The Thing About Bees: Why Are They Important?

Becca
Nov 13, 2023
3 min read

A lot of people take bees for granted. Sure there are many other pollinators out there, but bees do more than just pollinate our flowers. Bees themselves produce six products that are used around the world.

a bee sits on a piece of wood — Honestly look at this little baby. So cute.

Bee Byproducts

Honey

This one everybody is aware of. It has a crazy shelf-life. They've found usable honey in the pyramids! Honey is used by itself as a food, for canning and preserving (instead of regular sugar), and for health and beauty.

It is naturally antibacterial and helps to heal various wounds.

"Honey promotes healing in a variety of ways. The high sugar and low moisture levels create an osmotic effect, drawing liquid out of anything that comes into contact with it. If this is a bacterium, it is desiccated and dies. The same hygroscopic effect (ability to absorb and hold moisture) means that excess fluids are drawn from the wound site, which helps to reduce edema (build up of fluid in tissues) and inflammation. Added to this, honey is acidic, which creates an inhospitable environment for bacteria. Finally, honey is a source of hydrogen peroxide, which is a well-known antiseptic. Dilute the honey (by moisture from a wound, for instance) and the enzyme kicks in again, giving the antibacterial activity in the honey a boost. The honey carries on working efficiently, even though the hydrogen peroxide is much less concentrated than a standard 3 percent antiseptic solution. The honey is gentler and will not harm tissues." Excerpt from The Book of Honey. See the bottom for link.

Honey is also good for use as a cough suppressant, for allergies, to regulate cholesterol levels and helps fight acne when used externally.

Pollen

Often used as a nutritional supplement, bee pollen is incredibly rich in antioxidants. It can be added to smoothies, desserts or even eaten plain Bee pollen was used in ancient times to increase energy and treat many ailments. Russian researchers are also finding that it is effective in treating depression.

Propolis

You may or may not have heard of Propolis, it is also called Bee Glue. Like honey and pollen, it has many uses in healing. Bees use it as a sealant and actually construct the hives out of it. It contains pinocembrin (it comes from the pine sap that the bees collect for the stickiness) that has been found to be an anti-fungal. Please note that there are not a whole lot of studies about the use of propolis in health care settings. Talk to your doctor first and ABSOLUTELY do not use if you have a blood disorder as it may cause excess bleeding.

Royal Jelly

Royal Jelly is actually what worker bees feed their queen to increase her egg-laying and help the eggs to develop faster and healthier. It has more nutrients than regular honey. It's also way more expensive than regular honey as well. After all it is really only made for the Queen.

Beeswax

Probably the most used bee byproduct of them all. Beeswax is used in so many products. The most obvious to most are candles. But beeswax is used in much more. It is a favorite for use in treating and caring for leathers and wood.

Did you know that beeswax was found in a 6500+ year old tooth to fill a cavity? Super cool. It was also used in nail polish (China 2500 BC) and in hair care products as well as paint products. (Ancient Egypt)

It's been used to seal and waterproof documents, pots, and clothing, as well as in casting statues and jewelry!

Nowadays it is used to season cast iron, keep brass shiny, soften skin and hair, coat surfboards and make crayons! There are even more uses than that but seriously, it's a bigger part of our lives than you think.

Venom

You're probably thinking, "Bee venom? What the heck is that used for?" Allow me to explain. You may already know that it is possible to treat allergies with immunotherapy, it is the same with bee stings. Bee venom is collected and used in smaller doses to allow the body to build up a defense against bee sting allergies. Some people also use it to treat osteoarthritis and Parkinsons. These uses however are not proven. Early research has shown them to sometimes be effective but the dosage hasn't been fully decided.

Importance of Bees

Now for the statistics! 85% of plants exist because of bees and 100 types of crops across America rely on bees. Without bees, the grasses used to feed the cows we use for meat, dairy, and other uses would be gone and we'd lose much more than bees.

Why are bees disappearing?

Despite knowing the importance of bees, they are still disappearing at an alarming rate.

Causes include:

Colony Collapse disorder (which scientists are still finding a cure for)

Insecticides and pesticides (contain Neonicotinoids, which disorient the bees and cause weakened immune systems and change of their smell so they would not be permitted back into their home)

Loss of habitat (America's wildflower meadows have nearly all but disappeared)

Radiation (everyone heard the backlash of the 5G towers right? Well radiation may actually play a factor. Atmospheric electromagnetic radiation has increased with the use of cell-phones interfering with the earth's natural electromagnetic field and may indeed make it harder for bees to navigate. Further research is necessary though)

Varroa Mites (the worst parasite of the bee world. If not treated, they can destroy whole colonies rather quickly)

two bees drinking water from a small puddle — There are many causes for the decline of the bee population.

How can I help the bees?

I'm not saying you should start beekeeping, though it is always a good idea. There are other things everyone can do to help the bees.

Do not purchase plants that have been treated with neonicotinoids. Always read the labels and do your research on the company before purchasing. Be sure to also use pollinator friendly pest control. This can include beneficial insects as well as certain brands of insecticides.
Don't panic when you see them. you pheromones confuse them. They absolutely will not sting you unless provoked as it is a death sentence. Also don't kill them.
Buy local honey from a farmers market. This supports the beekeepers efforts in keeping the bees alive and the local honey will help reduce your seasonal allergies.
Don't clear out dead stalks and leaves from your garden. Bees and other beneficial insects hibernate in these during the winter. Leave the leaves until after the last frost.
Plant a bee friendly garden! (Keep an eye out for next weeks post for more info!)
If you see a slow moving bee on the ground, don't step on her to put her "out of her misery". She's simply sluggish because she's hungry. Mix a small amount of sugar and water in a spoon and give her a treat. She'll be up and at 'em in no time.
Give bees water. You can use a shallow dish with some rocks as landing pads. don't worry if the water looks dirty. Bees don't care.

If you do decide to become a beekeeper (which is a dream of mine) please do your research so you can best care for them.

Most importantly: Do not avoid honey and other bee byproducts in favor of "vegan" friendly options. Your vegan options like agave nectar are actually detrimental to the environment. Agave is more difficult to harvest and available in lesser quantities. Using bee byproducts is actually good for bees! Harvest of them does not harm the bees. I repeat, THE HARVEST OF BEE BYPRODUCTS DOES NOT HARM THE BEES. Beekeepers never take more honey than necessary as it would kill the bees and bankrupt them, it would be incredibly stupid to take all of it at once. Instead only the excess of each byproduct is taken to clean out the hive and allow the bees to continue having healthy airflow and more space to grow the colony. By purchasing honey and beeswax you are helping them. And saving the habitats of the agave plants in the process.