Honeybees
are essential pollinators and give us honey.
The European Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) produces honey, wax, and propolis, and stores pollen in its hive. The honey and pollen are intended for the bees’ nutrition, while the wax and propolis are used to build the honeycombs and seal any cracks.
The major commercial value for agriculture is, however, pollination. Natural pollinators are on the decline, partly because of the increasing size of orchards etc., and partly through over-use of pesticides. Beekeepers transport hives to orchards and fields so that the bees can do the work of the natural pollinators (maybe Bumblebees which can no longer survive in the area). This is particularly important with crops that flower early, and bees are often transported long distances.
The farmer gets the essential pollination, and the beekeeper gets the honey (100.000 tonnes per year in the U.S.). Honey is a complex mix of sugars, vitamins, anti-oxidants etc. and is thought to be much better than sugar alone. Beekeepers also sell beeswax for the manufacture of candles and more ‘foundation’ to help the bees build more honeycomb. Pollen is sometimes sold as a ‘health additive’, and propolis is also claimed to have health benefits.
Beekeepers are well aware that the chemical which induces bees to attack and sting is said to smell like ‘old clothes’. They will often wash thoroughly before working on their hives! But, if you don’t suffer from an allergic reaction to bee stings, they are said to be helpful with a variety of ‘auto-immune’ diseases, including arthritis (Bee Venom Therapy).
Honeybees are under threat from many directions. The Varroa Mite is a serious problem, weakening the hive and eventually destroying it. Africanised Honey Bees pose a different problem. They compete very successfully with the Honeybee, and are even thought capable of ‘taking over’ hives. Then there is the overuse of pesticides.
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