They Quickly Learned What All the Buzz Was About

They quickly learned what all the buzz was about. 

The bees.

When longtime beekeeper and retired teacher Ettamarie Peterson displayed a  bee observation hive at the Vacaville Museum Guild's Children's Party, the youngsters, ages 3 to 9, got a taste of what it's like inside a bee colony--along with a taste of honey.

The youngsters singled out the queen bee, worker bees (females) and drones (males). They asked such questions as "Where's the queen?" and "Can they get out and hurt me?" and "How many bees are in there?"

Ettamarie, known as the "Queen Bee of Sonoma County," described the queen and pointed out "Look, she's laying eggs--she can lay 1000 eggs a day." 

And she assured them that yes, the bees would be staying inside. 

"I like to tell the public how they have a pipe through my barn wall so when they are not visiting events and schools they can fly if they are over three weeks old and then explain how in the spring and summer they live only three or so more weeks and make just a tiny bit of honey," she related. "Another question I usually get asked is if there are more than one queen and then I explain how there can be a daughter queen if the old one is about to die and show the photo of the queen cell with the royal jelly."

As for the number of bees, "Maybe 2000 but I told a guy on Saturday to count their legs and divide by 6!"

Ettamarie taught school for 37 years, has kept bees for 30 years, and has volunteered as the leader of a 4-H beekeeping project for the Liberty 4-H Club, Petaluma, for the past 25 years. Already this year she has caught 19 swarms and given them to the 4-H'ers.

"I go to two Ag Days every year to show the bees and several events and schools," she said. "Years ago we had a pumpkin patch and I gave the bee talk to the visiting classes three times a day! Now because the insurance company wants $7000 a year if I have tours, I tell the teachers I will bring the bees to their classrooms! Since I taught for 37 years this is really fun for me." 

Ettamarie said she "started beekeeping before I retired in 1998 from 37 years of teaching. “My teaching career was mostly in special education, following a few years teaching second and first grade. I became one of the first resource teachers in California back in 1980 after getting my master's degree in special education."

Ettamarie is also a longtime friend and supporter of UC Davis. She delivered a tribute to the late Eric Mussen (1946-2022), a 38-year California Cooperative Extension apiculturist and member of the Department of Entomology and Nematology faculty.

Active in the beekeeping industry, Ettamarie has served as president and treasurer of Sonoma County Beekeepers' Association (SCBA) and currently edits the SCBA newsletter, The Monthly Extractor.  She and her husband, Ray (a non-beekeeper), enjoy life on the Peterson Ranch. "We've been married for 65 years and have 3 children, 9 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren! What a wonderful life I have!” 

While she chatted with the children and the adults, Dr. George Stock, a retired Vacaville-Fairfield physician costumed in a California Master Beekeeper Program bee suit, handed out honey sticks, gifts from the Z Food Specialty/The Hive, Woodland. 

Peterson also shared scientific information (some the work of UC Davis emeritus professor Norm Gary), and a cut-out bee from the Sonoma Farm Bureau. Youngsters delighted in posing for pictures as a bee. They also switched to a butterfly (a cut-out banner of the California dogface butterfly loaned by the Bohart Museum of Entomology, UC Davis). 

Pamela King and Diana McLaughlin co-chaired the children's party, themed "Fun on the Farm." The activities? The children petted the Vaca Valley Grange animals, blew bubbles, planted seeds, played a ring toss game,  created chalk drawings, decorated paper crowns, and engaged with Mother Goose and the Vacaville Public Library staff. Meanwhile, the Rainbow Girls painted faces and the School of Rock presented a live perormance.  A special treat: The Vacaville Police Department, Solano County Sheriff's Office and the California Highway Patrol provided them with replica law enforcement badges and other gifts. The CHP fitted the kids with free bicycle helmets. 

All in all, it was a buzzworthy event.