Bees Rule the World
To say busy as a bee is almost a disserve to bees. They aren’t just busy. They are ruling the world. I bet you didn’t know that a bee has to collect nectar from about two million flowers to make one pound of honey, or that ONE out of every THREE bites of food you eat is there because of pollinators?
Science you need to know: Pollinators are insects and animals that collect pollen from the male part of a flower to transfer to the female part of the same or another flower to fertilize the plant to produce fruits, seeds, and more young plants. Yes, the bees are getting busy. Some plants are self-pollinating, while others benefit from wind or water. Other pollinators are bees, wasps, moths, butterflies, birds, flies and small mammals, and even bats. Whew!
While the paparazzi are snapping pictures of pretty butterflies, the humble bee is actually contributing so much more to the world.
While bees are having their way with flowers, they are contributing to the expansion of food crops and plants which stabilize our soils, clean our air, supply oxygen and support wildlife. Florida is a very important to bees. Our climate and plant diversity is a tourist destination for bees from other states; in fact, California beekeepers actually fly their bees to Florida for Bee Spring Break where they fatten up on the good stuff to then take home to have their way with almonds. This creates an economic boon for both states, but the bees don’t care about that. I wonder if there are videos of Bees Gone Wild. What we all want to be are Queen Bees. She is the Mother of all Bees and there can only be one — so move aside Beyonce.
We happen to have a local family that raises bees that feed on a wide variety of fruit trees which then infuse the honey with the flavor of the fruit. They harvest the honey, make products out of it, and sell it online and on-site. They treat all of their bees like queens. No pesticides are used on their property and the bees are handled with the utmost care and respect.
In addition to their home apiary, their bees may fly to mango groves in Merritt Island, south Melbourne Beach among the native mangroves, or deep in pine-woodlands feasting on saw palmettos.
I bet you didn’t know that honey can replace sugar in any recipe. A good rule of thumb is to use 3/4 cup of honey for every one cup of sugar (honey to sugar calculator).
Leo, Kristen, their kids, and dogs are the family behind LKC Honey. They’re busy as bees, but you can call them to learn more about beekeeping. If you’re a group, Kristin offers a fascinating presentation, including bees!
LKC Honey | lkchoney@gmail.com | (772) 342-4451 | @lkchoney on FB and Instagram
