Following a fairly devastating recent earthquake in New Zealand, there have been damaged beehives and bee losses among the casualties on the island. The difficulty of reaching the isolated bee hives, in addition to damages and losses, are just some of the challenges facing New Zealand’s Upper South Island beekeepers. “Like other primary producers, it’s…
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has come across a direct link between honeybee health and bacteria. A team of scientists and their collaborators studied the effects of each bee’s diet and the bacteria that can be found inside their digestive system. A honeybee’s diet consists of two things: nectar and honey. Both are…
Best Bees aims for a social purpose that encourages saving honeybee populations. Approximately half of the U.S.’s bee colonies were lost in 2015 and 2016. Millions of hives are collapsing, with many suspecting the cause to be related to colony collapse disorder, the phenomena where a colony’s worker bees suddenly vanish, severely crippling or even…
Manuka Honey Carrot Layer Cake For those looking for a naturally sweet dessert that offers the best flavors but without the intense amount of sugar that comes with them, this Carrot Manuka Honey Layer Cake is the way to go! Substituting added sugar with natural sugars found in carrots and Manuka honey, this recipe offers…
Honeybees are known to form their hives in more secluded, closed off spaces. This is why the roof of the opera house Palais Garnier seems to be one place that fits their liking, and the opera house is now a producer of its own honey. Recently, a few bees have moved into the Paris opera…
Honeybees have a way of adapting to get through the winter—in fact, they can change their colony and their own physiology to withstand the colder weather. The honeybees that can make it through winter are more likely to get a head start on spring. During early spring, they’re able to meet pollination needs before smaller,…
The holidays is the one time of year where baking and creating delectable sweets is at an all-time high throughout the year. Everyone is busy making apple pies, custards, cookies and many other delicious desserts for the various parties and get-togethers that happen over the span of a couple of months. In order to make…
Brooklyn’s Green Wood Cemetery serves as the resting place for at least 560,000 people including composer Leonard Bernstein, editor Horace Greeley, actor Frank Morgan, and the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, who was known to be a good friend to Andy Warhol. In addition to the thousands of dearly departed who now call Green Wood Cemetery their…
There have been new discoveries regarding deformed wing virus (DWV), a threat to honeybee colonies in most parts of the world. DWV is typically associated with varroa mites, which are another threat to bees that can spread the virus within a colony. The mites are small blood sucking parasites known to infect adult bees through…
Heavy rains in South Australia are delaying plants from blossoming and leaving beekeepers without honey. The rainfall seems to be slowing down production, especially in Adelaide Hills. It is ironic considering lack of rain and dry seasons are usually the greatest concern with most farms, as a proper balance of rainfall and dryness being an essential…
Manuka Honey, Banana Dog Treats Most dog owners enjoy rewarding their family pets during training sessions or just when they feel their dogs deserve something sweet for themselves. While it is always fine to buy a box of treats at the store, if you’re looking to feed your dog something healthier or more personal and…
In Doubtless Bay, New Zealand, at least tens of thousands of bees or 300 hives were killed. The owners of Daykel Apiaries and the lost hives believe the cause of death may have been poisoning. So far, no one knows what happened to the bees, but many believe the deaths were a form of sabotage…
Why Dogs Love Honeybees Too! Not only are bee products well considered among humans, but even the family dog can reap the fruits of honeybees’ labor. Research is still being performed to determine what exact substances contribute to the properties that make up in bee products, but our canine friends seem to be enjoying it…
During the 2016 California Association of Pest Control Adviser (CAPCA) Conference, issues relating to honeybees were at the forefront of the event. Speaker Karen Francone of the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) focused on the importance of honeybees and bee health in general. One of her points focused on pest control advisors and the…
A new virus has been found in wasps, and it has the potential to spread to honeybees, who, as many are aware, are one of the world’s key crop pollinators. The virus, which has been named Moku, was found in the western yellow jacket, a particular wasp species considered to be a pest in the…
Down in New Zealand, the home of Manuka honey, Massey University agriculture students pursuing their Bachelors of Science were required to create interactive presentations covering a wide range of farm activities and operations. The presentations, a sort of culmination of what they had learned so far, gave the students a chance to reflect on what…
Manuka Honey Soy Chicken with Lemon Broccoli If you’re looking for a dish that will invite untold sensations into your life, then you need to try this Manuka Honey Soy Chicken with Lemon Broccoli. This chicken dish calls for a sweet-salty marinade made even more flavorful by garlic and a citrus zest, and nothing will…
As more people get into beekeeping, especially those who live in urban environments, researchers are going to wonder which environment is preferable for the hurting pollinators. One such researcher is Dr. Gerardo Camilo, an associate professor who works in the Department of Biology at St. Louis University. Most of his research focuses on bee populations…
Recently, more than 20,000 honeybees had to be removed from the Montgomery Girls League softball field in Texas. Rather than blasting the poor bees with pesticides, a professional honeybee removal service used smoke to calm the bees before securing them within a vacuum and removing the swarm. Clinging to a tree near the softball batting…
Honeybees are known to nearly everyone for collecting honey and providing pollination for crops, and according to the American Beekeeping Federation (ABF), “approximately one third of all the food Americans eat is directly or indirectly derived from honeybee pollination.” The inhabitants of honeybee hives are divided into three different groups: worker bees, male drones and…
As winter creeps in and the ground becomes covered in a few inches of snow, Dee Barker knows it’s time to put her bees to bed for winter at Earthworks Farm in Palmer, Alaska. “When they go into hibernation, they go into a cluster around the queen to keep her warm,” Barker explained. “The ones…
The Manuka and More Conference plans to explore Manuka honey’s future this week, discussing the concerns many have about the industry, some of which include counterfeit honeys, brand hijacking, and the overall health of honeybees. As will likely be discussed at this conference, the Manuka tree has a bright future, having gone from a scrub,…
Manuka Honey Pecan Salmon For those who seek a dish with contrasting yet surprisingly well merged flavors that is comically easy to make, then this Manuka Honey Pecan Salmon recipe is perfect for you! Great with a salad or a similar light side dish and maybe even a glass of white wine, this dish requires…
Many people have heard of snake charmers, those people who can make snakes dance with the music they play. However, it’s unlikely many have heard about honeybee charmers. Norman Gary is one such bee charmer, and it has been his life’s work to tame bees in Citrus Heights, CA. Some of his work is well…
The High Line, a park located in New York City, is a beautiful place to visit where you can admire trees and flowers inside a concrete-heavy city. While it is doubtful for a small patch of soil in between two concrete slabs to catch your attention, Maryanne Stubs knows better. Stubs is an NYC gardener…
Three senior athletes, ranging from 52 to 70, recently gave their insights into how they stay healthy and hungry for success. For these veteran runners, their milestone birthdays bring with them more wins from the finish line. For instance, Clare Elms is 52, and she holds the record in her age group for the fastest…
