Importance Of Honey Bees For Sustaining Life On Earth

Importance Of Honey Bees For Sustaining Life On Earth

Honey bees visit flowers of plants and collect nectar and pollen from them. Nectar is collected by bees from the nectaries, which are the glands, located within the flower or on other portions of the plant (extra- floral nectarines). Bees sometimes collect ‘honey dew’, a sugary secretion of certain insects which feed on plant sap. Honey produced from honey dew is dark, strong tasting and of inferior quality.

Pollen, which is the male reproductive cell bodies produced by anthers of flowers, is collected and used by honey bees as their source of protein. In this process bees serve as agents, who bring the male (pollen) and female (stigma) parts of flower together, thus promoting the fertilization in plants, which is known as pollination.

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Bee place the nectar and pollen in the cells (small hexagonal divisions) of the honey comb made of wax, ripen it to turn it into honey and seal it for storage and future use as food. Bees use honey as the main source of energy food.

Honey bees are the primary source of pollination for approximately one-fourth of all crops produced all over the world. Examples of fruit crops that rely on honey bees are almonds, apples, apricots, avocados, blackberries, blueberries, cantaloupes, cherries, cranberries, pears, raspberries, strawberries and watermelons.

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The seeds of many vegetables are also produced with honeybee pollination; examples include alfalfa, asparagus, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrot, clover, cotton, cucumber, onion, radish, squash, sweet clover and turnip.

Who can raise honey bees?

Anyone who has undergone education and training in rearing and management of beekeeping can do beekeeping. Beekeeping can be a good source of income for anyone, including farmers, house – makers, retired persons, unemployed persons, girls, women, differently-abled persons and even students.

There are three types of beekeeper:

1. Commercial beekeepers: People who are doing beekeeping for production and sale of honey on a commercial scale.

2. Sideliner: People who are doing beekeeping as a side business.

3. Hobbyists: People who have taken up beekeeping as a hobby.

Think a while, which group you belong to? Whatever be, be sincere and commited to your training to learn and earn both.

More Guidelines Visit: How To Raise Honey Bees

Resources:

Os Beehives

WWF

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