Ask the Author: Frank Mortimer
Answered Questions (11)
Frank Mortimer
Yes. Dr. Thomas Seeley at Cornell University has done a lot of research on worker bees and the various jobs it holds. He has also done studies to see what happens if a bee of a certain age is removed, and how the colony compensates. Very interesting stuff!
Frank Mortimer
She has a specialized organ called, the Spermatheca where it's stored.
Frank Mortimer
What's interesting is that the Swarm cells are built at the edges of the frame, BUT the supersedure queen cells are in the middle of the frame. My guess is their location communicates to the rest of the colony what their intention is.
Frank Mortimer
It is amazing how much more accurate the alcohol wash is when compared to sugar roll. The issue with the sugar is that humidity can play a huge part in its accuracy. (too humid, gets clumpy and is not accurate.) Additionally, the retired NJ State apiarist did an experiment where he first did the sugar roll, then he poured the bees into the alcohol wash, and every time, he found more mites off the same bees.
BUT, if you prefer the sugar roll, then it is still a solid way to test. (maybe just add 1-2 mites to the results.)
BUT, if you prefer the sugar roll, then it is still a solid way to test. (maybe just add 1-2 mites to the results.)
Frank Mortimer
Great Question! Yes, varroa mites are also very bad for wild/feral bees. I would say it's worse for the wild bees, as they don't have any way to treat for the mites. Additionally, there was a huge decline in wild bee populations when varroa came to North America.
Frank Mortimer
I have found the best way to deal with writers block is to stick to my routine for writing and just sit down to write something. I tell myself that it’s better to write a few paragraphs then staring at a blank screen, so no matter how little I write, I focus on the fact that I’ve written something. I have also drawn a lot of inspiration from Stephen King’s “On Writing.” To paraphrase what he wrote, I really like his description of his writing process and how it’s like chiseling a story out from a block of granite. He doesn’t always know where it’s going, or what’s going to happen, but it’s his job to release the story from the rock and bring it to life. Keeping his method in mind, I just tell myself, if I sit down to write, the story will begin to show itself to me.
Frank Mortimer
I first started writing magazine articles that were accepted and getting positive reviews. Those articles gave me the confidence to try writing my book. For my day-to-day inspiration, I established a routine and just pushed myself to stick to it. No matter how I was feeling, I would write something every morning before work. Instead of waiting until I was inspired to write, every Monday – Friday, I made myself sit down at the same time, in the same place, and just do it.
Also, I set mini-goals for myself. First, writing one chapter. Then, writing 100 pages. I kept setting these achievable goals until I was done. Setting lots and lots of small goals really kept me inspired to finish the book.
Also, I set mini-goals for myself. First, writing one chapter. Then, writing 100 pages. I kept setting these achievable goals until I was done. Setting lots and lots of small goals really kept me inspired to finish the book.
Frank Mortimer
I am currently working on final edits for the manuscript. My editor is great, and I am enjoying the process of going through the manuscript to make the final product even better and more enjoyable for the reader.
I have also put together a working table of contents for my next book. Once my current book is done, I’m going to start on the next one.
I have also put together a working table of contents for my next book. Once my current book is done, I’m going to start on the next one.
Frank Mortimer
I love to tell stories, share information, and make people laugh. For me, the best thing is that a writer can do all of those things. It’s very satisfying when someone talks about how much they enjoyed what you wrote, and it makes me happy to think about how many people my book will touch and hopefully inspire.
Frank Mortimer
Never give up! Set small goals that will give you the positive reinforcement to keep going until you finish.
Also, it’s important to realize that to be a writer, you have to love rejection! Lots and lots of rejection! At every stage of getting published, you are going to be rejected. Your reviewers will tell you about your mistakes and what’s wrong with your manuscript. As you query agents, most will say, no thanks, your project isn’t right for them. The same goes for finding a publisher, most will tell you all the reasons why they’re rejecting your work. But, if you stick with it, your work will become a reality. So, never give up and just keep going!
Also, it’s important to realize that to be a writer, you have to love rejection! Lots and lots of rejection! At every stage of getting published, you are going to be rejected. Your reviewers will tell you about your mistakes and what’s wrong with your manuscript. As you query agents, most will say, no thanks, your project isn’t right for them. The same goes for finding a publisher, most will tell you all the reasons why they’re rejecting your work. But, if you stick with it, your work will become a reality. So, never give up and just keep going!
Frank Mortimer
The title, “Bee People and the Bugs They Love” came to me one night, before I even started thinking about writing a book. The idea for the book was born from the over 140 public talks I’ve given on bees and beekeeping. I was telling the same stories and answering the same questions so many times that I finally thought, I should write a book! The other great thing about doing all those talks was that I developed explanations and analogies that were easy to understand and were well-received by lots of different groups of people, so I knew that a lot of my material worked really well.
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