♪ MUSIC REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES, AND FROM THE HEALY FOUNDATION, TAOS, NM HELLO, I'M LORENE MILLS AND WELCOME TO REPORT FROM SANTA FE.

WE HAVE A WONDERFUL SHOW, OUR GUEST TODAY IS AMY OWEN, WHO IS A NEW MEXICO CERTIFIED BEEKEEPER AND WITH THE NEW MEXICO BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION.

YOU TEACH FOR THE BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION, YOU DO HIVE MAINTENANCE, YOU DO BEEKEEPING CLASSES FOR EXPLORE AND BERNALILLO COUNTY.

YOU ARE ON A MISSION FOR THE BEES, THANK YOU FOR COMING HERE.

>>AMY: THANK YOU, LORENE, FOR HAVING ME.

>>LORENE: WELL, THIS WAS THE KIND OF EARTH DAY THOUGHT I HAD.

I THOUGHT WHAT IS FOUNDATIONAL TO OUR LIFE ON THIS PLANET AND A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY BEES REALLY ARE.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, IT WAS EINSTEIN HIMSELF WHO SUGGESTED, "IF THE BEE DISAPPEARS FROM THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH, MAN WOULD HAVE NO MORE THAN FOUR YEARS TO LIVE."

A LOT OF OTHER PROGNOSTICATORS HAVE SAID, YOU AREN'T GOING NOWHERE, ONE THIRD OF EVERY SPOONFUL OF FOOD WE TAKE IS BROUGHT TO US COURTESY OF POLLINATORS AND THE BEES ARE THE NUMBER ONE POLLINATOR.

>>AMY: RIGHT, EXACTLY AND IT REMINDS ME, YOU KNOW, EINSTEIN SAID THAT QUOTE THAT I THINK A LOT OF US HAVE HEARD, BUT IT REMINDS ME 200 MILLION YEARS AGO WE DIDN'T HAVE ANGIOSPERMS OR FLOWERING PLANTS AND IF WE LIVED IN A WORLD LIKE THAT WITHOUT FLOWERING PLANTS AND WITHOUT THE BEES THAT POLLINATE THEM, YOU KNOW WE WOULD JUST BE IN SO MUCH TROUBLE, THEY'RE SO INTEGRAL TO OUR CURRENT ECOSYSTEM.

>>LORENE: RIGHT, DEFINITELY A CARNIVORE DIET IS WHAT WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON.

>>AMY: RIGHT, RIGHT EXACTLY.

>>LORENE: YOU'RE WEARING A SHIRT, HOW DO YOU PRONOUNCE THE NAME OF THIS ORGANIZATION?

>>AMY: RIGHT, THIS IS ALVÉOLE.

>>LORENE: AND IT MEANS, IT'S THE NAME OF THE LITTLE CELLS IN A BEEHIVE.

>>AMY: RIGHT OR A HEXAGON.

IT MEANS 'HEXAGON' IN FRENCH, I BELIEVE.

>>LORENE: OR A LITTLE CUBICLE.

TELL ME, IT'S AN INTERNATIONAL GROUP AND WHAT DOES IT DO?

>>AMY: YEAH, IT'S SUCH A WONDERFUL COMPANY AND WHAT THEY DO IS THEY WERE CREATED TO OFFER LIKE A TURNKEY BEEHIVE SERVICE FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS IN URBAN AREAS.

SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW, THEY'RE TRYING TO BRING BEES AND NATURE AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF HOW IMPORTANT THEY ARE, HOW INTEGRAL THEY ARE TO OUR DAILY LIVES.

I TELL PEOPLE, IF YOU LIKE TO EAT, YOU SHOULD ALSO LIKE BEES.

WHAT THEY DO IS THEY TAKE, YOU KNOW, THESE COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS AND THEY'LL PUT BEEHIVES ON TOP OF A BUILDING, YOU KNOW, IN NEW YORK, CHICAGO, SAN FRANCISCO.

>>LORENE: MY FAVORITE, NOTRE DAME.

>>AMY: NOTRE DAME, YES.

>>LORENE: EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE FIRES AND TOXIC SMOKE, ALL THOSE THREE, THEY HAD THREE MAJOR HIVES WITH, WHAT, 180,000 BEES AND THEY SURVIVED THE FIRES AND THE TOXIC FLAMES, IT'S A WONDERFUL STORY.

>>AMY: IT'S INCREDIBLE, A BEAUTIFUL STORY OF JUST, YEAH, IT'S LIKE THEY WERE IN THE EXACT RIGHT PLACE AND THEY DIDN'T EVEN GET HARMED.

>>LORENE: AND ONE OF THE REASONS IT'S SO APPROPRIATE TO BE ON TOP OF NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL IS THAT THEY USE PURE BEESWAX CANDLES.

>>AMY: YES.

>>LORENE: IN THE CATHEDRAL, SO IT'S LITERALLY HOMEGROWN.

>>AMY: YEAH, ISN'T THAT BEAUTIFUL?

>>LORENE: IT'S BEAUTIFUL, IT REALLY MAKES MY HEART GO PITTER-PAT.

>>AMY: YEAH, AND DID YOU KNOW THAT ONE OF THE FIRST REASONS THE EUROPEANS BROUGHT BEES FROM EUROPE TO NORTH AMERICA WAS FOR CANDLES IN THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH BECAUSE THEY HAD TO BE MADE OUT OF BEESWAX.

SO THEY WERE LIKE, WELL, IF WE'RE GOING HERE, WE'VE GOT TO BRING OUR BEES WITH US.

>>LORENE: OH, THAT'S WONDERFUL, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.

>>AMY: KIND OF RELATED TOO.

>>LORENE: SO YOU HAVE A MASTER'S IN SOCIAL WORK.

>>AMY: I DO.

>>LORENE: CONGRATULATIONS.

>>AMY: THANK YOU.

>>LORENE: AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE KIND OF BRANCHED INTO IS THE THERAPEUTIC NATURE OF BEES AND BEEKEEPING.

BEES CAN BE USED IN HEALING THROUGH THEIR PRODUCTS LIKE ROYAL BEE JELLY AND BEE STING THERAPY FOR PARALYSIS TO STIMULATE INJURED PARTS OF THE BODY.

>>AMY: IT'S AMAZING, THEY CALL IT APITHERAPY AND I MEAN, I KNOW SO MANY BEEKEEPERS, THERE'S A BEEKEEPER DOWN IN BELEN NAMED KEN HAYES WHO DOES A LOT OF APITHERAPY WITH PEOPLE, YOU KNOW.

THEY'LL HAVE AN ACHY KNEE OR AN ACHY ELBOW AND YOU GET STUNG THERE AND IT ALMOST KIND OF MAKES THE IMMUNE SYSTEM RESPOND TO THAT STING.

>>LORENE: GALVANIZES IT.

>>AMY: YEAH, JUST KIND OF EASES THOSE PAINS AND IT'S SUPER INTERESTING.

>>LORENE: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE DONE THAT I'D LIKE YOU TO TELL US ABOUT, WHAT IS THE NEW MEXICO POLLINATOR PROTECTION PLAN.

>>AMY: YEAH, SO I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT YEAR IT WAS, BUT UNDER THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION HE WANTED EVERY STATE TO CREATE THEIR OWN PLAN FOR HOW THEY WERE GOING TO GO ABOUT PROTECTING THE POLLINATORS IN THEIR STATE.

>>LORENE: REALLY.

>>AMY: ISN'T THAT NEAT, SO IT WASN'T ANYTHING THAT HAD, YOU KNOW, WAS LAW OR YOU HAVE TO DO THIS OR THAT, BUT IT WAS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POLLINATOR HEALTH AND EACH STATE, YOU KNOW, WAS ASKED TO WRITE THEIR OWN SO THAT IT FIT BECAUSE BEEKEEPING FROM ONE STATE TO ANOTHER OR THE NATIVE BEES, YOU CAN IMAGINE THE NATIVE BEES IN MINNESOTA VERSUS NEW MEXICO ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

SO EACH STATE NEEDED TO TAILOR THEIR OWN PLAN.

SO I THINK IT WAS TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO, NMBKA, THE NEW MEXICO BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION, SEVERAL OF US WORKED ON OUR POLLINATOR PROTECTION PLAN AND IT BECAME A MEMORIAL LAST YEAR, SO IN THAT WAY, IT IS, YOU KNOW, AN OFFICIAL DOCUMENT.

>>LORENE: AND DOES THE MEMORIAL ALSO MENTION THAT WORLD BEE DAY IS MAY 20TH OR IS THAT JUST A STATE MEMORIAL?

>>AMY: YOU KNOW, I SHOULD KNOW THAT, BUT I DON'T KNOW.

I THINK THAT'S WORLD BEE DAY.

>>LORENE: SO YOU HAVE A BUSINESS APPROPRIATELY, BEAUTIFULLY CALLED DESERT HIVES.

>>AMY: THANK YOU.

>>LORENE: AND HOW DIFFERENT IS IT?

YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF HONEY, PARTICULARLY BASED ON THE FLOWERS FROM WHICH THE BEES GET THEIR POLLEN, SO WHAT PLANTS ARE PARTICULARLY BELOVED BY DESERT BEES AND DO WE HAVE NATIVE BEES HERE OR DO WE HAVE AMERICAN BEAUTY BEES, THE SAME EVERYWHERE.

>>AMY: RIGHT.

OH, THERE'S SO MUCH IN THAT QUESTION, BUT I WILL DO MY BEST TO ANSWER IT.

BEES, THERE'S I THINK ABOUT 20 TO 30 SUBSPECIES OF HONEYBEES AND SO THOSE SUBSPECIES DO BETTER IN DIFFERENT CLIMATES BECAUSE OF WHERE THEY EVOLVED.

SO LIKE CARNIOLAN OR RUSSIAN BEES, THEY'RE GOING TO DO BETTER IN COLDER CLIMATES, WHEREAS ITALIAN BEES MIGHT DO BETTER IN A LITTLE WARMER CLIMATE.

>>LORENE: A LITTLE WINE, A LITTLE SPAGHETTI.

>>AMY: YEAH.

SO IT'S FUNNY, US BEEKEEPERS, YOU KNOW, WE'LL TRY TO ORDER QUEENS, YOU KNOW, WITH THE GENETICS FOR OUR AREA AND NEW MEXICO IS SO DIVERSE, WE HAVE THE MOUNTAINS, WE HAVE THE PRAIRIES, THE DESERT.

SO EVEN IN NEW MEXICO, ONE BEEKEEPER TO THE NEXT IS GOING TO KIND OF PREFER A DIFFERENT, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY, STOCK OF BEE, BUT AS FAR AS NATIVE BEES, I MEAN, HERE IN NEW MEXICO, WE HAVE ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE NATIVE BEE POPULATIONS.

THAT'S BECAUSE 70% OF NATIVE BEES ARE GROUND NESTERS AND I LOVE TELLING PEOPLE THE REASON WE HAVE THAT BEAUTIFUL DIVERSITY HERE IN THE DESERT SOUTHWEST IS BECAUSE THE GROUND DOESN'T GET WET AND STAY WET AND THESE GROUND-NESTING BEES, THEY HAVE TO PROVISION THOSE UNDERGROUND NEST CAVITIES WITH POLLEN AND A LITTLE BIT OF NECTAR FOR THEIR YOUNG.

AND IF THE GROUND GOT WET, THAT POLLEN AND NECTAR WOULD FERMENT OR GO RANCID AND SO THEY HAVE TO HAVE A DRY ENVIRONMENT.

SO WE HAVE SO MANY, JUST BEAUTIFUL SPECIES OF NATIVE BEES AND ALONG WITH, YOU KNOW, OUR THRIVING, WONDERFUL BEEKEEPING COMMUNITY HERE IN NEW MEXICO WITH OUR, YOU KNOW, HONEYBEES.

>>LORENE: YES, YES.

SPEAKING OF HABITAT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, YOU BROUGHT AN EXAMPLE OF A PORTABLE BEEHIVE FULL OF BEES.

CAN YOU SHOW US IT AND TALK A LITTLE ABOUT IT?

>>AMY: YEAH.

I'M REALLY REALIZING I DIDN'T TELL YOU MUCH ABOUT THE PLANTS BUT I LAUGHED BECAUSE THE EUROPEAN HONEYBEE LOVES THE RUSSIAN OLIVE AND THE TAMARISK OR SALT CEDAR THAT WE'VE ALL TRIED TO LIKE, YOU KNOW TAKES OVER THE BOSQUE AND IT'S INVASIVE, BUT YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER HONEYBEES CO-EVOLVED WITH THOSE PLANTS SO WE GET A LOT OF OUR HONEY FROM THOSE PLANTS.

>>LORENE: AND IN MY YARD, THEY LOVE BLACKCURRANT BUSHES AND THEY LOVE THE DANDELIONS.

>>AMY: YES, I LOVE IT.

>>LORENE: WE SUPPORT THOSE.

WHO HAVE WE HERE?

>>AMY: ISN'T THIS BEAUTIFUL?

>>LORENE: YES.

>>AMY: SO I WILL TRY TO INTRODUCE YOU TO ALL THESE LADIES, JUST KIDDING.

BUT THIS IS A BAR OF BEES FROM A TOP BAR STYLE HIVE, WHICH IS SUPER INTERESTING BECAUSE NEW MEXICO IS ONE OF THE STATES THAT HAS A LOT OF TOP BAR HIVE BEEKEEPERS.

SO IF YOU LOOK IN THIS BOX, YOU'LL SEE THE WOOD AT THE TOP, BUT EVERYTHING BELOW THAT WOOD WAS DRAWN OUT BY THE BEES WITH THEIR BEE'S WAX.

ISN'T THAT AMAZING?

SO ALL THESE LITTLE BEES I'M LOOKING AT, THEY'RE ALL FEMALE WORKER BEES.

I'M NOT SURE IF YOU CAN SEE IT, LORENE, BUT IN THE CENTER, I GRABBED A BAR THAT HAS BROOD AND BROOD IS JUST DEVELOPING BEES OR BABY BEES THAT HAVEN'T EMERGED AS AN ADULT YET.

SO YOU CAN SEE THOSE PAPERY COVERINGS IN THE MIDDLE AND THEN THEY'LL STORE POLLEN AND HONEY HERE AT THE TOP, SO THAT IT'S NOT VERY FAR AWAY FOR THEM TO GO GET FOOD FOR THE BABY BEES WHEN THEY'RE FEEDING THEM.

>>LORENE: THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE GEOMETRY OF NATURE.

HAS ANYONE EVER POSITED AN IDEA WHY THE CELLS IN THE BEEHIVE ARE HEXAGONAL?

>>AMY: GOOD QUESTION.

SO, THE REASON THEY ARE IS BECAUSE THAT'S THE MOST SPACE-SAVING SHAPE, AND IT'S VERY STRUCTURALLY STRONG.

AND WHAT I FIND FASCINATING IS HONEY IS SO MUCH MORE HEAVY THAN WATER, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NUMBER RIGHT NOW, THE RATIO, BUT IT'S HEAVIER THAN WATER.

SO, YOU IMAGINE THESE LITTLE INSECTS ARE TRYING TO ENCAPSULATE THIS SUBSTANCE THAT'S HEAVIER THAN WATER, AND THESE HEXAGONS, YOU KNOW, THE PHYSICS OF IT THEY'RE VERY STRONG, AND THEY ALSO DON'T WASTE SPACE.

SO SOMETIMES WITH KIDS WHEN I'M DOING A CLASS, I'LL HAVE THEM PUT CUPS TOGETHER AND I HAVE THEM LOOK AT THAT BLANK SPACE IN BETWEEN ALL THE CUPS, AND THERE'S A LOT OF WASTED SPACE WITH THOSE CIRCLES AND I SAY, YOU KNOW NOW THINK ABOUT THESE HEXAGONS AND HOW EFFICIENT THAT IS.

SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT HONEYBEES, A LOT ABOUT THEM IS ALL ABOUT EFFICIENCY AND HOW TO DO THINGS MORE EFFICIENTLY.

>>LORENE: SO SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T WORK, AND THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER WHICH IS JUST ALARMING TO EVEN THINK OF AND SOMETIMES BILLIONS OF BEES WILL LEAVE THEIR HIVES AND NEVER COME BACK.

IN SOME AREAS, 90 PERCENT WILL LEAVE THE HIVE AND NEVER COME BACK.

IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU MERELY OBSERVE, NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT?

>>AMY: WELL, SO OVER THE YEARS, I WISH I COULD REMEMBER WHAT YEAR IT IS THAT THEY WERE TALKING A LOT ABOUT COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER, IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN AROUND 2015.

BUT SINCE THEN, THEY'VE KIND OF COME UP WITH SEVERAL THINGS THAT THEY BELIEVE CONTRIBUTE TO COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER, THEY FINALLY CAME TO A CONSENSUS THAT IT'S NOT JUST ONE THING, IT'S, YOU KNOW, DEATH BY A THOUSAND CUTS.

THEY USE THAT QUOTE QUITE A BIT WHEN TALKING ABOUT COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER OR JUST THE HIVE LOSSES THAT WE EXPERIENCE AS BEEKEEPERS, ESPECIALLY COMMERCIAL BEEKEEPERS THIS LAST WINTER.

IT WAS AWFUL, I THINK IT WAS LOSSES RANGING FROM 75 TO 100% LOSS.

AND SO THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE POINTING TO FOR THE CAUSES OF THIS IS THE IMPROPER USE OF PESTICIDES, LOSS OF HABITAT, YOU KNOW, A LOSS OF GOOD FORAGE.

>>LORENE: EVEN AIR POLLUTION.

>>AMY: MONOCULTURE, YEAH.

THEY'RE CONTENDING WITH ALL THESE THINGS AND NOT TO MENTION THE DREADED VARROA MITE AND ALL THE DISEASES THAT THAT PARASITIC MITE CARRIES, THAT WE AS BEEKEEPERS, YOU KNOW, HAVE TO CONTEND WITH.

AND SO, YEAH, BEEKEEPING CAN BE A LITTLE DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING SOMETIMES, BUT ALSO VERY REWARDING.

>>LORENE: YES, IT'S SO REWARDING THAT THE HONEYBEES CONTRIBUTE, BEEKEEPING CONTRIBUTES, 15 TO 20 BILLION TO THE UNITED STATES ECONOMY ANNUALLY AND THAT LAST WINTER WAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGES OF COLONY COLLAPSE.

I'M SO SORRY, I'M SO SORRY.

THEY SAY THAT A THIRD OF THE WORLD'S FOOD SUPPLY DEPENDS ON INSECT POLLINATION, ESPECIALLY BEES, AND THAT I THINK I MENTIONED THIS BEFORE, BUT EVERY THIRD SPOONFUL OF FOOD IS BROUGHT TO YOU COURTESY OF POLLINATORS.

WELL, WE'RE SPEAKING TODAY WITH AMY OWEN, WHO'S A NEW MEXICO-CERTIFIED BEEKEEPER, AND I'M SO FASCINATED.

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN INTRIGUED WITH BEES, BUT WHAT CAN WE DO, I CAN'T LEAVE THE PROGRAM WITHOUT ASKING YOU WHAT WE CAN DO TO SAVE THE BEES.

>>AMY: RIGHT.

>>LORENE: BECAUSE WE CAN REALLY PROTECT THEM, WE CAN HELP THEM.

>>AMY: AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION BECAUSE THERE'S JUST SIMPLE THINGS WE CAN DO, LIKE FIRST OF ALL, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE, WHEN THEY THINK, HOW CAN I SAVE THE BEES, THEY THINK, I'M GOING TO BECOME A BEEKEEPER.

I DON'T LIKE TO TELL PEOPLE THIS BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO DISSUADE ANYONE FROM BEEKEEPING, BUT BEEKEEPING IN AND OF ITSELF DOESN'T DO ANYTHING TO SAVE THE BEES, AND IT CAN ACTUALLY HARM BEES IF YOU DON'T DO IT PROPERLY.

SO WHEN PEOPLE APPROACH ME WITH, "EXCUSE ME, I WANT TO GET STARTED," I SAY, "WHY DON'T YOU SPEND YOU KNOW, ONE SEASON COLLECTING YOUR EQUIPMENT, YOUR PPE, LEARNING ABOUT BEES, AND THEN THE FOLLOWING SPRING GET YOUR BEES.

>>LORENE: GET A MENTOR, INTERN UNDER SOMEONE WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

>>AMY: SO WONDERFUL, YEAH, BECAUSE OPENING A HIVE AT FIRST CAN BE VERY INTIMIDATING, AND SO IT'S NICE TO HAVE A MENTOR.

BUT AS FAR AS LIKE THE SIMPLE THINGS WE CAN DO AT HOME IS PLANTING FOR POLLINATORS, SO PLANTING NATIVE PLANTS THAT POLLINATORS LOVE, THAT ARE DROUGHT-TOLERANT, LIKE CATMINT, GLOBE MALLOW.

OUR CURRANTS ARE WONDERFUL, I JUST SAW SOME WILD CURRANTS GROWING IN OUR ARROYO TODAY AND I WAS SO EXCITED.

SO YEAH, JUST MAKING SURE YOU PLANT SOMETHING SO THAT YOU HAVE SOMETHING BLOOMING IN YOUR YARD THROUGHOUT THE SEASON.

SO LIKE SOME EARLY BLOOMERS MIGHT BE ROSEMARY OR WINTER JASMINE, IT'S BEAUTIFUL, THOSE BRIGHT YELLOW FLOWERS THAT COME OUT SOMETIMES AS EARLY AS FEBRUARY, EARLY FEBRUARY.

SO YOU WANT TO THINK ABOUT PLANTING THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE SEASON, YOU WANT SOMETHING BLOOMING.

AND THEN BEE WATERERS ARE SO MUCH FUN JUST SETTING OUT A SHALLOW DISH WITH ROCKS IN IT AT DIFFERENT LEVELS SO THAT AT DIFFERENT WATER LEVELS THOSE BEES HAVE SOMEWHERE TO LAND AND GET WATER.

>>LORENE: AND IS IT JUST FOR THEM TO DRINK OR DO THEY ACTUALLY TAKE A LITTLE BEE BATH IN THE WATER?

>>AMY: OH, THAT WOULD BE ADORABLE.

I WISH.

THAT'S FOR THE BIRDS, BUT YEAH, THAT WOULD BE SO CUTE.

ALL THEY DO IS DRINK IT.

THEY DON'T ONLY USE IT FOR WATER, I THINK THIS IS REALLY FUN TO TALK ABOUT.

IN THE DESERT, YOU KNOW, IT GETS HOT IN THE SUMMER AND WATER IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THEM IN COOLING THE HIVE, SO YOU ACTUALLY HAVE WATER GATHERING BEES THAT GO GET WATER.

THIS IS HOW IMPORTANT THESE WATERERS ARE AND THEY TAKE THAT WATER BACK TO THE HIVE AND THEY SPIT IT OUT AND THEN THEY FAN THEIR WINGS AND THEY BASICALLY HAVE EVAPORATIVE COOLING IN THEIR HIVE.

>>LORENE: OH MY GOODNESS.

>>AMY: SO YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS HERE IN NEW MEXICO IN THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER, THOSE BEES REALLY NEED WATER.

SO USUALLY NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN, YOU SET UP A BEE WATERER AND THE BEES, THEY'LL COME.

>>LORENE: SO ANOTHER THING THAT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER TO DO, BESIDES PLANTING POLLINATOR-FRIENDLY PLANTS AND SETTING UP A BEE WATERER, BUT TO DON'T SPRAY PESTICIDES.

>>AMY: RIGHT, I KNOW.

>>LORENE: IT'S GOING TO TAKE DOWN EVERYTHING AND THEN IF YOU SPRAY YOUR PESTICIDES, THE PESTICIDE SPRAY GETS ON THE FLOWERS OF A PLANT, THEN THE BEES WHO EAT IT, AND THEN THE BIRDS THAT EAT THE BEES, THE WHOLE CHAIN OF TOXICITY GOES DOWN LIKE IT'S A DOMINO EFFECT, TRAGIC DOMINO EFFECT.

>>AMY: YEAH, IT'S THEIR FOOD SOURCE AND UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S NOT ONLY THE SPRAY, LORENE, IT'S ALSO, YOU KNOW, SOME PLANTS HAVE A COATING ON THEIR SEED OR A NEONICOTINOID COATING, AND THAT PLANT TAKES UP THAT CHEMICAL AND THEN IT COMES THROUGH THE NECTAR, AND SO WHEN THE BEE COMES TO GET THE NECTAR, EVEN IF YOU DIDN'T SPRAY THAT PLANT, IF THAT PLANT IS PRE-TREATED, IF THE SEED IS PRE-TREATED, IT'S GOING TO HAVE THAT IN THE NECTAR, AND SO IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOT SPRAY FLOWERING PLANTS BUT TO ALSO MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT BUYING PLANTS THAT HAVE BEEN PRE-TREATED.

>>LORENE: IS THERE A LAW THAT THEY HAVE TO BE LABELED?

>>AMY: YES, IT DIDN'T USED TO, AND NOW IT DOES, ISN'T THAT GREAT?

>>LORENE: YEAH.

SO IT'S ON A LITTLE TAG ON THE PLANT.

>>AMY: SO ON THE PLANT, I BELIEVE IT NOW HAS TO SAY THAT IT'S BEEN TREATED.

>>LORENE: OH, GOOD, THAT'S REALLY GOOD TO KNOW.

>>AMY: SO IT'S GOOD TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THAT AS WELL.

>>LORENE: THERE'S A PROGRAM YOU TOLD ME ABOUT THAT I'D LOVE FOR YOU TO TELL.

ONE OF THE OTHER WONDERFUL ADVANCES IN HELPING THE BEES, THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED HIVES TO HEROES PROGRAM.

>>AMY: YES.

>>LORENE: WHAT IS THAT?

>>AMY: ISN'T THAT WONDERFUL?

>>LORENE: IT'S WONDERFUL.

>>AMY: WELL, EARLIER YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT YOUR DEGREE IN SOCIAL WORK AND YOU TALKED ABOUT THE THERAPEUTIC NATURE OF BEES, WELL, JUST IN AND OF ITSELF, BEING IN A BEEHIVE, IT TEACHES YOU TO DEAL WITH YOUR ANXIETY, TO CALM DOWN.

SO THIS PROGRAM, HIVES TO HEROES, IS FOR VETERANS, THEY GET A HIVE AFTER, I BELIEVE, A YEAR OF MENTORING AND SO THEY LEARN TO KEEP BEES.

AND THE PEOPLE I'VE MET WHO HAVE DONE THIS PROGRAM ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT AND HAVE FOUND THE BENEFIT IN IT.

THEY NOT ONLY LOVE BEEKEEPING BUT THEY ALSO NOTICE THAT THEIR FRIENDS SEE THEIR ABILITY TO MANAGE THOSE HARD EMOTIONS THAT CAN COME AFTER SERVING IN THE MILITARY.

>>LORENE: I IMAGINE THAT WHEN THEY LEARN THIS AND WHEN THEY'RE BEING AN INTERN WITH A MASTER, THERE ARE SEVERAL TOOLS AND ARTIFACTS THAT YOU HAVE THAT YOU'VE BROUGHT.

I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MINUTE TO SHOW SOME OF THE ACCESSORIES.

>>AMY: YES.

OKAY, SO A LOT OF BEEKEEPERS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU KNOW YOUR BEES, IT'S A CALM COLONY, SOME BEEKEEPERS WON'T WEAR ANY PROTECTIVE GEAR, BUT I ALWAYS LIKE TO WEAR A VEIL AND I'LL JUST WEAR IT WITH SHORT SLEEVES.

I LOVE THIS ONE FROM BELLA BEAK, MY FRIEND MANDY MAKES THESE, BECAUSE THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL BUT THEY'RE ALSO JUST SIMPLE AND PRACTICAL AS OPPOSED TO PUTTING ON A WHOLE JACKET ESPECIALLY IN THE HEAT OF THE SUMMER.

SO I LOVE TO JUST WEAR A VEIL, BUT SOMETIMES YOU KNOW YOU'LL HAVE A HIVE THAT'S A LITTLE MORE DEFENSIVE, SO WHAT I DO IS I KEEP A FULL BEE SUIT IN THE CAR IN CASE I NEED TO STEP AWAY AND PUT MORE PROTECTIVE GEAR ON.

OF COURSE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND I DON'T LIKE TO TALK ABOUT LIKE BEES AND THEIR DEFENSIVE BEHAVIOR BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW WHEN BEES ARE GOING TO STING YOU THINK ABOUT LIKE BEARS, SKUNKS, RACCOONS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT THEY LOVE HONEYBEES AND THEY'LL KIND OF TEASE THEM AT THE HIVE ENTRANCE AND EAT THEM.

AND SO YOU THINK ABOUT ALL THESE PREDATORS, WELL, HONEYBEES GO FOR THEIR EYES BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE IT'S GOING TO HAVE THE MOST EFFECT AND SO AS A BEEKEEPER, IF YOU'RE GOING TO PROTECT ANYTHING, YOU REALLY NEED TO PROTECT YOUR EYES.

AND NOT WEAR DARK CLOTHING BECAUSE WE JUST TELL PEOPLE YOU LOOK LIKE A BEAR.

THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE USED TO AS FAR AS PREDATION GOES SO, I HAVE MY VEIL HERE AND THEN MY SMOKER AND IT CRACKS ME UP WHAT LITTLE KIDS THINK SMOKERS ARE FOR BECAUSE SOME OF THEM WILL SAY, DOES IT KILL THE BEES AND I'M LIKE, NO, WE'RE HERE TO CARE FOR THE BEES, SWEETIE.

SO WHAT THE SMOKER DOES, THE REASON BEEKEEPERS USE SMOKERS IS BEES EMIT AN ALARM PHEROMONE WHEN WE OPEN THE HIVE, OF COURSE, IT'S LIKE WE WERE SITTING THERE HAVING DINNER WITH SOMEONE AND THE ROOF COMES OFF OF OUR HOUSE, SO THEY GET ALARMED.

AND WHAT THE SMOKE DOES IS IT MASKS THAT ALARM PHEROMONE, BUT IT DOES SOMETHING ELSE, TOO.

IT ALSO, YOU THINK IN NATURE, BEES LIVING IN THE HOLLOW OF A TREE AND THERE'S A FIRE NEARBY, THEY NEED TO GORGE ON HONEY, FILL UP THEIR HONEY STOMACH BEFORE THEY LEAVE.

>>LORENE: YEAH, BECAUSE IT MAY ALL GO UP IN SMOKE.

>>AMY: EXACTLY, THEY MIGHT HAVE TO LEAVE.

YOU'LL NOTICE WHEN YOU'RE SMOKING YOUR BEES, THEY KIND OF GO TOWARDS THE HONEY IN THE HIVE, AND THEY DO, THEY START FILLING UP ON HONEY.

SO THEY'RE NOT ONLY DISTRACTED, BUT THEY'RE ALSO, YOU KNOW, THAT ALARM PHEROMONE IS BLOCKED BY THE SCENT OF THE SMOKE.

AND THEN WE HAVE HIVE TOOLS, YOU CAN SEE HOW DIRTY THEY ARE.

THEY HAVE PROPOLIS ALL OVER THEM, AND PROPOLIS, THEY GATHER RESIN FROM PLANTS THAT HAS ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES, ISN'T THAT AMAZING AND HUMANS USE IT TOO, IT'S ONE OF THE MANY HIVE PRODUCTS WE GET.

BUT PROPOLIS IS STICKY, SO YOU NEED HIVE TOOLS TO GET FRAMES APART, AND SO YOU CAN GET THEM OUT AND INSPECT EACH LITTLE FRAME IN YOUR HIVE OR BAR.

CAN YOU GUESS WHAT THIS IS FOR?

>>LORENE: NO, WHENEVER IT IS, IT WOULD GET STICKY.

>>AMY: I KNOW, WHY WOULD YOU BRUSH BEES?

YES, IT WOULD GET STICKY.

>>LORENE: YOU BRUSH THE BEES.

>>AMY: YEAH, SO IF WE'RE HARVESTING HONEY AND THERE'S BEES ALL OVER A FRAME OF HONEY THAT WE'RE GOING TO HARVEST, YOU CAN USE A BEE BRUSH TO BRUSH THOSE BEES OFF OR EQUIPMENT YOU'RE REMOVING OR THINGS LIKE THAT.

>>LORENE: VERY GENTLE.

>>AMY: SO YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAN BECAUSE HONEY MAKES IT NOT SO GENTLE BECAUSE IT GETS HARD.

>>LORENE: WELL, WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME, THERE'S SOMETHING I MUST ASK YOU ABOUT.

SO BEES HAVE BEEN FUNDAMENTAL IN ART AND LITERATURE, BACK FROM THE EARLY CAVE PAINTINGS TO BOOKS LIKE THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES , POETRY, NOVELS, FILM AND MANY PEOPLE, THIS IS A HUGE QUESTION, JUST GIVE ME YOUR SHORTEST ANSWER, BUT THEY SEE THE STRUCTURE OF BEE CULTURE AND BEE SOCIETY AS A PERHAPS A TEMPLATE OR A PARALLEL OR AN ANALOGY FOR HUMAN CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION.

>>AMY: YES, I JUST GOT GOOSEBUMPS BECAUSE I LOVE YOUR QUESTIONS SO MUCH.

AND I'M GOING TO GIVE MY QUICKEST ANSWER BECAUSE WHAT FIRST CAME TO MIND WAS TOM SEELEY'S BOOK, HONEYBEE DEMOCRACY .

>>LORENE: OH, REALLY.

>>AMY: AND THAT BOOK IS ALL ABOUT HOW A COLONY OF HONEYBEES MAKES A DECISION.

AND SO WHEN HALF OF THE COLONY LEAVES A HIVE THAT'S TOO FULL, FOR EXAMPLE, THE QUEEN AND HALF THE COLONY WILL FLY OFF AND LAND ON A TREE, THAT'S CALLED A SWARM.

SO IF YOU EVER SEE A GROUP OF BEES ON A TREE, CALL A BEEKEEPER, THEY'RE VERY CALM IN THAT STATE, BUT THEY'RE WITHOUT A HOME, SO THEY DON'T HAVE BROOD OR BABY BEES TO DEFEND, THEY'RE JUST LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO STAY.

BUT THEY ALL HAVE TO DECIDE WHERE TO GO, I MEAN, THERE'S THIS BIG COLONY OF BEES NOW ON A TREE AND JUST LIKE PEOPLE, THESE LITTLE SCOUT BEES, WE CALL THEM, THEY GO OUT AND THEY'RE TRYING TO FIND THE HOLLOW OF A TREE OR SOMEONE'S PARAPET OR WALL OR BARBECUE GRILL AND THEY'RE GOING OUT TRYING TO FIND A HOME AND THEY FLY BACK AND THEY ACTUALLY DANCE ON THIS SWARM.

>>LORENE: WAGGLE?

>>AMY: IT'S SIMILAR TO THE WAGGLE DANCE.

YEAH, SO THEY COMMUNICATE IN SO MANY WAYS THROUGH DANCING, ISN'T THAT FASCINATING?

THEY'LL DANCE AND IF THAT HOME SITE WAS REALLY EXCITING THEY'RE GOING TO DO A REALLY EXCITED DANCE AND MORE BEES ARE GOING TO GO OUT TO THAT SITE AND IF THEY LIKE IT THEY'RE GOING TO COME BACK AND DANCE IN THAT EXCITED WAY AND THAT DANCE INDICATES WHERE THAT LOCATION IS, WHICH IS SO FASCINATING AND SO HONEYBEE DEMOCRACY I S ALL ABOUT THE ORDER AND HOW THEY DECIDE AND ONCE IT REACHED THIS PEAK OF MOST OF THE BEES ARE DANCING FOR THIS LOCATION THEY TAKE OFF AND GO AND SO, JUST LIKE PEOPLE HAVING TO COME TO A CONSENSUS, HONEYBEES DO TOO, SO YEAH THERE ARE SO MANY PARALLELS WE CAN DRAW BETWEEN HONEYBEES CULTURE AND HUMAN CULTURE.

>>LORENE: I WILL TELL YOU, THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST FASCINATING SHOWS FOR ME.

>>AMY: AW, THANKS, LORENE.

>>LORENE: SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU, OUR GUEST TODAY IS AMY OWEN, A CERTIFIED BEEKEEPER.

YOU HAVE A BUSINESS CALLED DESERT HIVES, MAYBE A WEBSITE?

>>AMY: I DO, WWW.DESERTHIVES.COM >>LORENE: GOOD, GOOD, SO IF PEOPLE WANT MORE INFORMATION.

BUT THIS HAS JUST BEEN FASCINATING.

>>AMY: GOOD, THANK YOU.

>>LORENE: AND I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.

>>AMY: THANK YOU, LORENE.

>>LORENE: YOU BET AND I'M LORENE MILLS, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU, OUR AUDIENCE FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

ON REPORT FROM SANTA FE WE'LL BE BACK SOON.

BYE-BYE.

REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES, AND FROM THE HEALY FOUNDATION, TAOS, NM ♪ MUSIC