Honeybees and Us
- Samuel Jones
- May 4
- 12 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
The Ancient Roots of Bees
Believed to have come from the ancient eyes of sun god Re, bees have been integral to human and other planet life for thousands of years. Ancient civilizations, such as the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, revered bees and their honey for both nutritional and medicinal purposes. Early Egyptians depicted bees in their hieroglyphs as symbols of life, fertility, and sweetness. Honey was used as a sweetener, used in religious rituals as an offering to the gods, and in medicine. Archaeological evidence demonstrates humans have been harvesting honey for at least 8,000 years. Although beekeeping has evolved, the connection between honeybees and humans remains strong.
Honeybee Biology
Honeybees (Apis mellifera) are fascinating insects that play a crucial role in pollination and honey production. They are social creatures, living in well-organised colonies consisting of thousands of individual bees. As insects, they have three (3) main parts, Head, Thorax and Abdomen. As insects, they possess a highly specialized body structure that is divided into three distinct main parts: the Head, Thorax, and Abdomen. Each of these segments plays a crucial role in the insect's overall physiology and functionality, contributing to their adaptability and survival in various environments.
The Head is the foremost part of the insect's body and is essential for sensory perception and feeding. It houses several important structures, including compound eyes, which provide a wide field of vision and the ability to detect movement, and simple eyes, that help in light detection. Additionally, the head of a bee contains antennae, which serve as vital sensory organs, allowing insects to taste, smell, and feel their surroundings. Their straw-like mouthpart called the proboscis allows for sucking up nectar or lapping, depending on the food source.
A bee's Thorax is the middle section that facilitates movement, both walking and flying. This segment is typically divided into three parts: the prothorax, mesothorax, and metathorax. Each part is equipped with a pair of legs, making a total of six legs for most adult insects, which are essential for walking, jumping, or swimming. In addition to legs, the thorax also bears four (4) wings in total, two (2) forewings and two (2) hindwings. The musculature of the thorax is highly developed, allowing for powerful movements that facilitate flight or rapid escape from predators. Unfortunately, the back of the thorax is a place of choice for pests like the notorious varroa mite, an insect parasite that latches onto bees and weakens them.
The Abdomen is the last segment of the insect's body and is generally the largest part. It contains vital organs related to digestion, excretion, and reproduction. The digestive system, which processes food and absorbs nutrients, is housed within the abdomen. Additionally, the abdomen is where reproductive organs are located, allowing for the continuation of the species through mating and laying eggs. The abdomen also features their stinger in bees for defence, secreting venomous toxin known as Apitoxin, commonly called bee venom.
Honeybee Society
Honeybees are social insects that dwell in organized colonies. A hive is structured as a functional organismal system or superorganism, as referred to in biology. A superorganism is a complex group made up of individual organisms that offer up their functional individuality for the whole. Two-thirds of a hive colony is female, while one-third is male.
The Queen Bee is the female bee responsible for faciliating colony communication, fertility, and behavioural regulation. Having a extended abdomens than the other two (2) bee classes, Worker Bees and Drones, queen bees set hive rhythm. She is the mother of drones and worker bees, laying up to 2,000 eggs daily and living for up to five (5) years. Drones are the males in a hive and are responsible for carrying out sexual fertilization, they do not gather food nor perform hive maintenance. Worker Bees are female bees who perform all the tasks required to keep the colony alive, including foraging for nectar and pollen, attending to the upkeep of the queen, young bees and overall hive maintenance as well as guarding and defending against foreign pests. These worker bee duties are further subclassified as Foragers, Nurse Bees and Guard Bees.
How Bees Communicate and Navigate
Honeybees communicate using an extraordinary "waggle dance," which is a form of signalling that helps other bees locate food sources. This incredible form of communication demonstrates just how sophisticated honeybee behaviour can be. They can also communicate chemically, as is the case for the queen bee who uses her pheromones secreted from her mandibular glands, letting the colony know that she is present and regulating hive behaviour.
Bees exhibit remarkable foraging abilities that allow them to travel significant distances in search of nectar. These industrious insects can fly up to five (5) miles away from their hive to locate flowering plants that provide the essential nectar they need for food production and hive sustenance. This impressive range showcases their determination and highlights the ecological importance of honeybees in pollination and supporting biodiversity.
One of the most fascinating aspects of honeybee behaviour is their exceptional navigation skills. Honeybees are capable of finding their way back to the hive with remarkable precision, often within a three-foot accuracy. This impressive navigational ability is primarily attributed to their use of the sun's positioning as a compass. By taking into account the sun's angle and the time of day, bees can orient themselves and determine the direction of their hive. Additionally, honeybees are sensitive to the Earth's electromagnetic field, which they can use as a navigational aid. This ability allows them to maintain a stable course even when the sun is obscured by clouds or during overcast conditions much like a GPS.
How Honey is Made
The production of honey is a remarkable process that combines biology and chemistry in an elegant way, with bees as alchemists. Honeybees create honey from nectar, which they gather from flowers and other times from extrafloral sources like plant secretions. Once the nectar is collected, bees carry it back to the hive in a special "honey stomach" (different from their regular stomach). In this special stomach, natural bee enzymes begin breaking down complex nectar sugars. Nectar has a high water content,to sugar ratio of about 80% waster to 20% complex sugars.
In the hive, the bees pass the nectar from bee to bee, a process known as Trophallaxis. During this exchange, enzymes are introduced into the nectar, specifically Invertase, which breaks down the complex sugar sucrose into simpler sugars of glucose and fructose. This process also inverts the sugar-water ratio to 20% water and 80% sugars. Bees then deposit the nectar into hexagonal beeswax cells, where the process of dehydration begins. The bees fan the nectar with their wings to help reduce moisture content. This evaporation process thickens the nectar into the sticky, golden substance we know as honey. The final product is a complex mixture of sugars, water, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants, contributing to honey's beneficial properties. These simple sugars are more digestible and better assimilated or taken up by our bodies.
Honeybees as Pollinators
Honeybees are often considered the hardest workers in nature. These insects play a critical role in the pollination of one-third (1/3) of global food production, contributing to the growth of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. As they fly from flower to flower collecting nectar and pollen, honeybees inadvertently transfer pollen, allowing plants to reproduce via cross pollination. Without honeybees and other pollinators, our food supply would dwindle, and biodiversity would be severely impacted. A single bee colony can visit up to 5,000 flowers in a day, making it one of the most efficient pollinators in the animal kingdom. This tireless activity is crucial for maintaining the balance of ecosystems and ensuring food security across the globe.
Honey Quality
The quality of honey is not only judged by consistent taste and homogeneity, but it can also be chemically determined by identifying and analysing special biomarkers or chemicals that reflect purity, freshness, and overall value. Two of the most important biochemical indicators of honey are Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), Alpha-amylase (α-amylase). HMF is a compound that forms naturally in honey over time or when it is exposed to high temperatures. Low levels of HMF suggest that the honey is fresh and has not been overheated during processing. Excessive HMF levels may indicate degradation or adulteration. On the other hand, α-amylase, an enzyme originally introduced into the honey by bees, is a marker of biological activity and freshness. High alpha-amylase activity suggests the honey has been minimally processed and retains its natural enzymatic properties. Additionally, honey's physical properties can be measured such as its sugar concentration, an indicator of honey's maturity (Brix%). Honey properly matured has less water and is less prone to fermenting.
Apitherapy: Honeybee Medicine
Honey contains bioflavonoids, phenols, vitamins, minerals and essential amino acids that boost could our immunity, help fight allergies and support well-being. Comprising mostly of simple sugars fructose and glucose, honey has a lower Glycemic Index (GI) of 50 compared to table sugar with a GI of 80. This means that honey gradually raises blood sugar compared to the sudden spikes caused by table sugar, putting pressure on the pancreas. Considered to be a safer alternative sweetener than table sugar, diabetics still need to consume moderately. Medical-grade honey also shows superior wound healing properties, speeding up wound recovering and the promising appearance of granulation of tissue, great for minor burns also.
In skincare, honey is used for a humectant, attracting moisture from the air and lower skin layers to bring hydration to the top visible layer of our skin, thanks to its hygroscopic properties. Apitherapy is a branch of alternative medicine that leverages bees and their products for therapeutic benefits. This practice encompasses a variety of bee-related substances, including honey, pollen, propolis, royal jelly, and bee venom. Each of these components is believed to possess unique health benefits, contributing to the overall efficacy of apitherapy in promoting wellness and treating various ailments.
Propolis, commonly referred to as 'bee glue' by beekeepers, is a resin-like substance produced by bees from the sap of trees, used to seal and protect their hives.
Prop·o·lisis is of Greek etiology, pro meaning "in defense of" and polis meaning "community”.
When put together, Propolis translates to Defender of the Hive. Classified as an oleoresin, with essential oil and waxy-resin components, bee propolis is a powerful antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antifungal and first-line immunity against infection. Recent studies have uncovered more than 300 bioactive compounds found in bee propolis. These biocompounds are from the classes of Flavonoids, Terpenes and Phenols. Research has demonstrated the effectiveness of compounds such as Chyrsin, Galangin, Pinocembrin, Terpineol and p-coumaric acid as having therapeutic antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant benefits. Propolis seems specifically effective for upper respiratory tract infections (URTIS), combating respiratory infections like viruses and opportunistic bacteria such as rhinoviruses and influenza virus; streptococcus and candida, respectively. Bee propolis can be used in cough syrups, lozenges and oral sprays as a respiratory adjuvant. Other research demonstrates that bee propolis has insect-repellent properties, especially against mites and ticks.
Royal Jelly is a nutrient-rich substance secreted by worker bees and is the exclusive food of the queen bee. It is packed with vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, contributing to its reputation as a powerful health supplement. Royal jelly can be used to enhance energy levels, improve skin health, and support reproductive health. However, its harvesting raises ethical and sustainability concerns since it could harm the bees' welfare and their hive complex dynamics.
Pollen, collected by bees from flowering plants, is a complete food source that contains proteins, vitamins, and minerals. It is believed to have various health benefits, including boosting energy, reducing inflammation, and alleviating allergies. Its indiscriminate harvesting also poses ethical concerns to colony health.
Bee Venom is perhaps the most controversial component of apitherapy, bee venom is used in treatments for various conditions, including arthritis and multiple sclerosis. It contains a mixture of proteins, Apitoxin that can stimulate the immune system and reduce inflammation. However, caution is advised, as bee venom therapy can cause allergic reactions in some individuals, Anaphylactic shock.
Threats to Bee Health
The health of bee populations is essential not only for the ecosystems they inhabit but also for agricultural productivity and food security worldwide. Unfortunately, bees are increasingly threatened by a variety of pests and diseases that can significantly impact their populations and, consequently, the environment and agriculture.
The Varroa destructor is one of the most notorious pests affecting honeybee colonies. This parasitic mite attaches itself to bees and feeds on their bodily fluids, weakening the bees and spreading viruses.
The Varroa mite is particularly harmful because it can lead to the collapse of entire colonies if not managed properly. Beekeepers often use various strategies to control this pest, including chemical and nature-based treatments, such as essential oils and integrated pest management practices.
Wax moth is another pest that lay eggs inside the hive comb cells, captilaizing on the food of honeybee eggs. Once the wax moth egg has consumed the food source in the honeycomb cell, it develops into a pupa, boring its way through the beeswax honeycombs in search of more food sources.
This destructive searching causes major damage to the home of the developing bees, leaving a trail of faeces and cobbed web, causing the spead of infections all over the hive. Very destructive to a hive, wax moth can quickly devastate a beekeepers' hive, even destroying the wooden honey frames.
Another pest is the Small Hive Beetle, which infests beehives and can cause substantial damage by consuming honey, pollen, and bee larvae. Small hive beetles can lead to honey fermentation and the overall decline of hive health, prompting beekeepers to implement traps and other control measures to mitigate their impact.
In addition to pests, bees are also susceptible to a range of diseases. One of the most prevalent diseases is American foulbrood, caused by the bacterium Paenibacillus larvae. This disease primarily affects the brood (the developing bees) and can lead to the death of entire colonies. Infected hives often exhibit a characteristic odor, and beekeepers must take strict measures, including burning infected equipment, to prevent the spread of this disease.
Another serious condition is Nosema, a fungal infection caused by Nosema apis or Nosema ceranae. This disease affects the digestive system of adult bees, leading to reduced lifespan and impaired foraging abilities. Infected bees may show signs of dysentery, and outbreaks can be exacerbated by poor nutrition and stress factors within the hive.
Pollinator Decline
The combined effects of pests and diseases have led to alarming declines in bee populations globally. These declines pose significant risks not only to bees themselves but also to the agricultural systems that rely on them for pollination. The implications of declining bee populations extend far beyond the bees themselves; they pose significant risks to the agricultural systems that rely heavily on these pollinators for successful crop production. Bees pollinate a substantial portion of the fruits, vegetables, and nuts that comprise one-third (1/3) of our diets. The loss of bee populations can lead to decreased crop yields, resulting in increased food prices as supply diminishes. This economic impact can be felt at various levels, from local farmers struggling to maintain their livelihoods to consumers facing higher grocery bills.
Moreover, the potential for food shortages becomes a pressing concern as the availability of pollinated crops decreases. This situation can create a ripple effect throughout the food supply chain, affecting not only agricultural producers but also food processors, retailers, and consumers. The interconnectedness of these systems highlights the urgent need for effective management strategies to protect bee health and ensure the sustainability of our food systems.
Bees: a Sustainable Promise
Honeybees are more than pollinators or honey-makers—they are ancient allies, biological alchemists, and keepers of planetary life. From their intricate societies and remarkable communication to their role in sustaining agriculture and biodiversity, bees offer us a model of harmony, resilience, and regeneration. Yet today, they face unprecedented threats that call for our collective action. At Isle Bee Well, we believe that conserving honeybees is not only a responsibility but an opportunity also to foster sustainability, highlight their therapeutic benefits, and deepen our connection to nature. As we continue our journey rooted in apiculture, science, and regenerative practices, we invite you to join us in honouring the Honeybee, not just as a symbol of sweetness, but as a cornerstone to a thriving planet.
Bsc. Biological Sciences (Hons.)
Cert. Systems Thinking in Public Health
Cert. Biotechnology and Bioengineering
Cert. Beekeeping
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