Charles Butler (beekeeper)
Encyclopedia
Charles Butler sometimes called the Father of English Beekeeping, was a logician, grammarist, author, minister (Vicar of Wootton St Lawrence, near Basingstoke
, England
), and an influential beekeeper
. He was also an early proponent of English spelling reform
. He observed that bees produce wax combs from scales of wax produced in their own bodies; and he was among the first to assert that drones are male and the queen female, though he believed worker bees lay eggs.
as a working student with scholastic scholarships. He remained at Oxford ten years, probably teaching, and graduating with his Master of Arts in 1587. In 1593, Rev. Butler became Rector of Nately Scures
in Hampshire
, and later Master at the Holy Ghost School, Basingstoke
. He resigned to accept a pastorage at Wootton St Lawrence in 1600 and served that rural post to his death in 1647.
in rural Hampshire and made the first recorded observations about the generation of beeswax
, which was previously thought to be gathered by honeybees from plant materials. He was not the first to described the largest honeybee as a queen, rather than king (see Swammerdam) but he popularized the notion with his classic book The Feminine Monarchie, 1609. Butler misinterpreted the queen's function and thought that the workers lay eggs. An influential beekeeper, he was the first to assert that drones are male and the workers female, and is sometimes called the Father of English Beekeeping.
, being the first known natural history of bees. It remained a valid and practical guide for beekeepers for two hundred fifty years, until Langstroth
and others developed and promoted moveable comb hives. Butler revised The Feminine Monarchie in 1623 and 1634. It was translated into Latin
in 1678 and 1682, then from Latin back to English again in 1704. The book gives an excellent account of skep beekeeping, including methods of predicting - from tone pitch of the buzzing bees - when swarming will occur. Butler even transliterated the tones and included them on a musical score in the book.
Basingstoke
Basingstoke is a town in northeast Hampshire, in south central England. It lies across a valley at the source of the River Loddon. It is southwest of London, northeast of Southampton, southwest of Reading and northeast of the county town, Winchester. In 2008 it had an estimated population of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
), and an influential beekeeper
Beekeeper
A beekeeper is a person who keeps honey bees for the purposes of securing commodities such as honey, beeswax, pollen, royal jelly; pollinating fruits and vegetables; raising queens and bees for sale to other farmers; and/or for purposes satisfying natural scientific curiosity...
. He was also an early proponent of English spelling reform
English spelling reform
For hundreds of years, many groups and individuals have advocated spelling reform for English. Spelling reformers seek to make English spelling more consistent and more phonetic, so that spellings match pronunciations and follow the alphabetic principle....
. He observed that bees produce wax combs from scales of wax produced in their own bodies; and he was among the first to assert that drones are male and the queen female, though he believed worker bees lay eggs.
Biography
Butler was born into a poor family but was admitted to OxfordOxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
as a working student with scholastic scholarships. He remained at Oxford ten years, probably teaching, and graduating with his Master of Arts in 1587. In 1593, Rev. Butler became Rector of Nately Scures
Nately Scures
Nately Scures is a small village in the civil parish of Newnham in the Basingstoke and Deane district of Hampshire, England. Its nearest large village is Hook, which lies approximately north-east from the village.-Governance:...
in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, and later Master at the Holy Ghost School, Basingstoke
Basingstoke
Basingstoke is a town in northeast Hampshire, in south central England. It lies across a valley at the source of the River Loddon. It is southwest of London, northeast of Southampton, southwest of Reading and northeast of the county town, Winchester. In 2008 it had an estimated population of...
. He resigned to accept a pastorage at Wootton St Lawrence in 1600 and served that rural post to his death in 1647.
Beekeeping
Butler was engaged in beekeepingBeekeeping
Beekeeping is the maintenance of honey bee colonies, commonly in hives, by humans. A beekeeper keeps bees in order to collect honey and other products of the hive , to pollinate crops, or to produce bees for sale to other beekeepers...
in rural Hampshire and made the first recorded observations about the generation of beeswax
Beeswax
Beeswax is a natural wax produced in the bee hive of honey bees of the genus Apis. It is mainly esters of fatty acids and various long chain alcohols...
, which was previously thought to be gathered by honeybees from plant materials. He was not the first to described the largest honeybee as a queen, rather than king (see Swammerdam) but he popularized the notion with his classic book The Feminine Monarchie, 1609. Butler misinterpreted the queen's function and thought that the workers lay eggs. An influential beekeeper, he was the first to assert that drones are male and the workers female, and is sometimes called the Father of English Beekeeping.
The Feminine Monarchie
The Feminine Monarchie, 1609, is the first full-length English-language book about beekeeping. The book's first edition was revolutionary for Natural historyNatural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
, being the first known natural history of bees. It remained a valid and practical guide for beekeepers for two hundred fifty years, until Langstroth
L. L. Langstroth
Rev. Lorenzo Lorraine Langstroth , apiarist, clergyman and teacher, is considered the "Father of American Beekeeping."L. L. Langstroth was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
and others developed and promoted moveable comb hives. Butler revised The Feminine Monarchie in 1623 and 1634. It was translated into Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
in 1678 and 1682, then from Latin back to English again in 1704. The book gives an excellent account of skep beekeeping, including methods of predicting - from tone pitch of the buzzing bees - when swarming will occur. Butler even transliterated the tones and included them on a musical score in the book.