NEWSLETTER #16 (English) from Urs & Izzy: More HONEY! (this time, summer)
- Izzy the busy bee....
- Aug 5, 2022
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 6, 2022
July & August 2022 (Issue #16)
We have Forest Honey! Let's celebrate! it is not every year that the bees can make forest honey. Remember what is the difference? We will tell it to you again here below. But, we have more subjects in this newsletter - did you know that bees can make a natural anti-oxidant with medical properties, that it is found nowhere else in the world, only in Honey & Propolis? You can also learn about the really strange physical properties of honey, that will make you look like a real geek on any friend's chat, and is a guaranteed conversation-killer.
We show you also what the Post in Zurich is doing for bees, and we hope that, in the future, for other little creatures
Are you enjoying the newsletter? Don't be shy, tell us at baerenhonig@gmx.ch , or whatsaupp us, if you prefer. We'd love to hear from you!
News from the Beehives
During these spring months, and against any odds, we have lost two colonies, because of 'Natural Selection'.
Of course, we keep an eye regularly on the colonies, and we noticed that these colonies (their names were Furry & Calm) swarmed during May.
Swarming is not a problem - it is just nature expanding! But it is a risk. Why? Because the new Princess will need to be fertilized by drones during their 'nuptial flight', return to the hive and start laying eggs (this process takes about a month from the time swarming occurs). And there is one chance in four that some of these activities go wrong, and the Princess never becomes a Queen.
That is, exactly, what happened. One month after the swarm, there were no eggs, and no brood on these 2 hives. Six weeks after the swarm, we realized that the bees were depleting the reserves, instead of bringing honey. Two months after the swarm, the population of bees had been halved, and we found evidence that one of the workers' bees was trying to lay eggs like a Queen -- this is impossible, as they are not fertile. So we had to 'dissolve' the colony (relocate the Queenless bees to other hives). Sad, but that's how Nature works, and we do not interfere with Mother Nature.
Where is my Honey...?
Your summer honey is ready! We harvested on the 29th of July - this is the 2nd and last harvest of the year. Remember that in cold climates, the beekeeper might get only one harvest per year (in Northern Scandinavia, for example), whereas in Africa, Honey is harvested every 3 months, yielding up to 4 harvests yearly. In Switzerland, two harvests (June and August) are usual.
So what's the difference between both honeys? The first one - colour! (See photos of our own honey - above, the spring harvest, below, the summer harvest).
Why is that? As you know, bees work as farmers in spring, and shepherd in summer - they move from collecting nectar to milking honeydew. And they are very good at both tasks!
Honeydew (or forest honey) is darker in colour, deeper and more complex in taste, as it contains a different mix of micro-nutrients. Whereas the composition of glucose and fructose is similar, forest honey contains more minerals. Forest honey appears also to be less sweet, because of its stronger taste, and is preferred by adults.
Forest honey pairs perfectly with strong cheeses and, if you are into cooking, gives a deeper and enriched taste to your meat marinades and bread dough!
Facts & Figures
There is one chemical that the bees produce, and that exists nowhere else - no other fruit, veggie or animal produces Pinocembrin.
Studies have shown that pinocembrin has potential as a drug to treat cerebral ischemia, intracerebral haemorrhage, neurodegenerative, cardiovascular diseases and atherosclerosis as well as other conditions.
Pinocembrin is a great molecule, it is a bio- flavanone, a biological very powerful antioxidant found in honey, and propolis.
In Swiss honeys, research studies show that pinocembrin is present in about 2 - 3 parts per million. Swiss propolis contains up to 10% of Pinocembrin. We use propolis tinctures (home made) for cold sores, skin infections, blisters and burns - it acts like magic! Do you use propolis?....
Did you know that...?
Following last bimonthly's hardcore physical explanation about honey, let's showcase how special honey is again. Liquids are categorized as 'Newtonian' (liquids which do not change viscosity with pressure and/or temperature), and 'non-Newtonian' (liquids which become more ore less viscous when the external conditions change, like, for example, ketchup, mayo or toothpaste).
Guess what. Honey can be BOTH Newtonian AND non-Newtonian - it depends on the nectar from which the type of honey is made of. How cool is that!?
(probably a physicist thinks it is very cool). But, WHY is this important? Well, it is not important for us, but very important for industrial production of honey; in large honey manufacturers, the honey is heated, spun, poured, extruded, filtered, pressed and pumped in order to pot and pack it, and it makes a big difference if the liquid becomes more dense, thick, or solid, as it can be a real headache for the engineers who design the machines! Honey is already a headache enough, as ALL honeys...coil when pouring! (like in the photo). That, you can prove it also at home :-) Get a pot of honey from us, and check it out by yourself!
Swiss Bees
During 2021, the Post office in Zurich (Mülligen) established 8 beehives on its rooftop, thanks to the initiative of an employee, and the support of the Zürich Bienenfreunde association. This year, the Postoffice contemplated to increase the number of colonies at the rooftop to 15. Bee-colony mortality during the winter of 2021/2022 in Switzerland was about 25%, due to the combined effect of varroa infestations and lack of quality honey reserves, which weakened the populations.
Feedback from some knowledgeable entities suggested fostering a more bio-diversity approach, and establishing on the rooftop green areas (raised flowerbeds, areas for wild berries), wild-bee hotels, or, as 'La Poste' did in Paris, creating structures and areas for encouraging birds to nest. Particularly, as (we wrote on our previous newsletter), Swiss researchers have shown that urban beekeeping is compromised in the large cities in Switzerland due to high density of bee population, and lack of enough green areas, which is impacting negatively on the survival of wild bees.
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