Paul Anderson- Interview

Paul has been into the bees since 1982 which puts him in the old school group of keepers. You know, the knowledgeable bunch! What I like about him is he is himself. He is humble and doesn’t put on a show for anyone. I went to have a look at his super colonies of hockingsi he keeps and decided to just film. Dave Jensen decided to come along to and quiz Anderson about his hive.

Have a look in this video below. Strong language warning!!

Tips on stingless bee keeping from Paul Anderson

• I did things the hard the hard way. Learning on my own. There was no books and social media to help in my day when things were trying to get off the ground.
• Keep you bees up away from ants when making new colonies or transferring them.
• Find a box that is simple and works for you.

Paul showing us his horse riding awards.

Paul telling us about his cattle dogs

How did you become interested in Stingless bees?

I always like them from when I was a kid. The clypearis used to build in my grand parents house. I used to wonder what the honey tasted like.

Can you think of a memory or story that stands out with your bee keeping?

I cut this tree down that had a native bee hive in it. The tree spun around and the branch that had the bees in it hit the ground and the cows came over and I decided to put them in a cardboard box. They have lived in it for years.

Paul Anderson, What type of Stingless bee is your favorite and why?

Hockingsi because they make a lot of honey and also because I don’t have much else around. Sapiens are good also.

What things do you like about your box design and what inspirations did you have?

I came up with something simple that worked. Easy to make and simple. The dimensions are 300/200 on the outside and the walls are about 100mm high.

Paul, Why do you believe bees are important?

Without bees we arent going to survive, bees are our scource to pollination. Without them we don’t get our food. Bees are an essential part of nature without them we are up the creek without a paddle.

Have you learned something recently about bees that you would wish to share?

No comment.

Finally what is your one piece of life advice you would share with the world?

Don’t let things get to complicated. If you have 20 jobs none of them end up getting done.