his bee colonies, learned more about beekeeping, and began to work on making improvements to the discipline.

In Oxford, he lived in a brick house surrounded by apple trees, gardens, and a clover field that his bees could enjoy. At the time, the city was also home to institutions including Miami University, the Oxford Female College, and the Western Female Seminary. Today, the building in which Langstroth lived, called the “Langstroth Cottage,” sits on the campus of Miami University. Langstroth died in 1895 giving a sermon, and was buried in Dayton, Ohio, with a gravestone reading “Father of American Beekeeping.”

Langstroth Cottage at Miami University is a reminder of Oxford's historical connection to the "Father of Modern Beekeeping."

Photo Copyright: Miami University Marketing and Communications     

Langstroth’s Innovations

Langstroth made a number of significant achievements to the practice of beekeeping. Perhaps the most impactful of these was his discovery of the so-called “bee space.” In this space, bees will neither build honeycombs nor seal it with the “bee glue” propolis. The “bee space” is an interspace that is between 1⁄4 and 3⁄8 of an inch. This is a precise amount. because if it’s smaller, the bees will get propolis from trees to seal it, and if it’s larger, they’ll build their combs.

With this discovery, and lessons from the movable hive made by François Huber, Langstroth was able to develop a new hive system that yielded a number of benefits. In this system, frames were suspended from the box’s top, and there was a one-centimeter gap between the frames and the side of the box. These frames were removable, since there wouldn’t be propolis attaching them to the box or to each other. Inside of the frames, the bees were able to construct their combs. Additionally, Langstroth imported Italian queen bees, and the use of these queen bees spread across great distances.

The movable frames found in the Langstroth hive design are a crucial invention for modern beekeeping.     

Enduring Significance

Today, Langstroth’s beekeeping developments remain highly significant. It is important for beekeepers to be able to watch over the behavior and well-being of their bees, and the movable frames, made possible thanks to the “bee space,” allow this to happen without “enraging the bees,” as Langstroth put it. With honeybees being “essential pollinators,” this ability to properly take care of the bees is important, and it’s also very helpful for keeping up production of honey.

Langstroth’s hive meant bees could put new honey into the existing combs, making beekeeping cost-effective at greater scales and thereby setting it up to become the kind of industry that it is today. Now, this design is utilized by three-quarters of currently-used hives; honeycombs can be found in the frames kept in smaller boxes on top of bigger ones which hold the bees and their food. The hive also allowed for the study of the ways that bees behave.

Additionally, his book, "Langstroth’s Hive and the Honey-Bee,” published in 1853, continues to provide readers with valuable beekeeping lessons.

Oxford’s Heritage

As a result, Oxford’s heritage includes a strong connection to beekeeping. The city served as one of the key backdrops in the lifetime of Lorenzo Langstroth, a pioneer with regards to many innovations of modern beekeeping, and we can still see Langstroth’s legacy in the community today.