from Medford Leas Life, September 2009
by Miriam Swartz
Medford Leas Life (May, 2009) reported the possibility of an apiary being installed at Medford Leas by Correy Melissas, daughter of former resident Mickey Gray. The hive is now in place, near the community gardens behind the Mt. Holly sewage pumping station on the Lumberton campus. The hive is back from the edge of the shrub garden to be out of reach of the spray from the irrigation system. Its opening faces south.
In July, the hive had about 1,000 bees, and it is hoped that there will be some 10,000 by November. Correy visits the hive every other day feeding the bees with a 50/50 solution of sugar/water and a pollen supplement. Worker bees can be seen carrying pollen on their legs as they enter the hive. The bees have also been seen on the Butterfly Weed that blooms in the Lumberton meadow.
Because some residents are allergic to bee stings and others are just fearful of bees and other insects, the hive was placed near residents who are not allergic and who have agreed to have the hive near their homes.