As climate change, disease, and a variety of other factors jeopardize the future of honey bees, farmers are implementing practices on their own land to support bees and other pollinators. This includes planting cover crops. What Are Cover Crops? Cover crops are crops planted to improve soil quality and promote sustainability rather than to produce…
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LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and it is a globally recognized green building certification program created by the U.S. Green Building Council. AS of 2019, there are almost 70,000 LEED certified buildings in the U.S.. To become LEED certified, a building must reach a certain number of points by having resource-efficient,…
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You can now get a taste of what the ancient gods and kings drank. Mead, commonly known as “honey wine,” is an alcoholic drink made with honey, wine, and yeast (for fermentation). Similar to beer, it can be flavored with fruits, spices, and grains, but it isn’t quite beer and is stronger than beer, ranging…
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We’ve learned that we use a variety of products that come from bees—from honey to propolis to beeswax products. There is an infinite number of ways to incorporate bee products into daily life…and one of those ways is by using beeswax wraps! What are beeswax wraps? Beeswax wraps are wraps used in the kitchen to…
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The fruits and vegetables we eat to sustain our health are all made possible by the pollination of bees. However, bees’ impact goes far beyond the food we eat—perhaps the most well-known product in our household, honey, is a byproduct of bees. In addition to honey, products made from beeswax, propolis, royal jelly, pollen, and…
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It is well known that Varroa destructor mites are one of the honeybee’s (Apis mellifera) worst enemies. Since Western honey bees do not possess the defense mechanisms to fend off non-native parasites, the mites can transmit deadly viruses to the bees. Seeing that Varroa mites have such a damaging effect on honey bees, numerous articles…
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Before you start selling your honey, you need to make sure that it complies with federal, state, and local regulations. There are federal labeling standards that your honey should adhere to. Common Name First, the “common” name of the product should be visible on the label—in this case, “honey” should be clearly visible. If the…
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Without bees, we would not have many of the vegetables and fruits we eat every day. Pollinators such as bees, birds, bats, beetles, and other small insects pollinate over 1,200 crops. Between $235 and $577 billion of annual global food production depends on the direct contributions of pollinators, and almost one out of every three…
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Like every living organism on Earth with several subspecies, there are many different types of honey bees, each with their own traits. Apis mellifera, the western honey bee or the European honey bee, is the most common honey bee in the world. Apis mellifera consists of several subspecies of honey bees that vary based on…
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Beekeeping is a complex occupation that requires extensive knowledge and skill. As a result, beekeepers put in a lot of time and effort to care for their bees, hives, and equipment. Bee insurance is an integral safeguard for beekeeping operations, protecting beekeepers and their hives from damage, product liability, and injury liability. Why should beekeepers…
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