Honeybees:
· are the only insects to produce food for humans.
· account for 80% of all insect pollination.
· are directly responsible for pollination of 1/3 of all food crops we eat everyday.
· visit approx. 2 million blossoms to produce 1-lb. of honey, or about 55,000 miles.
· consume 8-lbs. of honey to make 1-lb. of beeswax.
· collect 66-lbs. of pollen/year/hive.
· hives contain between 40,000 to 60,000 bees.
· four wings flap 190 times/sec. giving her her buzz.
· fly 2 to 3 miles/flight and up to 7 miles for forage.
· fly about 500 miles in their lifetime.
· can recognize individual’s faces.
· survives the winter months by clustering for warmth maintaining between 85-93 degrees (F) in the center of the cluster (regardless of outside temperatures).
· are not native to the USA. Called ‘the white man’s fly’, they arrived 5-10 miles before a wagon train.
· are mentioned in every major belief systems including both the Bible and the Qur’an.
· are not aggressive by nature, and will not sting unless protecting their hive from an intruder or are unduly provoked.
Honey:
· is 25% sweeter than sugar and is easier to digest.
· and propolis provide effective antibacterial/antifungal properties.
· found in King Tut’s tomb was still edible.
· is the only food source that does not spoil.
Other Facts:
· Royal Jelly turns a larva into the Queen Bee.
· Beekeeping was well established in Egypt by 2400 BC as depicted on 5th dynasty temple reliefs.
· The oldest honeybee specimen is over 100 million years old. Man evolved only 3 million years ago.