Abstract:
Gary Pierce, a North Carolina resident, decided to begin beekeeping to help support local farms. In North Carolina, crop pollination is heavily reliant on individuals with small scale beekeeping (less than twenty five hives). As bees are important to the state, there are several beekeepers who are employed as hive inspectors. These individuals visit hives and aid in running diagnostic tests. Pierce had several issues with one hive which necessitated a visit from the inspector. While the visit was not successful, Pierce concludes that bees remain an important aspect of the North Carolina economy. All in all, he believes that beekeeping is worth the sting.