An expert on apiculture has underlined that there are no age restrictions when it comes to taking up beekeeping.
Christy Locklear is organising workshops for children at Long Branch Elementary in Lumberton, North Carolina.
Christy – who is the interim dean of continuing education at the local Robeson Community College (RCC) – said some of the pupils expressed their interest in becoming a beekeeper after attending her lectures.
Speaking to The Robesonian, a local newspaper, Christy said: “There are no age limits, you can learn the trade at any time. It’s up to the parents if they would like their children to discover more about beekeeping.”
Referring to the essential role of pollinators when it comes to ensuring balanced ecosystems, she emphasised: “Without honeybees, we would not exist.”
Reflecting on her experiences with the elementary school children, she said: “You could just feel the excitement in the class. The kids had a million questions. They were very inquisitive.”
Prior to launching her school project, Christy introduced a course called ‘In Business with Beekeeping’ at RCC.
Christy – who brings hive frames to the classroom for her elementary school workshops – revealed: “The kids thought it was neat to see how the other bees take care of (the queen), they loved it.”
There are around 15,000 beekeepers in the State of North Carolina, according to North Carolina State University‘s expert on honeybee biology, Dr David Tarpy.
The annual per capita consumption of honey In the United States ranges between 0.9 and 1.4 kilogrammes.
