The bustling aisles of a grocery store offer rows upon rows of food to choose from. In this space, the freedom of choice appears endless, though insight into where and how exactly a product originates may not be as readily available. Peering beyond the confines of the supermarket’s shelves can reveal the scope of this journey, all the way from pollination to plate.

Across the globe, a little over one-third of food crops and plants are dependent on pollinators for reproduction, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It’s estimated that approximately one out of every three bites of food individuals consume exist because of such animals and insects — from birds to butterflies, bats and especially bees.

“A large portion of our crops are pollinated by insect pollinators, whether it’s watermelons, cantaloupes, cucumbers, different berry crops and so on,” said Timothy Coolong, a professor in the University of Georgia’s department of horticulture and the program coordinator of Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education. “So not only are they critical for environmental health, but we will not have a crop to sell if we don’t have pollinators.”

Despite the significant impact they have on food production, the landscape and its inhabitants, these insects often go unnoticed. UGA Honey Bee Program lab manager Jennifer Berry attributes this disparity not to ignorance, but simply to a lack of public knowledge when it comes to “how important they are for pollination.”

However, through local beekeepers’ involvement within and across their communities, this knowledge rift is slowly closing. From raising small bee colonies for farmers to purchase in the spring to selling honey at markets, over the past 18 years, Abby’s Apiary has contributed to bridging the gap in food trust and transparency.

Hutchinson poses for a portrait in his backyard workshop in Watkinsville, Georgia, on Oct. 24, 2023. Pictured behind him are the wooden bee boxes he makes. (Photo/Skyli Alvarez)

“[Bees] are one of the very few creatures you can keep that you don’t have to feed,” said David Hutchinson, founder of Abby’s Apiary. “They actually feed you.”

Hutchinson was first introduced to beekeeping when he was a freshman in college. He lived with his great uncle at the time, who laid the foundation for his knowledge and interest in the activity. Though Hutchinson took time away from it for several years, after his first child was born, he decided to revive his beekeeping endeavors, return to his very first honeybee hives and launch Abby’s Apiary, named after his daughter.

For Hutchinson, beekeeping is restorative and recentering.

“I just enjoy beekeeping,” Hutchinson said. “Thankfully, the business side takes care of itself, because there are enough people out there [who] want local honey.”

Abby’s Apiary regularly participates in the Oconee Farmers Market each year by selling honey, and the demand for this versatile condiment is evident. In the Southeast, Georgia is one of the top producers of honey, bringing nearly $9 million into the economy, according to USDA’s 2022 Honey Production Survey.

Florida and Georgia make up more than half off the southeast’s production value for honey. (Source: USDA)

The leading two honey producing colonies in the southeast are Florida and Georgia. (Source: USDA)

Along with Georgia’s substantial honey production, an interest in beekeeping persists. When Hutchinson sells his small colonies each spring, he looks forward to meeting customers, new and old, ranging from gardeners, to farmers and newcomers just beginning to familiarize themselves with backyard beekeeping. As opposed to previous years, “among the general public, there’s a lot more attention paid now to providing pollinators habitats,” Coolong notes.

“There’s been a real blossoming of beekeeping, and I love that, being a beekeeper myself,” Berry said. “The only problem I see is, when we have a lot of people doing something, is there going to be an impact?”

According to Berry, the rise of amateur beekeeping that she, Coolong and Hutchinson note has come in response to colony collapse disorder. This phenomenon occurs when much of a colony’s worker bee population disappears, leaving behind the queen and little else. Berry explains how the disorder can be attributed to viruses brought about by parasitic, invasive mites. A notable instance of this observance took place in 2006 and 2007, affecting bee colonies in over 20 U.S. states. Since then, colony collapse disorder’s impact on colony loss has decreased, though the issue of colony loss remains.

As per Berry, the solution to this disorder is reflective of “the state of [the] industry” at large, ultimately lying in the hands of bigger commercial operations with tens of thousands of colonies. However, this does not mean that independent and amateur beekeepers have no impact on their communities.

“I think one of the challenges with beekeeping is just staying knowledgeable as to what is happening with new diseases or pests,” Hutchinson said. “Management techniques are evolving, [but] if you just say ‘this is the way I’m going to do it’ and you do it that way forever, you may not succeed as a beekeeper.”

When it comes to colony loss, he expresses the importance of continually remaining “connected to research” and the beekeeping community, both of which have helped him prevent infestations of pests and sustain his bees’ wellbeing.

“Every time I walk into a grocery store and I see all of that fruit and all of those vegetables, I’m like, ‘thank God for bees,’” Berry said. “They are responsible for the nutritious food that we eat and the color in our diet.”

Skyli Alvarez and Melanie Velasquez are seniors majoring in journalism at the University of Georgia.

To access the complete article go to; From Pollination to Plate, Bees and Beekeeping Play an Irreplaceable Role in Food Production — Grady Newsource (uga.edu)

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: From Pollination to Plate, Bees and Beekeeping Play an Irreplaceable Role in Food Production — Grady Newsource (uga.edu) 

Whole Foods Market announced a new pollinator policy for its Fresh Produce and Floral purchasing to support pollinators in recognition of the critical role they play in our food system and the environment. The company has long championed pollinator health through its commitment to organic agriculture, which prohibits toxic persistent pesticides.

As part of the new pollinator policy, by 2025, the company will:

• Require all fresh produce and floral growers to implement an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) system, which prioritizes preventative and biological pest control measures and reduces the need for chemical pesticides.
• Prohibit the use of nitroguanidine neonicotinoids (clothianidin, dinotefuran, imidacloprid, and thiamethoxam) in all potted plants they sell.
• Encourage all fresh produce and floral suppliers to phase out the use of nitroguanidine neonicotinoids.

In addition to honeybees, Whole Foods Market recognizes native pollinators, such as bumble bees, wasps, and butterflies, are critical to the food system and an important indicator of biodiversity.

“We understand the important role pollinators play in our food system and, through this policy, will build on our long legacy of supporting biodiversity and pollinator health,” said Karen Christensen, senior vice president, Perishables & Quality Standards at Whole Foods Market. “This is another critical step forward in our journey of climate-smart agriculture as part of our purpose to nourish people and the planet.”

The company engages its foundations and internationally recognized third parties to create campaigns that raise awareness of pollinators and their impact. In addition, its Whole Kids Bee Grant Program helps schools and non-profit organizations receive support for educational beehives and bee programming so students can observe bees up close and learn more about the vital role of pollinators. Since 2014, the Whole Kids Bee Grant program has awarded more than 850 educational beehives to schools and nonprofits with support from The Bee Cause Project.

Whole Foods Market continues to work across the industry to encourage all fresh produce and floral suppliers to phase out the use of nitroguanidine neonicotinoids, which are particularly harmful to pollinators, and pave the way for other solutions. Whole Foods Market suppliers like Rainier Fruit continue to demonstrate their commitment to advancing pollinator health by maintaining 150 acres of dedicated pollinator habitat, in addition to 325 acres of Bee Better Certified® orchard in partnership with the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

“Every single piece of fruit we grow requires pollination. We wouldn’t have a crop without honeybees, so pollinator health is of utmost importance for us as farmers,” said Mark Zirkle, president of Rainier Fruit. “We’re appreciative of Whole Food’s advocacy and look forward to continued efforts towards more sustainable agriculture.”

For more information on how Whole Foods Market is protecting pollinators and raising awareness for the critical role they play in our lives, visit https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/mission-in-action/environmental-stewardship/pollinator-health.

About Whole Foods Market

For more than 40 years, Whole Foods Market has been the world’s leading natural and organic foods retailer. As the first certified organic national grocer, Whole Foods Market has more than 500 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. To learn more about Whole Foods Market, please visit https://media.wholefoodsmarket.com/.

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: https://media.wholefoodsmarket.com/whole-foods-market-unveils-new-pollinator-health-policy-for-fresh-produce-floral/

EPA is issuing this advisory to clarify what pesticide products and active ingredients are registered under Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) to control varroa mites (Varroa destructor) in beehives, what tolerances or exemptions under Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) are applicable, and how the Agency views use of unregistered products to treat beehives for one’s own personal use. EPA is also affirming that use of registered pesticides must comply with FIFRA labeling requirements, that pesticide residues in honey must comply with any federal tolerances under FFDCA, and that states may have more restrictive requirements that must be followed as well.

It is a violation of FIFRA if a person uses registered pesticides in a manner that is not in accordance with label instructions. Currently, EPA has registered 16 pesticide products, covering about 10 active ingredients, that can be used on beehives to control varroa mites. In registering these pesticides products, EPA has conducted comprehensive evaluations and determined the products will not cause unreasonable adverse effects to human health or the environment. Using unregistered pesticides could result in a violation of FFDCA, if there are residues in the honey or other edible bee products (e.g., honeycomb, pollen) that are not covered by a tolerance or exemption under FFDCA. The sale or distribution of adulterated honey is a violation of FFDCA.

EPA remains committed to supporting the compliance and enforcement efforts by states with primary enforcement authority to ensure compliance with FIFRA requirements.

• Why is EPA issuing an advisory now?
• What are varroa mites and why are they such a concern for the beekeeping community?
• What does it mean to be a registered pesticide under FIFRA?
• What does it mean to be exempt from the requirements of FIFRA as a “minimum risk pesticide”?
• What does it mean to have a tolerance or tolerance exemption under FFDCA?
• Does an exemption under from the registration requirements under FIFRA automatically mean it is exempted under FFDCA from the requirements for a tolerance, and vice versa?
• Are there pesticides registered under FIFRA that beekeepers can use to control varroa mites in their beehives?
• Are there tolerances or tolerance exemptions set under FFDCA that cover the residues of the pesticide products listed in Table?
• Is it a violation of FIFRA to use a registered pesticide in a manner that is not consistent with its label?
• Is it a violation of FIFRA or FFDCA to sell or distribute food derived from beehives (e.g., honey, comb, wax, propolis, royal jelly, pollen) harvested from beehives treated with unregistered products?
• Is it a violation of FIFRA or FFDCA to sell or distribute the honey or other edible beehive products (e.g., pollen, honeycomb) harvested from beehives treated with unregistered products?
• Are there state pesticide laws that are different from FIFRA that may be applicable?
• What other efforts is EPA engaged in to help beekeepers address the varroa mite issue? 

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: https://www.epa.gov/pollinator-protection/advisory-applicability-fifra-and-ffdca-substances-used-control-varroa-mites

No-mow zones create habitat, save time and money

By: Whitney Pipkin

A sign on VA State Route 7 near Purcellville lets drivers and maintenance crews know that the median is used to grow habitat for pollinators.

Here’s an item to add to your bingo card for long car drives: “no-mow” signs.

More highways and byways across the region are posting them next to strips of land — in medians, at intersections and along shoulders and curbs — as part of reduced mowing practices being integrated into their culture.

Mowing less frequently or avoiding it all together during certain times of year helps to leave habitat for native and pollinator-friendly plants, such as milkweed, when migrating monarchs and other wildlife need them most. Less mowing also means less pollution from gas-powered mowers, and there are financial incentives, too.

“The reduction in mowing has been a significant savings in both money and in time,” said Bill Lewis, state roadside program supervisor for the Virginia Department of Transportation. Spending about half as much time on mowing, he said, means the crews have the opportunity for other activities, like fixing road shoulders and potholes.

National volunteer programs also encourage state transportation authorities and energy companies to dedicate more of their rights-of-way to improved habitats that often require less maintenance and benefit local species. And many states have their own pollinator-focused programs and reasons for promoting them.

Pennsylvania’s Department of Transportation participates in a voluntary pollinator conservation program that tracks acres set aside as habitat for species that may soon be listed under the Endangered Species Act, such as monarch butterflies. The state enrolled more than 4,000 acres in the program, reducing mowing and implementing other conservation practices on those lands.

In addition to reduced mowing practices, the Maryland Department of Transportation introduced its pollinator habitat plan in 2017 in response to state legislation the year before. The plan sets aside locations such as welcome centers, rest areas and other government facilities for pollinator habitat gardens, creating five in 2019.

Maryland also implemented a revised mowing program in 2010 to benefit wildlife habitat. The agency doubled down on the effort in more recent years with turfgrass management guidelines that ensure most right-of-way grasses are not mowed until they have reached a height of 18 inches or are in areas where they impede drivers’ visibility.

The Virginia Department of Transportation has taken many of the same steps, starting by planting a different type of fescue grass that is bred to be shorter and mowed less frequently. But that was just the beginning of what Lewis describes as a slow cultural shift for the agency — and for the drivers who frequent the region’s roads.

The public appears to be divided on the subject. “I would say I get an equal number of calls from people who are upset that we have mowed as people upset that we have not mowed,” he said with a laugh.

To read the complete article go to; States give pollinators pit stops in rights-of-way | Wildlife & Habitat | bayjournal.com

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: States give pollinators pit stops in rights-of-way | Wildlife & Habitat | bayjournal.com

Rob Hessler

Savannah Morning News

There’s a buzz about the new Savannah Bee Company location opening across from the Enmarket Arena at 313 Stiles Ave., and it’s not just about the honey. Starting Nov. 6, world-renowned artist Matt Willey will be bringing his project “The Good of the Hive” to the space in the form of a new mural.

“It’s a global art project, where I’ve committed to hand paint 50,000 honey bees in murals and installations around the world,” he explained.

Over the past eight-plus years, the period during which the artist has been almost exclusively working on the project, Willey has created works for the likes of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Zoological Park and the global headquarters for Burt’s Bees, amongst many, many others. He’s over 10,000 bees into the estimated 21-year endeavor, and Savannah will be his 49th stop along the way.

‘Just one mural to raise awareness,’ but then…

But while the project has become massive in scale, its origins are much more humble.

“I was in my studio, it was 2008 in Manhattan in the East Village, and this little honey bee flew in and landed in the middle of the rug, like smack dab in the center,” he recounted. “And I got down on the floor and hung out with this little bee, because she was walking really slowly.

“I was fascinated with how beautiful she was,” he continued. “I got my magnifying glass out, and I was like, ‘These antennas, the giant eyes, the fuzziness’; there was a cuteness, like a puppy-type of thing, something I had never noticed before in my entire life about a bug.”

Ultimately the bee died, and after respectfully relocating it to its natural habitat outside for a final rest, Willey quickly got down to researching his new muse. That’s when he learned about colony collapse disorder, a phenomenon…..

To access the complete article go to; Artist Matt Willey paints mural at Savannah Bee Co. as part of global project (savannahnow.com)

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: Artist Matt Willey paints mural at Savannah Bee Co. as part of global project (savannahnow.com)

Dating back to the 18th century, AŽ hive panels depict stories of marriage, damnation, and daily life.

BY REBECCA L. RHOADES

Slovenia’s Beautiful Beehives Turn Apiaries Into Art

“SLOVENIA HAS A STRONG connection with beekeeping,” says Peter Kozmus, one of the country’s—and the world’s—leading experts on bees. “Historically, every village had at least one beekeeper who produced honey for himself, his relatives, and neighbors.” This tradition continues today, with approximately one in every 200 Slovenians keeping and tending to bee colonies.

Kozmus has been a beekeeper since he was 14 years old. Today, he runs a honey farm in Pilštanj in eastern Slovenia, where he tends to more than 100 bee colonies. He also heads the breeding program for the 8,000-member Slovenian Beekeepers’ Association, a nearly 150-year-old education, research, and training organization.

Drive through the verdant countryside, and you’ll notice hobbit-sized huts, similar in appearance to garden outbuildings or she-sheds. But these small structures aren’t filled with landscaping tools or craft supplies. Instead, they’re apiaries that house unique hives, known as Alberti-Žnideršič (or AŽ) hives. Invented at the turn of the 20th century by beekeeper Anton Žnideršič, the hives—kranjichi in Slovenian—take their name from their inventor whose design was inspired by a leaf hive system by German teacher and beekeeper Adolf Alberti.

Kozmus in front of one of his beehouses. COURTESY PETER KOZMUS

Unlike their American counterpart, the Langstroth hive, with its vertical box shape and hanging honeycomb frames, AŽ beehives are smaller and open from the back instead of the top. They also can be stacked together. Their structural design and small size allow them to be incorporated into the walls of the apiaries, providing protection from the elements and making it easier for beekeepers to inspect and manage their colonies. More than 90 percent of beekeepers in Slovenia use AŽ hives.

Like everyone else in Slovenia, Kozmus oversees colonies of native Carniolan honey bees, the only species the country allows beekeepers to tend. Kozmus’s bees are divided between four apiaries outfitted with AŽ hives. A large one near his house serves as the main source of honey production and is used for tourism purposes. Two mobile apiaries can be moved around the property “to find better pastures,” Kozmus explains. And a small house is reserved for nucleus colonies—developing colonies with breeding queens. But there is no standard design for an AŽ hive house. It can be as small or as large as the beekeeper desires and can hold dozens of hives, stacked two or three high.

Typically, the hives are built into the south side of a bee house to capture the sun, while the opposite wall blocks the cold north winds. The eaves should extend about three feet to protect from rain and snow, while the entire house should be raised about four feet off the ground in order to keep the hives dry. Many bee houses are built on wheels, allowing them to be moved around the property as the seasons change.

Inside, the apiaries are a mix of workspace and living room. Depending on their location, they can include heat or air conditioning. Some are large enough to hold the extractor and other machinery needed to process the honey, as well as space for the beekeeper to hang out. “You’ll see a lot of bee houses that have beds or a table and chairs in them,” says Suzanne Brouillette, the owner of Slovenian Beekeeping. Brouillette, a New Hampshire resident, organizes beekeeping-themed trips to Slovenia and is one of the few providers of AŽ hives in the United States. “You’ll go out and take care of the bees, have some bread and wine and cheese, and take a nap,” she says.

A small hole or slit on the front of the hive allows the bees to enter and exit, while the beekeeper accesses the combs from the rear of the hive, which is located inside the apiary. The hives themselves are divided into two chambers. “They’re basically two-story bee apartments,” says Wesley Brittenham, director of horticulture for Los Poblanos, a historic inn and lavender farm in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The property recently built a Slovenian apiary as part of its beekeeping program. “The queen does all the brood rearing and egg laying in the downstairs portion, while upstairs, all the bees can build pure, clean honeycomb,” he explains.

Each weighing about eight pounds, AŽ bee house frames are easy to remove, simply sliding out one at a time like books off a bookshelf. Langstroth hive frames can weigh as much as 40 to 90 pounds and must be lifted up out of the hive. “There are so many benefits to this style of beekeeping,” Brouillette says. “Number one, anyone can do it—children, the elderly, if you’re in a wheelchair. It really opens up beekeeping to everyone.”

But the most memorable aspect of Slovenian bee houses is their colorful appearance. The hives often are painted in bold primary hues and adorned with artistic panels, known as panjske končnice.

Brouillette says there are 600 known panel motifs from the 1800s, ranging from the religious to the political to the quotidian. “It was a way of being a little bit more prestigious than your neighbor if you had them,” she says.

About half of the motifs tell stories from the Bible. “The panels were like frescoes in a church,” Brouillette adds. The oldest-known bee panel is from 1758 and depicts the Madonna and Child. There’s Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, images of patron saints, and scenes of sinners in Hell.

Secular subject matter includes animals and hunting scenes, caricatures of important figures, and social commentary. There are themes of marriage and funerals, moral tales of drinking and infidelity, important events from history, and amusing looks at daily life.

While the art of hand-painting bee panels faded away after World War I, many beekeepers still use reproduction panels or ones with their own designs. “Beekeepers still paint the fronts of their hives because it’s our tradition and because we want to have beautiful hives,” Kozmus says. “Some apiaries still have such beautifully painted beehive headboards that visitors can watch them like they’re watching TV, because each headboard tells a story.”

When it comes to the story of beekeeping, the future looks uncertain. The prospect of a world without bees is dark: The Beekeepers’ Association warns that “Without bees, there is no life, no diversity, and almost one-third less food production. Which means no future.” But there is hope, as more Slovenian beekeepers continue the historic tradition. Thanks to the group’s educational efforts, the average beekeeper age has decreased from 65 to 59 over the past 15 years in Slovenia.

“In our country, we have mostly small hobby beekeepers for whom beekeeping is a way of life,” Kozmus explains. For Slovenians, he says, tending bees is not viewed as work, but something “that makes their lives better.”

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-are-slovenian-beehouses

Bee colonies are severely weakened by varroa mite, pesticides, according to expert

Timo Kirez

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

Honey bees in the Alpine republic of Switzerland could become extinct within one to two years, a researcher warned.

“All honey bee colonies in Switzerland are chronically ill,” Peter Neumann, a professor at the University of Bern’s Institute of Bee Health, said in an interview with Swiss news portal Watson.

“And if beekeepers don’t do anything about it, all colonies will be dead in one to two years,” he warned and added these bees are infected with varroa mite – an external parasitic mite that attacks and feeds on honey bees.

He added: “Likewise, there are viruses that have nothing to do directly with the mite.”

Suggesting ways to improve the situation, he called for steps to better inform beekeepers and the general public, and devise methods to protect bees.

In addition, he said, insecticides and pesticides must be abandoned. “There are frightening data on this, it almost blew my mind recently,” the bee researcher said, adding: “It made me wonder why we still have insects at all.”

He also pointed to Africa and South America where honey bees “can cope with the varroa mite without any problems.” It is about time that a solution without drugs is also found in Switzerland, Neumann added.

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: Honey bees in Switzerland can become extinct within 1 to 2 years, warns researcher (aa.com.tr)

For David Roth, the hobby he picked up during the COVID pandemic is not only a source of sweetener and wax, but also inspiration

By CANAAN LIDOR

David Roth extracts honey from his beehive in London. (David Roth)

Finding a memorable Rosh Hashanah gift to give friends is rarely an issue for David and Judy Roth, a Jewish couple from London. They simply giftwrap one of the jars of honey that they extract regularly from the beehive in their backyard.

That product, which is traditionally eaten with apples on the Jewish new year, and the candles the Roths produce from beeswax, are a big part of the reason for the couple’s decision three years ago to join two other Jewish couples and invest time and money in apiculture, with the risks it entails.

Gradually, though, the honey took a backseat to the joys and spiritual insights that the new hobby afforded, David Roth, 61, said.

“I didn’t expect that I would think this way, but getting the honey is a nice additional benefit. Frankly, though, it’s not the main thing,” said Roth, a marketing executive who has three children with his wife Judy, a nurse.

Roth is fascinated by the intricacies and multiple unsolved scientific mysteries concerning bee behavior, he said. But beekeeping also has a strong spiritual element for him.

“I’m a religious person, I don’t believe that the world was created by accident. And when you see the wonders of how bees work and operate, it makes you feel good about God,” Roth, who uses the beeswax candles for Havdalah, the prayer ritual performed at the end of Shabbat, told The Times of Israel earlier this week.

David Roth uses candles that he and his wife Judy make from beeswax for weekly prayers after Shabbat. (David Roth)

London Jews have been flirting with beekeeping since at least 2011, when a local Jewish community center launched what it called the “Bee The Change” initiative, through which the center helped train two urban beekeepers from the community.

The Roths and their fellow Jewish beekeepers, however, took up the hobby during the COVID-19 lockdown, receiving guidance from a non-Jewish community center that launched the activity as part of its lockdown coping program. The Roths, who go to an Orthodox synagogue in the northwest neighborhood of Pinner in London, soon discovered that beekeeping resonated with their religious side, as well.

As a religion with deep agricultural roots, Judaism has a well-documented approach to apiculture, encompassing both the keeper’s responsibility toward their bees and detailing the legal complications that can occur when a swarm leaves its hive.

Beekeeping is one of the few situations when children can serve as witnesses according to Halachah, Jewish Orthodox law. It stipulates that if a child testifies that a swarm originated in an owner’s beehive, then the swarm can be returned to the owner based on the testimony.

Another rare exception, which attests to the significance that beekeeping had before humans learned to mass produce sugar: Bee owners may trespass – a big deal in Judaism – to retrieve escaped or errant bee swarms. They may even cut down branches of other people’s trees — another big deal — but are obliged to compensate the land’s owner for any damage they cause, according to what Rabbi Avraham Laber, himself a beekeeper and co-director of Chabad-Lubavitch of Southern Rensselaer County in New York, told Chabad.org in 2019.

One nonprofit in the United States, Bees for Peace, encourages as part of its mission statement rabbis, imams and priests to launch beekeeping projects in their communities for the spiritual aspect of the experience.

It doesn’t take clergy to appreciate how bee societies offer takeaways for life as a human.

“It’s an amazing reflective experience and it’s where humanity and nature sort of combine,” Roth said. Observing bees gave him “an immense appreciation for the marvel of God or nature, depending on your perspective,” Roth added.

An average colony has 50,000 individuals, he noted, and “all have a role and a purpose to them. They look after each other. None of the bees go to bee school. They instinctively learned it. It’s a micro-society, which doesn’t suffer from social media, by the way.”

Beekeeping isn’t for everybody: It can be done on a rooftop but ideally, it happens in a yard large enough for the hive to be kept away from windows. David and Judy Roth planted bee-friendly plants and have stopped trimming a portion of their garden to let it grow wild for the bees.

Extracting the honey requires special equipment and skill. The bees need to be fed throughout winter  – their sustenance, in lieu of honey, is sugar water – and cared for to survive…..

To read the complete article go to; In London, a Jewish beekeeper draws honey and spirituality from his hives | The Times of Israel

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: In London, a Jewish beekeeper draws honey and spirituality from his hives | The Times of Israel

By Bhavesh Bakshi

Albert Einstein, one of the greatest scientific minds in history, once allegedly warned that if bees were to disappear from the Earth, humanity would follow suit within four years. This quote has stirred concern and debate over the years, highlighting the crucial role that bees play in pollinating plants and ensuring our food supply. In this article, we will explore the logic behind Einstein’s warning, whether it is true, and the importance of protecting bees.

I. The Logic Behind Einstein’s Warning:

Einstein’s statement is rooted in the fundamental concept of pollination. Bees, along with other pollinators like butterflies, birds, and bats, play a critical role in pollinating flowering plants, including many of the crops that make up a significant portion of our global food supply. The logic can be summarized as follows:

Food Production: Bees pollinate a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and nuts, contributing to the growth of these crops.

Biodiversity: Pollination also supports the reproduction of wild plants, which are essential for maintaining biodiversity and the overall health of ecosystems.

Global Food Chain: Plants are primary producers in the food chain, meaning they form the basis of the diets of countless other species, including humans.

Human Dependence: As a result, humans are highly dependent on the pollination services provided by bees and other pollinators for food production.

II. Is Einstein’s Warning True?

It’s important to note that there is no concrete evidence that Albert Einstein ever made this specific statement about the extinction of humanity within four years of the last bee’s death. However, the essence of the warning carries scientific merit.

The decline in bee populations, a phenomenon known as colony collapse disorder (CCD), is a real and concerning issue. CCD is primarily driven by factors like pesticide use, habitat loss, climate change, and diseases. The loss of bees and pollinators can indeed have devastating consequences for food production and ecosystems.

While the timeline of four years is likely an oversimplification, it underscores the urgency of addressing the bee crisis. The actual consequences of a significant decline in bee populations would manifest over time, with food shortages and ecosystem imbalances leading to increasing global instability.

III. The Importance of Protecting Bees:

Food Security: Bees pollinate a substantial portion of the world’s food crops, including fruits, vegetables, and nuts. A decline in bee populations could lead to reduced crop yields, higher food prices, and food scarcity.

Ecosystem Health: Pollinators, including bees, play a crucial role in maintaining the health and diversity of ecosystems. They facilitate the reproduction of plants that provide habitat and sustenance for countless other species.

Economic Impact: Agriculture is a significant driver of economies worldwide. A decline in pollinators could have severe economic consequences for the agricultural sector.

IV. Measures to Protect Bees:

Reduce Pesticide Use: Implement stricter regulations on the use of pesticides, especially neonicotinoids, which are harmful to bees.

Preserve Habitats: Protect and restore natural habitats where bees can forage and nest.

Promote Sustainable Agriculture: Encourage practices that minimize the use of chemicals and provide a more diverse and bee-friendly landscape.

Support Beekeepers: Back beekeeping initiatives and research to combat diseases and pests that affect bee colonies.

Raise Awareness: Educate the public about the importance of bees and the role they play in food security.

While the exact timeframe mentioned in Einstein’s purported warning may not be accurate, the underlying message is clear: the well-being of bees is closely tied to our own. Protecting bees and pollinators is not only a matter of ecological responsibility but also of vital importance to food security, biodiversity, and the overall health of our planet. Addressing the bee crisis requires global cooperation, awareness, and concerted efforts to ensure a sustainable future for both bees and humanity.

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: https://english.newstracklive.com/news/the-bee-crisis-examining-einsteins-warning-and-the-impact-on-humanity-sc1-nu370-ta370-1297433-1.html

From Our Changing World,
Claire Concannon,
@cconcannonsci ourchangingworld@rnz.co.nz

Photo: Phil Lester

Varroa destructor mites are bad news for honey bees.

Not only do they attack the bees by chewing on a vital organ called the fat body, but they also introduce problematic viruses to the hive – such as deformed wing virus, which does exactly what it says on the tin.

Beekeepers worldwide must treat for varroa mites several times a year just to keep their numbers in check. They mostly use pesticides, which can have damaging effects on the bees and environment. The mites are also beginning to develop resistance to pesticides, but a new treatment method may be just on the horizon.

RNA interference

This is what PhD candidates Zoe Smeele and Rose McGruddy have been researching. Under the supervision of Professor Phil Lester, they’ve been working with US biotechnology company Greenlight Biosciences to investigate how their new treatment for varroa mites works.

The treatment is based on a technique called RNA interference. An interesting bio-hack that researchers have figured out is how they turn a natural virus defence mechanism in the cell against one of the mite’s vital proteins.

Greenlight Biosciences were able to identify a working treatment that reduced mite numbers in field trials in the states but turned to the New Zealand researchers for help in uncovering exactly how it works.

Zoe Smeele (left) and Rose McGruddy (right). Photo: Claire Concannon / RNZ

Mini-hive experiments

In one of the research labs in the School of Biological Sciences at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington, Zoe and Rose have been conducting mini-hive experiments. Their participants are larval stage bees taken from the hives on the roof of the building, infected with varroa mites.

The nurse bees that feed the larvae are given plastic pouches full of sugar water with the RNA interference treatment inside. What the team has discovered is that instead of killing the mites, what the treatment does is severely impact the mites’ reproduction.

But what about real beehives?

Initial field trials with New Zealand beekeepers have showed some promise, but also highlighted that there’s much to learn in terms of the dosage per bee. A next round of trials is just getting underway, and this will also include RFID tagging of bees to monitor any impacts at the individual bee level.

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: A new way to help honey bees | RNZ

By Steve Nicholls

Generally unloved and disregarded, insects are in fact the most successful group of animals on Earth and have been for more than 400 million years. With a million described species (and a lot more still out there to find) and numbers measured in the quintillions, insects underpin almost all terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. But in the last few decades, populations all over the world have collapsed with terrifying speed. The declines are so severe that we stand on the brink of total ecosystem collapse. After all, as Harvard biologist E. O. Wilson pointed out; ‘these are the little animals that run the world’.

Every spring an extraordinary event takes place in California, when 1600 beekeepers arrive at the Central Valley’s almond orchards—along with 1.5 million hives. It’s the biggest pollination event on the planet as the orchards turn white with blossom. But the Central Valley is such a toxic soup of pesticides, the beekeepers lose about 1/3 of their bees during each pollination season. Maintaining the minimum number of bees to do the job is now becoming very difficult. Given the problems that honeybees face year-round everywhere else, we might soon lose their invaluable help altogether.

What’s the alternative? China has already lost a huge number of pollinators, and farmers there now must pay people to hand pollinate their almond trees. It’s time-consuming, inefficient and enormously expensive—and raises the price of food. If this is repeated with other crops, there simply won’t be enough people to do the job. So, there is no real alternative. Currently it’s estimated that insect pollination services across the globe are worth between $235 and $577 billion every year and yet we’re about to pull the plug on that phenomenal contribution to the global economy. What’s more, we don’t have much time to find solutions since the scale of the problem has only recently been recognised—and it turns out that we’re already a long way down a path of no return.

The small German town of Krefeld near Düsseldorf is the headquarters of the local entomological society, and it’s packed with alcohol-filled specimen jars stuffed with insects collected locally since the society’s formation in 1905. In the past they needed so much alcohol to preserve their specimens that the local narcotics bureau took a serious interest. But society member Martin Sorg noticed that recently their alcohol bill had dropped dramatically. The data held by the society are so complete that it allowed Sorg to look at how the abundance of insects on local nature reserves had changed over the last hundred years or so. The results, published in 2017, shocked not only members of this august society, but also scientists and naturalists around the world. On one reserve, insect abundance today was 80% lower than in 1989. That pattern repeated across all the other reserves they looked at. Overall, in the last few decades, insect abundance in this corner of Germany had fallen by three quarters. The speed and scale of the drop was so startling that the paper rapidly became one of the most widely discussed that year among scientists and naturalists across the world. It received a lot of global press coverage too, though, as is often the case, it was soon replaced by other news.

At the same time, a Danish naturalist had noticed that on a drive through the countryside, his windscreen remained free of bugs. The same journey in his youth resulted in a windscreen so spattered in dead bugs that he had to stop frequently to clean it. So, with the support of colleagues, he began to gather quantitative data—by equipping cars with large nets on their rooves. These certainly drew attention from passing motorists, but also from scientists around the world. As in Germany, insect populations had crashed in just a few decades. In my mind, this feels very personal. I’ve been working with insects since the 1970s, so this crisis has happened over my working life. When I began as an entomologist, insects were, in some places, five times more abundant than they are today—and that’s all too obvious when I visit some of my favourite bug-watching places. It’s now clear that this a global phenomenon. Drastic population crashes have also been recorded in Puerto Rico and across North America, where the Xerxes Society, a group dedicated to insect conservation, are reporting declines in many groups of insects. A similar pattern is emerging across Asia and Australia.

The causes are many and varied but it’s not rocket science. We’ve overused insecticides (which kill insects directly) and herbicides (which kill their food plants). We’ve destroyed their habitats on a vast scale. Fully half the land on the planet is now used for farming—and in England, one of the most nature-poor countries on Earth, nearly three quarters of the land is farmed. Light pollution from streetlights and buildings lit up at night reduces populations of nocturnal insects, while introduced invasive species undermine complex ecological webs. And, of course, climate change will have major, if unpredictable, effects on insect distribution. In 2019, the Entomological Society of America held a symposium in St Louis, Missouri, to pull together data from around the world and ended by describing the decline of insects as ‘death by a thousand cuts’.

Some solutions are obvious. Ban the worst of the insect poisons and limit the use of others. Unfortunately, most of these are manufactured by just a few giant companies who, through their immense wealth, have the ear of politicians and lawmakers. We also need to de-intensify farming to create space for insects along with other animals and plants. This could be achieved through reshaping farming subsidies, but this too is painfully slow to filter into the minds of political leaders.

Back among the almond groves of California, one farm stands out. It belongs to Glenn and Leslie Anderson and it’s one of the few organic farms in the San Joaquin Valley. Anderson Almonds is a tiny farm of just 20 acres, dwarfed by the intensive agriculture around, but they have wild pollinators everywhere and no need to pay beekeepers. In fact, beekeepers bring their hives to his land to rehabilitate them, to keep the hives alive after time spent pollinating almond trees elsewhere in the valley, in what must seem like some dystopian post-apocalyptic landscape to a bee.

Our response to climate change has been largely too little too late—even though most people are now well aware of this crisis. Many fewer people realise the implications of the problems we face with insect declines. That’s why it’s more urgent than ever to publicise the scale of this crisis and what it will mean for every human being on the planet. That can be done by making people care more about insects. At the 1968 meeting of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, a Senegalese forester called Baba Dioum said ‘we will only conserve what we love, we will love only what we understand’. He was absolutely right. In Alien Worlds, by telling the story of how insects became so successful and so important, I hope to bring at least some understanding and—who knows—maybe a little bit of love.

Steve Nicholls is an Emmy Award–winning producer and director of acclaimed wildlife documentaries such as Appalachia: The Endless Forest. A Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society, he is the author of Flowers of the Field: A Secret History of Meadow, Moor and Wood and Paradise Found: Nature in America at the Time of Discovery.

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: https://press.princeton.edu/ideas/insect-apocalypse

Emily Baron Cadloff

Bees and other pollinators are a hardworking but often forgotten backbone of our food system. In order to get everywhere they need to be, beekeepers travel with hives for nearly half the year.

Photography by Shutterstock

Every spring, beekeepers across the country ready their hives for the long drive west.

As California almond growers ready their groves for the incoming blossoms, a deluge of honey bees converges on the state—nearly two million hives worth. With roughly 1.5 million acres of almonds to pollinate, it takes a lot of bees to get those almonds ready to grow. After spending about two weeks in California, the bees pack up and hit the road again, ready for their next destination. This is just the first stop in an annual cross-country work trip.

They’ll hit blueberries in North Carolina and apples in Michigan, watermelon in Florida and pumpkins in New York. It’s a busy schedule and not for the faint of heart—especially when traveling in late winter to make it for those first spring blooms. “There were times when we had icy roads, and you’re trying to move equipment and materials around, and they’re shutting down roads,” says Glenn Card, vice president of Merrimack Valley Apiaries in Massachusetts. “One time it took us all day just to travel 100 miles between road closures and everything else.” Life on the road isn’t easy, no matter how small your traveling companions might be.

“These are livestock. They need water every couple of days,” says Dan Winter, president of the American Beekeeping Federation. “If you’re driving across the country and you don’t get rain, the driver has to get the hose out and actually water the bees down.” Winter says drivers hauling bees have to be experienced with handling livestock, and bees aren’t any different. “If a hive gets overheated on the truck, then, obviously, the bees aren’t really going to be up to shape to pollinate when they get where they’re going. It takes some practice and some time to get good at it.”

Photography by Shutterstock.

The bees travel in their hives on flatbed trucks, under layers of netting, in an effort to keep as many bees together as possible. A healthy colony has between 30,000 and 50,000 bees in it, with a queen able to lay up to 3,000 eggs a day. By the time the hive returns to its winter destination, nearly half of the original hive will have died off and been replaced. So, beekeepers will split hives to cover more ground as the season progresses.

“When we go to California, I kind of consider that to be the end of the year for the bees, because you’re taking last year’s bees, the ones that made it through the winter,” says Card. After California, the strongest bees get split between new hives. Some go to Louisiana for honey production, others go to New Jersey or New York for pollination and then on to Massachusetts. But the timing all depends on the weather. “This year, for example, we were in New York, which came on really fast and we had that hot spell of 80 degrees. And then it was another week and a half before Massachusetts really started going. Apples are a fast bloom. So, we have to do a lot of manipulation in the timing.”

Nearly 90 percent of all plants require pollinators to reproduce. Honey bees alone pollinate 80 percent of all flowering plants, more than 130 fruits and vegetables. As bees (and other pollinators) travel from flower to flower, pollen from one flower will stick to their little bodies and get transported to another flower. That new flower is now fertilized, which is how it produces fruit and seeds. But disease, loss of habitat for native pollinators and a warming climate have led bee species to plummet, with the number of managed bee colonies declining steadily since 1960. That means there is more demand on the bees–and beekeepers–that are available today.

Card is a third-generation beekeeper, and he now runs the apiary with his brother. In addition to the apples in the northeast, Card’s bees also travel to Maine to pollinate blueberries and then head up and down the East Coast to cranberry bogs. After all of that is done, the bees are off duty and overwinter in Louisiana.

Bees don’t hibernate, per se, but they do have a dormant period. They’ll still fly most days, but when there’s very little forage in the dead of winter, they will stay clustered together to conserve energy and keep their temperatures consistent. “They’ll send out scout bees, and if there’s nothing there, they just get to hunker down,” says Card.

There are about 125,000 beekeepers in the US, but the majority of those are backyard keepers, with fewer than 25 hives each. For those folks who want the benefits of bees without the work, there are rent-a-hive services, where the bees will come to you.

Mike James, owner and head beekeeper of Kinnikinnick Bees in Wisconsin, does what he calls “micro-disbursement.” Rather than sending his bees thousands of miles each year, they have a much shorter commute. “People pay lawn care companies to come in and manage their property,” says Jamess, and this is the same idea but with bees. “Our customers range from people that have 40-acre hobby farms to…people right in downtown Minneapolis.”

James and his bees service most of Wisconsin and Minnesota at the moment, but he is looking at a possible expansion to surrounding states. However, with most customers getting only a hive or two at a time, there are a lot of little details to look after, especially in urban centers. “They require flyway barriers, and to make sure there’s water, make sure they’re being provided a scope of work and management practices for the hive itself. Sometimes, there are fees and permits involved. I would say probably the most frustrating part of our job is all of the different regulations. There are still some townships and cities that don’t allow urban beekeeping.”

However, there are definite benefits to a smaller delivery and travel area with James’s bees. “We’re moving maybe 100, 200 miles at most. Because there are single hives in place, the concern for disease spread to other areas isn’t quite as great as it is with commercial beekeeping. That said, we still keep tight control on the health of each hive and won’t move anything if it’s unhealthy,” says James. There are limits to how many hives people can host in certain locations for both safety and density. Each spot needs at least 20 feet of clearance and an area with low traffic.

Plus, prospective hive owners or renters need to be prepared for possible hive thefts. In California last year, more than 1000 hives were reported stolen within a few weeks of early spring, prompting owners to install GPS and tracking devices on their hives. Fewer bees globally means a higher demand and lower supply, which could be contributing to a higher risk of theft.

But the benefit of bringing in pollinators is obvious from the first taste, says Card. A mono-floral honey, meaning a honey made from a single nectar source in a geographic region, has a distinct taste. “We have 10 different varieties that we sell currently,” says Card, “to establish that honey is more than just a sweetener.” For Card, distinct honeys are like spices, to be deployed in different dishes and in different amounts to get unique tastes.

It makes all the travel, pollination and planning worth it, says Winter. “Beekeeping is agriculture. We’re in the back; we’re not in the forefront of agriculture. But we’re a crucial part of agriculture.”

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: Six Months on the Road: Inside the World of Migratory Beekeeping – Modern Farmer

On a bright summer day, staff joined the NATO beekeeper at the honey harvesting workshop at Alliance Headquarters in Brussels on Thursday (10 August 2023). Starting with two hives in 2020, the NATO apiary currently contains four beehives due to the success of honey production. This year’s yield is expected to reach around 50 kilograms.

The NATO beekeeper harvests honey from the hives twice a year. Depending on weather conditions, one hive can produce up to 25 kilograms of honey. A significant portion of honey is left for the bees to use for survival during the winter months. Around 350 jars of NATO honey were sold at the NATO Charity Bazaar in November 2022, and Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg gifted jars of NATO honey to ambassadors in the North Atlantic Council last December.

The NATO bee hives are part of a wider ‘greening’ initiative at NATO Headquarters. The honey bees play a vital role in the local ecosystem as they pollinate surrounding trees, crops and plants within a 3 kilometre range. This includes the wildflower meadow at NATO headquarters, with a mix of indigenous plants and flowers including poppies and corn flowers, which were specifically chosen to encourage bees, butterflies and birds. Workshops like this aim to raise awareness about the importance of supporting biodiversity and preserving natural habitats under the threat of climate change.

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: NATO – News: NATO bees are busy at bi-annual honey harvest, 10-Aug.-2023

A long-simmering feud over where this country’s honey producers can obtain bees to replenish their stock goes to the courts Monday (November 6), pitting some of Western Canada’s beekeepers against the federal government in a battle over whether this country’s ban is lawful or necessary.

By Kate Allen Climate Change Reporter, Steve McKinley Staff Reporter

John Gibeau says he can sometimes see American honeybees flying around just across the border when he takes his own colonies to pollinate blueberry crops in the southern part of British Columbia.

But if Gibeau wants to buy those bees in bulk — say, to restock his colonies after a long winter — he can’t do it.

The Canadian government has long placed a ban on the importation of large shipments of U.S. bees.

A long-simmering feud over where this country’s honey producers can obtain bees to replenish their stock goes to the courts Monday, pitting some of Western Canada’s beekeepers against the federal government in a battle over whether this country’s ban is lawful or necessary.

But the class-action suit is also threatening to expose major rifts within the apiary community, delineated on one side by those who argue that the risk of importing pests and diseases along with the U.S. bees is too high, and on the other by those who feel that the importation ban is unfairly harmful to their businesses.

Win or lose, those involved say what is at stake is not just the already-plagued beekeeping industry, but the health of Canada’s food system.

“Your food is not produced in the stores … It’s (produced) in farmers’ fields,” said Ian Grant, president of the Ontario Beekeepers’ Association, adding that up to a third of crops are pollinated by bees.

“Without bees, you’re not going to have the same quantity of food or quality of food.”

Canadian winters are harsh. That is especially true for honeybees, a non-native species imported to North America by European colonists. Canadian beekeepers see varying levels of die-offs every season. The 2022 winter was a particularly brutal one, with beekeepers reporting an average of 45 per cent losses — double the recent average.

Aside from weather, a long list of pests and pathogens have also beset honeybees, including varroa mites, small hive beetles and American foulbrood. Researchers are also worried about what they call “Africanized honeybee genetics” and what the media sometimes calls “killer bees” — a hybridized honeybee found in the Southern U.S., but not Canada, that aggressively defends its territory and poses a threat to human health.

Research also suggests that some of these problems are spilling over into wild, native bee populations, a threat to Canada’s wider ecological health.

When replacing or expanding their colonies, beekeepers have two main options. One is to purchase queens, a small box with a single queen bee and a few attendants. Another is to buy a full bee “package,” a box the size of a toaster oven filled with two or three pounds of bees.

In the 1980s, fearing American bees would bring pests and pathogens over the border, the government prohibited imports of bees from the U.S. in any form. In 2004, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) began allowing imports of queens, but continued to prohibit U.S. bee packages.

The class-action lawsuit, which was initiated almost a decade ago, revolves around a question of administrative law. The plaintiffs’ statement of claim alleges that after the last order banning U.S. bee package imports expired at the end of 2006, officials simply communicated to the beekeeping industry that no import permits would be granted, so they shouldn’t apply — a move the plaintiffs describe as having no lawful authority.

A spokesperson for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said the department would not comment on a matter before the courts. A statement of defence filed on behalf of the CFIA and the minister of agriculture and agri-Food denies all the plaintiffs’ claims, and states that the defendants have both a lawful authority and a public duty to restrict honeybee importation because they are satisfied doing so would prevent the introduction and spread of pests and diseases.

Gibeau, whose family operates Honeybee Enterprises in Surrey, B.C., and who is one of three lead plaintiffs in the case, says that because of the ban on U.S. bee packages, he is forced to buy them from countries such as New Zealand, where packages are more expensive and of worse quality because of the long travel. If not for the ban, he says, could get them from California for a fraction of the price.

“It’s a crazy situation,” said Gibeau.

Gibeau says the prohibition has driven thousands of beekeepers out of business, and believes the government’s concerns about importing U.S. packages should be allayed by the fact that imports of queens are still allowed, but none of these have introduced Africanized genetics……

To read the complete article go to; This great Canadian bee battle is headed to court (thestar.com)

Kate Allen is a Toronto-based reporter covering climate change for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @katecallen.

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: This great Canadian bee battle is headed to court (thestar.com)

Cris Collingwood

Dutch Gold Honey, a family-owned Lancaster company, was founded in 1946 after Ralph Gamber bought three beehives for $27. Today, the company, led by his daughter, Nancy Gamber Olcott, has grown to a more than $290 million enterprise, selling honey nationwide.

Nancy Gamber Olcott shares the story with Central Penn Business Journal.

CPBJ: How did Dutch Honey get started?

Dutch Gold Honey CEO Nancy Gamber Olcott – PHOTO/MARK YANG/ BAMBOO SHOOTS MEDIA

Gamber Olcott: After a heart attack in his early 30’s, Ralph’ Gamber’s doctor suggested he find a hobby, something relaxing. When three beehives and some bee equipment showed up at an auction in the spring of 1946, Ralph was determined to resurrect his childhood fascination with honeybees.

So as the high bidder, at $27, he loaded three hives into his car and headed home to his wife, Luella, who is allergic to bee stings. As if that was not bad enough, the family lived in Lancaster city on State Street and there was not enough yard for three beehives. Not Ralph’s best day!

In 1957, the Gambers were entertaining Woodrow and Rita Miller from California in their Lancaster home. The Millers also had a honey company, so of course after dinner, the conversation turned to business. The quest to find a novel container for honey was the topic for the evening and the end result was – the squeezable honey bear!

Now, the most popular and best loved honey container in the country, the squeezable honey bear was born at the Gamber’s dinner table.

The early plastic honey bears did not have the eyes and noses painted on by the manufacturer, this was the summer job for daughters Marianne, Nancy and their friends. Occasionally, the honey bears were also painted with bright red lips, much to the displeasure of Ralph!

CPBJ: When did the Gamber children join the company?

Gamber Olcott: The Gambers had three children, Bill, Marianne and Nancy, all of whom grew up with the business. They all graduated and moved into other industries, only to return to Dutch Gold Honey as the company expanded and could support additional family members.

At this point, both Bill and Marianne have retired from day-to-day activities. I have served as the company president and CEO since the early 2000s. The third generation of Gamber family, Ralph and Luella’s granddaughter, Emily, is also involved in the company.

CPBJ: When and how did the company go from a small operation to a major player in the honey business?

Gamber Olcott: The company’s sales started to outpace the volume of honey Gamber could produce from his 200+ beehives.

He began reaching out to beekeepers to buy their honey crops, so that Dutch Gold would have enough honey to package. With honeys from various regions reflecting the area’s unique flowers and blossoms, Dutch Gold began marketing honey by floral source; Orange Blossom and Tupelo honeys from Florida, Buckwheat Honey from New York, and Alfalfa Honey from Wyoming.

Distribution grew across the east coast. In addition to the Dutch Gold branded items, the company began to package honey for retail private label programs, and supply honey to food manufacturers.

CPBJ: When did the company move to its current location?

Gamber Olcott: The business started in the Gambers kitchen in 1946 and by the mid-1950’s it had overwhelmed the house. The open lot across the street from their home was purchased and the first “honey house” was built, with a 30 second commute across State Street.

After several additions and trying to unload tractor trailers of honey and packaging materials on a city street, the Gambers bought a 20-acre farm off Rohrerstown Road, close to Route 30. The original 40,000 square foot facility was opened in 1974. The business is still on the same site, but the footprint is now over 200,000 square feet.

CPBJ: What goes into honey production and where are the bees kept these days?

Gamber Olcott: Honey production requires healthy honey bees, plenty of forage area and the cooperation of Mother Nature!

Honeybees collect nectar from flowers and blossom and return this to their hive. The watery nectar is transformed into honey, via the addition of natural enzymes from the honeybee. The honeybees also dehydrate the honey by creating air current through the hive by fanning their wings, in what could be called nature’s most perfect dehumidifier.

Once the honey has been “ripened” the honeybees cap each hexagonal cell with honeycomb. Luckily, honeybees produce more honey then they need to sustain their hive, and beekeepers can remove the excess honey, extract the honey from the honeycomb.

As the beekeeping and honey packaging business expanded, the Gambers faced a question – who do we take of – the honeybees or our honey customers? The honey customers were chosen and the Gambers focused on processing and packaging honey and relied on commercial beekeepers to provide the honey.

CPBJ: When did maple syrup come into the mix?

Gamber Olcott: In 1997, Dave and Wanda McLure, owners of McLure’s Honey & Maple Products, from Littleton, New Hampshire, were looking to sell their business.

This was a perfect acquisition for Dutch Gold, as it added another pure and natural sweetener to the product offering. The plant in Littleton is still fully operational and packages both honey and maple syrup.

CPBJ: From fiscal year 2021 to 2022, the company grew in revenue by 46%. Is that normal growth?

Gamber Olcott: Revenue is driven by the price of our key material – honey! Honey prices skyrocketed due to increased demand from COVID and new tariffs placed on imported honey from certain countries.

CPBJ: How did the company fair during COVID?

Gamber Olcott: Like many other food manufacturers, Dutch Gold Honey was incredibly busy during the COVID years.

We experienced demand levels that were at all-time highs. Honey is a shelf stable food that can be used in a variety of ways. I am sure many people were baking honey bread and enjoying a relaxing cup of tea with honey during the height of the pandemic.

Thanks to the commitment and diligence of our employees, we remained fully operational during the crisis.

CPBJ: Why is honey so popular?

Gamber Olcott: Honey is the perfect sweetener and consumers love the wholesomeness it brings to foods. In addition to the honey section of your local grocery store, you will find products with honey in nearly every aisle of the store, from the dairy case, to the breakfast cereal, bakery and snack food for aisles.

Honey is a key ingredient in beverages as well, including craft beers and distilled spirits. Honey delivers value and a good for you feeling, that other sweeteners can’t match.

CPBJ: Why is Dutch Gold important to the local community?

Gamber Olcott: As the company became more established, one of the most important accomplishments of my parents was the establishment of the Gamber Foundation.

This foundation is focused on our local community and supporting those in need. In 2022, the Foundation donated to 22 local charities, including the Boys and Girls Club of Lancaster, Lancaster/Lebanon Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army, Milagro House, Water Street Health Services, and Schreiber Pediatric Rehab Center.

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: Honey business booms at Dutch Gold Honey – Central Penn Business Journal (cpbj.com)