33,000 hours to make 1lb of beeswax B

ees pollinate a third of the world’s plant food sources as well as many

animal fodder crops such as maize and alfalfa.

They are a vital link in the food chain for animals and humans, says the British Beekeepers’ Association. Around 70 crops in the UK depend on bees for successful pollination, the most widespread being oilseed rape.

The value of this pollination activity to the UK economy is estimated at around £200 million.

Bees produce many products of value. They include honey, beeswax, and propolis, says Joel Loveridge, of the University of Bristol’s School of Chemistry. These are used in nutrition, medicine and manufacturing.

Propolis is a sticky resin gathered by bees from leaf buds, the bark of trees and other botanical sources. Bees metabolise it and use it to seal, disinfect and protect their hives. But in the outside world it is used in a huge range of beauty products and medical ointments and tinctures to improve healing of sores and many other conditions.

It has not been widely researched by the world of science, but as a natural healing agent it has been used for thousands of years.

Even the venom contained in bee stings is useful, says Loveridge, mainly in desensitisation of people who suffer sting allergies. It is also used in analgesic injections for certain types of arthritis and neuralgia. The active ingredient,

14 August 2015

Bees pollinate a third of the world’s plant food sources as well as many animal fodder crops such as maize and alfalfa.

mellitin, is being investigated as an anti-cancer agent.

Honey has been recommended for use by diabetics, both to aid weight loss and to lower cardiovascular risk factors, according to a study reported in the Scientific World Journal in 2008.

Honey contains powerful antioxidant properties. They are described by Oscar Tellechen, M.D., of the Dermatology Service, University of Coimbra in Portugal, as more useful in treating some infections and wounds than standard treatments. These include leg sores suffered by diabetics. Burns victims, too, benefit from direct applications of honey. It reduces inflammation, allows quicker healing with less scarring and with less pain.

Manuka honey, produced only in New Zealand, is marketed as a surgical commodity for use on surgical wounds to prevent infection and promote healing. Research from the Central Public Health Laboratory in London indicates that anti- bacterials in honey are effective against antibiotic-resistant superbugs such as MRSA.

Beeswax, which bees secrete from glands, has many industrial uses. Oſten an ingredient in cosmetics, beeswax is also used for cheese coverings, polishes, inks and even in the production of dental models.

For each 1lb (500g) of beeswax produced, bees must put in around 33,000 bee hours of work, consuming 6-10 lbs honey to provide sufficient energy for this task.

Royal jelly, oſten called the ‘perfect food’ by its supporters, including the late queen of romantic fiction, Dame Barbara Cartland, is a milky solution produced by nurse bees in the hive.

It is the sole food taken by the queen bee, who markedly outlives the rest of the colony population. It is popular as a food supplement to relieve symptoms of fatigue, menopause and ageing, while also being included in skincare preparations.

SAVE the BEES