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OF BEES
& HONEY
NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2008
THE WORKINGS OF WINTER II
Moving beehives to the aloe fields, as brood chamber is the hives’ bottom the rare in flight mating with virgin Berg. Once stirred, which is quite
we have seen in the July newsletter, box and where the queen stays and queens. I suppose that one could label easily done, these horrors do not know
is only a small part of Highveld lays eggs. It has ten frames, and beekeepers as some sort of sexist when to let go...
beekeepers’ winter duties. usually only the end ones get replaced. fellows…
The consequences for a beekeeper not
Some of these pursuits have to do These end frames, as a rule, only have The reason for such laborious winter doing his job properly can be most
with hive repair and making new ones, honey and on occasion some pollen, activity is simply to make queens feel hurtful not only to his professional
including catching boxes. It must be but almost never any brood. The happy and homely. Like any other pride, but above all and like anyone
said that these are the same winter new frames will be positioned in the busy and fussy house manager they else, where it hurts most, his pocket...
chores of beekeepers everywhere. middle of the box. do not want any clutter around home
These results become noticeable
when spring comes.
The catching boxes are half size of To these replacement frames have when the first honey flow of spring
the broad chambers and have to be been added full sheets of wax Another reason for their fussiness is arrives. Suddenly there are no more
in place by mid August, as the new foundation, which have imprinted that something is always left behind strong hives around, as they have been
swarm season should be starting a worker cells hexagonal shapes on after each generation is born out of reduced to just half of their normal
week or so after that. them. the same cells. Eventually the bees complement of between 50 and
become not only noticeably smaller, 60 000 bees.
The main winter endeavour actually The male bees or drones are almost
but quite bad tempered. These
consists of replacing at least two twice as big and aren’t welcome at Moral of the story? Lots of swarms
shorties are locally called “kranz bees”
frames out of the brood chamber of all by beekeepers, as they contribute around and no honey in the hives...
and are the ones that on occasion
every hive a beekeeper may have. The almost nothing to a hive, except in
seriously terrorise hikers along the
BEEKEEPERS
Almost all of the beekeepers make off their creations... condition has been described by an Any reasonably minded person would
their own hive boxes, which consist English beekeeper as “a form of mild have to agree that staying in the
Perhaps it should be said that virtually
of brood chambers, supers, which are insanity from which you never really wife’s soft and warm bed would be a
not a single one of these designs ever
smaller sized boxes for honey storage, recover”. far more pleasant endeavour... Don’t
gets sold.
lids and bases plus the internal frames. you?
Personally I put it in a not so clinical
The reason for such hard wood work One may end up thinking that
way as on a poster in my stall: Ha! But there are some positive sides
is not so much with cash savings in beekeepers are a bit peculiar in their
to such madness.
mind, but above all is a question of ways... “Every fool has his quirk (an Iberian
professional and personal pride in saying), Mine is beekeeping” As long as beekeepers remain active
the way they house their bees. Or at One of these oddities is perhaps not
(more often than not there is no
least this is the way they like to see it being all that keen in spending their How otherwise could one explain the
retirement for them), get stung
themselves. precious time in socialising. It does reason, or reasons, that willingly drive
regularly without boozing with it and
not matter from which country or someone to spend night after night
keep eating lots of bee pollen, they
Besides personal versions of standard even Continent they may come. When bending their back while working
should live a longer, healthier and
hive designs, which must be seen as invited to go somewhere, for instance their hives and suffering excruciating
more fruitful life than most.
not all that odd, some go through the to dinner, the answer tends to always pain with it? Either shivering in icy
large burden of time and expenses be the same: winter, or sweating their hearts out in Years ago one used to hear stories
by patenting their own creations of summer with all the double layers of affirming that the reason for the
machinery used in large scale honey “I am very sorry, but at that time
denim for protection, claustrophobic extremely long lived people in some
extraction. I need to go to see my bees...”
head covering, extra thick long areas of the Caucasus were due to the
Perhaps the expressions to define rubber gloves and riding boots? yogurt they ate. How come if all ate
Others build incredible elaborate
them could be something like; Not to mention being frequently it, only the village beekeepers were
prototypes of trailers. Without doubt,
sensitive and reserved types, of a covered with extremely annoyed and positively affected by it?
the crowning piece on them must be
solitary disposition and who find their aggressive bees trying all the time to
the hive loading mechanisms, which Things like arthritis, gout, high blood
happiness among this most sociable find the smallest chink in the armour?
without fail are both unique and pressure, cholesterol, Parkinson’s
of animals. It must be said that if an opening
ingenious. disease and other auto-immune
happens to be there, they definitely
The amateur beekeepers often see problems, including cancer should not
You should see the long suffering will find it.
their hobby as some sort of affliction bother them.
spouse’s expressions when they show
and suffering from “Bee Fever”. This
ALOE FLOWERS
POLLEN QUALITY
In the previous newsletter I only there at that place, but above
mentioned the alleged healing all in such a vocation... It took quite
properties of Aloe Honey. a resolution not to walk away and to
turn back to finish the job.
Some recent work done at my bees
in the aloe flowering areas makes In the end the fault was all mine. I
me firmly vouch for the incredible redesigned a previously very efficient
strengthening properties of its pollen veil that had worked for many years
first hand. for a perceived better one.
Normally bee stings are regarded as Basically the Velcro seal was not up
no more than an occupational hazard to scratch, as the top layer of it kept
by beekeepers, who have built up an curling up just a few millimetres,
immunity to its poison. It must be which was enough to allowed a few
pointed out that normally all that determined intruders’ through.
is required to obtain that immunity
The next day the tailor added an
is eight stings. After the bees have
extra Velcro flap, so as to double its
spent two months at the aloes this
sealing efficiency.
can change, and I describe it here
with some personal experience. I couldn’t see myself doing it again
without added safety assurances...
Immediately as the first sting strikes
in and the acute and long lasting Three days after this occurrence
burning starts its work, all the the horrors were moved to later
previous opinions and resolutions flowering aloes. Although both
about stings being just a small myself and helper were stung a
nuisance will go overboard, even few times while doing it, for some
by the most die-hard of beekeepers. reason the sting had lost its sudden
Steve, the stoic and unflappable explosive power, as the intensity was
helper was hit twice and in the same no more than the usual irrelevant
place on the lower lip and suddenly mosquito bite.
was emitting sounds that could
almost be describing as whimpering... Luckily the new site is near some
orange plantations and hopefully
By the forth on my face I was asking from where the following honey crop
myself what on earth I was doing not will come from.
COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER
Bees have lately been in the news within four years if the bees were no from very serious bacterial attacks of Before the African bees arrived on
from diverse parts of the world as longer around. “foul brood”, to the parasitic verroa the scene in Brazil, where they were
they seem to mysteriously abscond mite, as far as I know no African taken to and crossed with European
Initially some quirky reasons were
from their hives as if into thin air. beekeeper has to medicate his or her ones, there was no large scale honey
bandied about to explain their
While abandoning their hives, hives for any reason whatsoever. production worth mentioning. Now
disappearance, like radiation from
they also leave behind their young that country is one of the top four
cell phone masts. The Americans with their propensity
brood and even their queens, which producers in the world.
for hyperbole have named the
normally they would never do. Recently most bee experts believe
Africanized bees that escaped from African bees are not only more
that bees could be falling sick due to
If the importance of pollination by Sao Paulo, Brazil and travelled all the resistant to disease, they also are two
a combination of factors, including
(beekeepers) bees into agricultural way to their Southwest, “Killer Bees”. to three times more productive than
pesticide exposure, invasive parasitic
food production is taken into their European cousins.
mites, an inadequate food supply It seems that they are now the
consideration, the stark facts are: No
and a new virus that targets bees’ victims of their demonization of a Perhaps another American propensity,
more bees means, no more fruit, no
immune systems. bee that could be the answer to their the “suing syndrome” that seems to
more nuts or vegetables.
existing problems. affect them, may be one of the main
This virus seems to target the bees’
California’s almond production reasons beekeepers there are afraid
immune systems in the same way as The first thing a new born queen
requires a staggering amount of to farm with such demonized “pests”.
the AIDS virus does with humans. does is to kill her royal siblings, even
about a million and a half hives for
while they are still in their cells. If it Ok, they are tough and defensive,
its pollination, some of them even The solution to this potentially
is taken into consideration that the but wouldn’t you be if you had two
coming all the way from Australia. cataclysmic event could be the
European queens take 21 days to be such incredibly implacable predators
replacement of the more docile and
The contribution to American born and the African ones only 19, in to content with, African man and the
health fragile European bees for their
agriculture by bee pollination is no time the African genes should take ratel? Perhaps pure Darwinism with
much tougher African version.
estimated at about 15 billion dollars, over. All it means is that the so-called its survival of the fittest may be a
or about 80% of its total. While beekeepers that keep European Africanized bees should be almost logical explanation for it.
bees in various Continents treat them pure African bees.
Einstein did mention that mankind
for a number of complaints, ranging
as we know it would cease to exist
NEW PRODUCTS BEE PRODUCTS
SUN & HEALING LOTION & DIABETES
Although it has been available for It should be mentioned that the tests • The body does not treat honey as a rush blood and antibodies with it to
some time, I haven’t yet described it done to come to such conclusions sugar. the affected (and blood circulation
properly. were on the immediate results and starved) areas.
• Honey stimulates the pancreas to
not on the long term effects.
The reasons for having spent such secrete insulin. • Daily intake of Bee Pollen will
an enormous amount of time as I • Accepting the reality that there add most vitamins, minerals, trace
• Except if highly contra-indicated by
did in research trying to find the is nothing out there that offers full elements and amino acids that
a specialist, honey not only can, but
best possible natural ingredients protection from the mid-day sun and diabetics may lack to lead a healthier
should be given to diabetes sufferers.
from which an outstanding all-round its three types of UV. life. It should be mentioned that
lotion could be made, were: • Honey and cinnamon will bring and contrary to most supplements in
• Eliminating the incredible list
keep sugar levels down. pill form, Bee Pollen constituents
• The double whammy of the of preservatives, emulsifiers,
are in absolute organic form, are
Highveld very high ultra-violet carcinogenic chemicals and minerals, • Honey on its own can actually cure highly concentrated, mostly in the
radiation and air dryness. perfumes, petrol based creams, diabetes. right proportions and totally easy to
animal fats and other undesirable
• New research pointing fingers at • Use of propolis can greatly reduce assimilate.
contents in the ingredients list.
Queensland were there has been a the daily intake of insulin by sufferers Please see relevant information on
big increase in skin cancers due to • To create a product that could be who have to do it, but without ever medicinal uses of honey, honey and
the use and abuse of the so called used daily as a hand, body and face being able to replace it. diabetes, bee pollen, propolis and
“Sun Blocks” and its carcinogenic cream/lotion/ moisturizer.
• Honey together with propolis bee venom on the section “Medicine
components, namely chemicals and
Literally, from head to foot. should be able to cure most diabetic’s from the Bees” of my website, www.
minerals.
ulcers. In extreme cases bee venom thehoneybear.co.za
• It had to offer some wide spectrum
It specifically mentioned that after treatment may be recommended, by
UV protection. PS. When I mention honey, I mean
two hours of being applied, the stinging the area around and below pure raw honey, not the “commercial”
UV radiation would break down • Should help with allergies like it, so to force the immune system to equivalent.
both the UV protection chemicals eczema, other skin infections, sun
and minerals used as reflectors, burns, sun spots and insect bites.
namely zinc and titanium oxides.
• The outstanding and time tested
AFRICAN TRAGEDY
When broken down they would be
transformed into new compounds, bee products, Honey, Propolis and
which were then absorbed to the Beeswax would be central to its
skin’s deeper layers. Perhaps “time formula.
My assistant Steve recently spent going through the bush trying to
bombs” would be a reasonable So far comments and testimonials some time around Matabeleland in gather honey by burning wild hives at
description. from users have been exceptionally Zimbabwe. Like any other beekeeper night, so that the bees wouldn’t have
• FDA (American Federal Drug positive. anywhere he wanted to see what a chance to defend themselves. The
Agency) report that 65% of all might be in flower at that time of direct consequence of these actions
“Sun Blocks” not only offered no year, and at least try to see any bees was that virtually all bee population
protection whatsoever, but actually around doing their daily chores. had been eliminated from vast tracks
were quite damaging to the users of land.
Intrigued after a week of not being
health. Most of the others were not
able to see a single bee, he started What was even more frightening
so bad, but didn’t help much either.
to ask around if the people knew the was that people in those areas had
reason for their absence. no understanding whatsoever of the
importance of the bees to their well-
The explanation given to him was
being and ultimate survival.
that groups of wandering men were
THOUGHT
OF THE DAY FEEDBACK THANKS
Feedback on the contents of this To all the questions, comments and
Contrary to sugar, honey not only
second newsletter would be most feedback on my first newsletter.
stops teeth cavities by eliminating
appreciated. These ranged from being a bit too
the bacteria that causes it, it actually
long and “academic” from one
whitens them. This is naturally I would also like your opinion quarter, which somehow I must
done and is due to its high acidity on the desirability of the high agree, to being so positive as to
content. In actual fact, some people concentration of information in it. be asked how soon I could send
use it instead of the not so healthy
the next one. I was even asked for
soapy commercial alternative. A
permission for it to be used in a
drop or two of propolis in it would
chef’s manual of instruction.
even further improve its efficiency.
When done, it can be swallowed, so
allowing it to start doing its next
jobs, like eliminating toxins from the CONTACT DETAILS
digestive tract. KIM MORGADO 082 558 6666
What a pleasure… KIM@THEHONEYBEAR.CO.ZA
WWW.THEHONEYBEAR.CO.ZA
