Today the Governor will give a home to two honeybee hives on the Capitol grounds. As a beekeeper myself, I say it is about time. Placing honeybees on the campus is a good choice given the hot and cold nature of politics.

Honeybees are very hearty and will thrive no matter how the climate changes in the Capitol.

• If tempers and the temperature gets hot in the chambers, no problem. More than half the honeybees in the US head to California every year. They love the warm weather.
• If a chill descends over budget negotiations, that’s OK too. Freezing North Dakota is the top honey producing state in the nation.

Honeybees can be found in every climate and can thrive even as temperatures and tempers change.

There are many threats to honeybees, like the varroa mite (with the greatest scientific name ever – varroa destructor). Although annual mortality is up, with beekeepers losing about 40 percent of their hives last year, the total number of hives in the United States is actually increasing, thanks to the ingenuity of beekeepers and efforts like the Governor’s and backyard beekeepers to increase the total population.

 We hope the hives remain a permanent part of the campus – through hot years and cold – and help make the campus a little more beautiful.

Now, the real question is, who gets the honey?