In popular conception, the true pay dirt for beekeepers is honey. While honey is indeed a valuable commodity, busy honey bees also create another treasure: beeswax. Here, we'll explore the most effective, easiest ways to separate beeswax from the honeycomb. The bees produce wax in their glands. It serves multiple functions, primarily as the essential building block of the beehive – …
Honey bees don't just produce delicious, nutritious honey and multi-purpose beeswax – they also serve critical roles in the larger ecosystem that keep Mother Earth functioning as natural design intended. Without the bees, we'd be in a world of trouble – as environmentalists and biologists are increasingly discovering by way of the growing threats to honey bees. Here, we'll dive into the …
The honeycomb design is unmistakable and iconic – lending its likeness even to famous cereal brands. Honeycombs don't just look cool and utterly unique; behind the impressive architectural facade, there is genius functionality. Here, we'll explore why honeycombs look the way they do. Honeycombs Are the Building Blocks of the Hive Before we get into the reasons for the unique design of honeycombs, …
Many people choose to keep bees for a variety of reasons, including: to do their part for the environment by boosting and restoring bee populations for pollination purposes if they grow crops and flowering plants for honey production and hive by-products like beeswax, royal jelly, pollen, and venom Whatever your reasons for beekeeping, it's important to do your research and avoid …
Varroa mites are the bane of any beekeeper's existence. These debilitating parasites stop honeybees from producing honey, which can be crippling for any honey farmer or even those who practice beekeeping as a hobby. Let's find out all about how to prevent varroa mites in your honeybee colonies. What Are Varroa Mites (Varroa Destructor)? The official name for varroa mites is varroa …
Head down the aisles at your local grocery store, and you’ll see rows upon rows of honey - but does that mean you’re getting the genuine honey experience? Many casual honey consumers don’t understand there is a difference between raw and regular honey, and that if they settle for regular honey, they might not even realize they’re losing out on a …
Honey bees are fascinating creatures that display remarkably complex (and well-coordinated) social behaviors, all in the service of protecting and promoting the vitality of the hive. One of the ways that honey bees practice good "public health" is by social distancing to slow the spread of disease, much in the same way that humans have been encouraged to socially distance …
Honey isn't just a human superfood – it's also a superfood for insects. It fuels the entire life of the hive. The honey that bees produce powers their often-breakneck pace of work as they buzz along, caring for their young and harvesting pollen. Contrary to popular belief, it isn’t just sugar by any means – although it does contain plenty of …