We all know that bees produce honey and that honey has many different uses. But did you also know that bees produce five different substances? Each with their own medicinal properties or practical applications? A beekeeper can produce honey, propolis, pollen, royal jelly and beeswax through his bees.
The honey bee: a hard worker!
Bees live in colonies, they can consist of up to 15,000 worker bees and a queen. It is determined before birth who will become queen. This larvae receives food with a different composition than the other larvae. There is only one queen in the entire colony and each worker bee visits her daily. The young bees mainly work in the beehive. They feed the larvae, process honey and beeswax and protect the hive from diseases and invaders. After about three weeks the bee flies out and starts looking for nectar and pollen. Bees have a lifespan of six weeks to six months, depending on the season in which they are born.
Honey
Honey is by far the most well-known product that comes from bees. It is used for its sweet taste, as a cosmetic or for its natural medicinal properties.
production
Bees are smart creatures. From birth, each bee has its own task. Some of the bees fly out to collect nectar from flowers and plants. This nectar is collected in the beehive where other bees process the nectar into honey. They do this by chewing and regurgitating the nectar repeatedly. The honey is then stored in the honeycombs. This honey is stored as reserve food for the bees during the cold winter months. The beekeeper removes this honey from the honeycombs and gives the bees a sugar solution so that they have nutrition during the winter. The honey is then poured cold.
Characteristics
- Healthy sweetener (sugar substitute)
- Antibacterial
- Disinfectant
- Helps with respiratory infections
- Firming and soothing effect on the skin
Application
Real beekeeper honey is usually a lot more expensive than honey from the supermarket. The big difference is that the bee honey is not heated during production, so that all useful substances remain present. A tip when using honey: use real bee honey for cold preparations, use honey from the supermarket for hot preparations.
Honey has a good effect on the skin, which is why it is very suitable for making natural cosmetics. Mix honey with sugar and you have a great scrub for silky soft legs. Mix honey with yogurt and you have a hydrating and firming facial mask.
Propolis
production
Propolis is made from tree resin. It is a sticky paste that bees use to protect their hive against external diseases. The beekeeper scratches the propolis from the beehive, but he is not allowed to remove everything because the bees must remain protected. The propolis is then mixed with other substances to make it slightly more fluid.
Characteristics
- Natural antibiotic
- Excellent cough remedy
- Helps with mold
- Antioxidant
- Healing effect on wounds
Application
You can buy propolis at the beekeeper for about five euros per bottle. A bottle of propolis lasts for a year in the refrigerator. Do you suffer from a cough, sore throat or the onset of a cold? Then try taking a spoonful of propolis twice a day. You will feel better soon.
Pollen
production
Bees collect pollen with their feet. In this way they help pollinate flowers and plants. But they also take the pollen to the beehive. A beekeeper can place a container at the entrance of that hive that collects the pollen. Pollen is sold as a dry, sticky powder.
Characteristics
- Stimulates intestinal function
- Beneficial influence on breathing
- Good for skin, hair and nails
- Ensures that blood is quickly converted into glycogen (top sport)
Application
Pollen, also called pollen, can be spread by insects, but also by the wind. The latter can cause hay fever in many people. And yet it is just pollen that is used to prevent this. The principle is similar to, for example, a flu vaccine. The body receives a small amount of the substance and builds up resistance and antibodies. A few months before the hay fever season, a spoonful of pollen should be taken every day. This is delicious in yogurt or on a sandwich with honey. When the hay fever season starts, the body should already have built up sufficient resistance and allergic reactions will not occur.
Royal jelly
production
The bees make royal jelly as food for a select number of larvae so that they can grow into ‘queens’. Bees fed on this substance can live up to forty times longer than normal worker bees. The beekeeper removes this paste from the honeycombs in which these larvae are located. It is an expensive product because it is only produced to a small extent by the bees. In a year, the beekeeper can remove a maximum of 1 kg of royal jelly from his beehive and this only if the beehive is adapted to collecting royal jelly. The cost of 1 kg can be up to 900
Characteristics
- Stimulates memory
- Provides an energy boost
- Helps with fatigue
- Rejuvenating properties
- Increases fertility
- Strengthens the immune system
Application
Royal jelly should not be taken every day. It is best to follow a treatment of a maximum of three weeks. Top athletes often take royal jelly to quickly increase their energy and muscle strength naturally. Students can also benefit from royal jelly, especially during the exam period. It is advisable to start with the royal jelly a week in advance. A royal jelly treatment is often prescribed during rehabilitation from an accident or during recovery from a serious illness.
Beeswax
production
Beeswax is made from honey. The bees convert this honey into beeswax to use as a basis for their honeycombs. Beeswax cannot be eaten. It is an extra product that bees produce, but we can make different things with it.
Characteristics
- Lip balm
- Soap
- Candles
Application
Beeswax candles are a completely natural product and therefore also have some healing properties. The candles are said to have a good effect on breathing and to provide relief for people with respiratory problems. The beeswax candle spreads a subtle, sweet natural perfume. However, the candle also absorbs every other odor in the house, both pleasant and unpleasant odors. It is therefore best to burn beeswax candles alone and not in combination with scented candles. Beeswax candles also burn longer than paraffin candles, they do not emit smoke, they are more expensive to purchase and more difficult to light.
Honey bees are very useful animals. They give us many gifts for our health and beauty. It is important that we respect these animals because their numbers are decreasing every year.
