A little about bees…
Bees are flying insects of the order Hymenoptera with over 20,000 different species in the world. They live in organized societies (colonies) for the collection of pollens and nectar and the production of honey and wax.
There are 3 types of bees in each colony; the queen, the worker and the drone. All drones are male whilst the queen and her workers are females.
The workers clean the hives, collect pollens and nectar and nurse the baby bees. The Queen lays the eggs and the drone die after fertilizing a queen. Old drones that return to the colony because they did not find a queen become a drain on the colony and would often be discarded by the workers.
Bees are important and invaluable because they are essential to sustaining life. They pollinate flowers and crops and the honey produced has immense economic and health benefits, being the most important product of the hive .
Honey should be haravested humanely, always leaving behind enough to sustain the colony. Honey is a healthier alternative to processed sugar due to its high content of anti oxidants and it is beneficial for the treatment of coughs, colds and wounds.
Beeswax, the second important product of the hive is used in the manufacture of candles, wood and leather polish and artist’s materials. It is used also in pharmaceutical industry as drug carrier and binding agent.
It is estimated that the human race will only survive for 5 years if bees were to disappear today.