BEES(Apis mellifera)
Bees are members of the insect family, and are well known for their useful work in pollination, honey and wax production. These flying insects are valuable to the farmer, orchard owner, and home gardener, as they pollinate many of the crops in this area. Without them there would be no corn crop, tobacco, tomatoes , cucumbers, squash and melons, nor would there be any delicious strawberries each June! Their anatomy is perfect for their work - they have a long proboscis (or tongue) which allows them to reach the nectar in flowers. These insects feed on either nectar or pollen, with nectar being consumed as a source of energy, and pollen supplying them with protein and other nutrients. These creatures also have two pairs of wings, the larger fore-wings and the smaller hind-wings.
When the Keeper decides it is time to harvest the crop of honey, he dons his protective suit, sedates them with a smoker, and removes the honey-filled frame. He then scrapes off the wax and removes the honey, often in a centrifuge. World-wide there are nearly 20,000 species, in 7 to 9 families, although many have not even been described, so the actual number is probably higher. Other than the Antarctic, they are found on every continent and inhabit everywhere which has flowering plants that require insects to pollinate them. In recent years there has been considerable concern about
Worldwide there has been a dramatic decrease in the number of these insects, and it is already having an impact on crops.
There is a phenomena known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCP) and is economically significant because many agricultural crops worldwide, are pollinated by these industrious little insects. The cause of this phenomenon is not understood at this point, however, experts speculate that mites on the insects may be a cause of their demise, and others suspect environmental changes including pesticides and malnutrition. which is produced here in Canada. I love honey and have often wished it was more portable, but when I take honey anywhere I inevitably make a sticky mess, but I just found the perfect solution to my problem! The company Honibe based in Prince Edward Island, makes a variety of Honey products, including "Honeydrop" which is the first product of its kind in the world - dehydrated Honey! This comes in small, dissolvable blister-pack and can be used to sweeten tea or other drinks .... just imagine, you can now take honey with you wherever you go!
Located on Highway 73, Clovermead has 24,000,000 workers - but they're not human! Their store is open year-round and you can sample and purchase honey, wax and other gift items.
Beekeeping Starter Kit
HoneyWorld courtesy of YouTube.
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Interestingly, both males and females have antennae, however the males have 13 segments and the females, only 12.
