Beekeeping has been practiced by humans for more than 9 thousand years, but are you familiar with who was responsible for American beekeeping as we know it now in the 21st century? If not, we invite you to get to know Lorenzo Lorraine Langstroth, also known as L. L. Langstroth. But how exactly did he revolutionize the practice and why is it important for every beekeeper to be familiar with his work? Our bee and wasp removal knows our history, so allow us to share the gift of our knowledge with you!
Langstroth was born on Christmas Day 1810 in Philadelphia and graduated from Yale University in 1831. Although he worked professionally as the 5th Pastor of the South Church in Andover, Massachusetts, and as a teacher, he kept beekeeping as a side hobby. Two decades after completing his studies at Yale, in 1851, Lorenzo Langstroth invented the modern beehive as we know it today. This new model allowed honey to be produced in larger quantities. Beforehand, beekeepers faced much difficulty harvesting honey as well as ensuring the health of the bees. Obviously, you couldn’t simply just search up “bee removal in Orange County” if you had a problem during the mid-19th century like you can right now. His invention was based on Swiss entomologist François Huber’s Leaf Hive, which he designed and created in 1789. His new model included a telescoping cover, an inner cover, and up to five wooden hive bodies, and a bottom board. This allowed bees to move more easily within the hive.
On October 5, 1852, Langstroth received a patent for creating the first movable beehive in the United States. This was especially important because during the time period he lived in, Americans used honey as their primary sweetener. 75% of beehives used around the world today use the Langstroth model. Following his grand achievement, he would go on to publish several books on beekeeping, including Hive and the Honey-Bee and Langstroth on the Honey Bee. In 1858, he moved to Oxford, Ohio. His residence, Langstroth Cottage, is now considered a national landmark, used at the Miami University Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gd5ZKAjTpPg
In 1887, Langstroth moved to Dayton, Ohio with his daughter and her family, where he remained for the rest of his life. He died on October 6, 1895, in the Wayne Avenue Presbyterian Church shortly after beginning a sermon. He was 85 years old. Langstroth was inducted posthumously into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2007. His papers can be found at the American Philosophical Society Library in his birth town and his historical marker stands at 106 S. Front Street. That’s why you ever find yourself visiting Philadelphia, you absolutely must check these landmarks out!
As much as we love bees, just like people, not all of them have the best intentions in mind. That’s why if you’re in need of bee and wasp removal in Orange County, we are your best choice! Don’t wait until the problem gets worse, call us right now at (949) 455-0123. We are available for you 24/7 whenever you need us.