Let's Talk About Honey Bees:
the interesting and truly frightening facts about our garden friends

Roots & Shoots
May 2008

Part 1: The Frightening Facts

I love Honey Bees. I think they're very cute. Who hasn't broken into a huge smile over the sight of our busy little friends covered in golden pollen dust, carrying their sweet treasure back to the hive? Not me. It always lifts my heart to see them going about their business.

However interesting and important this business may be, Honey Bees are in trouble. Over the last several winters, 25% of the Western Honey Bee population has simply disappeared. Where and why, no one seems to really know for sure.

One popular theory is a phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder, or CCD. What happens when CCD hits a colony is peculiar, to say the least. The Honey Bees seem to suddenly abandon their hives and go off to die. If that wasn't disheartening enough.

None has figured out a solid reason as to why they do this. Theories abound. Is it a virus? Mites perhaps? Chemical exposure could play a part. Scientists are even contemplating a "simple" explanation: poor nutrition. Only time will tell if any of these theories proves to be true.

In the meantime, we can do something to help our little friends out. Let's all plant some "Honey Bee Must Haves" in our yard. They really love the following plants:

I'm sure we can all find a place in our gardens for at least one of these treats. Our bees are worth it.

We can also help our Bee populations by supporting local Honey Bee and Hive products. One good local source to buy honey from is Lola Canola. You can go on line at www.lolacanola.com or check out your local Farmers Markets. Buy Beeswax candles instead of wax or soy candles. Use honey in place of sugar. I know it doesn't sound like a lot, but small things can and do make a big impact.

Part 2: The Interesting Facts – Did You Know??

Now that I've got your attention, let's talk about why the Honey Bee is so special.

One out of every 3 bites of food Americans eat is directly related to a healthy Honey Bee population. This is 1/3 of the available food supply. If the Honey Bee is in trouble, we are in trouble. Honey Bees provide 80% of the pollinating services we need in order to harvest fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Think about the impact this would have on our food supply if there were no Honey Bees. Shocking isn't it? Economically, Honey Bees are solely responsible for $15 Billion US in agricultural crop pollination services each year. Imagine the devastation to the economy if the Honey Bee was no more.

On a lighter note, did you know that the Honey Bee must visit 2 million flowers and fly 55,000 miles to make us a pound of Honey? If a Honey Bee flies between 10 and 15 miles per hour and visits around 50 and 100 flowers per trip, can you imagine how much work goes into that pound of honey? It's pretty precious stuff!!

Have you ever wondered how the humble Honey Bee lets everyone in her hive know she's found a treasure trove of pollen? I did and what I found out is pretty darn fascinating. When she returns to the hive after finding some good pollen, she gives out little samples of the nectar to her hive mates. After they've all had a good taste, she starts to dance. The dance tells her fellow Bees what's out there, the distance and the direction. Not only that, but the quality and the quantity of the food supply is also part of her dance. The best part of her dance, in my humble opinion, has to be this: the better the food source, the longer and more elaborate the dance is! Isn't nature wonderful? I love it!!