Where would we be without bees?
Far worse off, that’s for sure. We wouldn’t have the fruits we need to eat a full and healthy diet. Countless plant and flower species would struggle to bloom. Even now we’re seeing the impact that a dip in the honeybee population can cause, causing many to wonder just where we’ll be in the next decade. This is where the bee hive smoker comes into play. More people than ever are learning about beekeeping for beginners to work alongside these miraculous creatures and instill some of the goodness that’s being lost in the dying population.
Fun Facts About Bees
What do you know about bees? Likely their incredible flight speeds and painful stinger when they’re irritated. Honey bees are able to fly up to 15 miles per hour and come from complex societies with hierarchies that are still being studied to this day. Workers and drones work tirelessly to gather pollen, take care of children and look after a queen that gives birth to nearly all the bees within the hive! Bees communicate by dancing to talk about good flower spots or their desire for food.
The Growth Of The Honey Industry
Where does honey come into the picture? This delicious addition to any cup of tea or bowl of oatmeal takes a lot of hard work to cultivate. To make a single pound of honey a honey bee has to fly up to 90,000 miles. That’s three times around the globe! The average honey bee will produce one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey within their lifetime and all this effort can come at a cost. Beekeeping hives are necessary to cultivate enough honey to satisfy a hungry industry without putting too much stress on the bees we need to live.
Basic Beekeeping Equipment
What basic beekeeping equipment should a budding keeper look into? A bee hive smoker is an essential for a few different reasons. The most notable is to calm down the bees. They become understandably agitated when their home is invaded and smoke is known for its soothing properties. This also keeps bees from hurting themselves trying to defend the hive, leaving them relaxed and ready to carry on once you’re done.
Additional Beekeeping Tools
What other beekeeping equipment should you know about? Alongside your bee hive smoker you should have beekeeping gloves on standby at all times. Bee stings hurt quite a bit, as you likely already know, and beekeeping tools are designed to be comfortable and durable. A beekeeper hat will keep both the shade and stray insects out of your eyes, matching well with beekeeping shoes and all the jars you’ll need to start spooning this delectable creation.
The Future Of Bees
The average American will consume a pound of honey per year. Today North Dakota leads the way in honey production with an astonishing 30 million pounds of honey produced. Back in 2006 the retail price of honey nearly doubled to keep up with demand and this doesn’t look like it’ll change anytime soon. That doesn’t mean investing in a bee hive smoker or beekeeping kit isn’t in the cards. Bees pollinate more than $15 million every year in crops and there were over two and a half million honeybee colonies recorded just a few years back.
Bees are some of our closest friends. Let’s take good care of them.