Bumblebee honey: does it really exist and how to choose?
Few people know that bumblebees also collect nectar, they make extremely small reserves, honey is needed only to feed the larvae. At the same time, bumblebee honey has many useful qualities. The price of such honey is high, because it is not found in nature as often as bee honey. Some beekeepers specialize in bumblebee honey, and their products can be found online.
The benefits of bumblebees
These insects are useful for the development of gardening. Let's see what their benefits are:
- contribute to effective pollination of almost all plant species;
- the features of the anatomical structure of the bumblebee are that the long proboscis of the insect makes it possible to reach the most remote corners in plants;
- The hind legs of the bumblebee are designed in such a way that they provide the ability to carry pollen.
These creatures are very hardy, not afraid of temperature changes; able to live even in cold latitudes, and "work" even at temperatures close to frost. No other insect can be said to do the same; they produce bactericidal enzymes that destroy pathogens, which contributes to additional plant protection. On average, these creatures cultivate five times the area than the average bee can do.
Bumblebees are smarter and have excellent eyesight, they perfectly find a way out of a room with an open window, which cannot be said about bees. These creatures are quite good-natured, bite extremely rarely; if you stir up the hive, then they will certainly become aggressive.Bumblebees are not collectivists, they do not attack the enemy in a cloud, like bees. The sting of a bumblebee has no notches, so it does not remain in the body.
Useful properties of the product
Honey created by bumblebees is a unique product, which has its own characteristics:
- looks like liquid jam;
- has a low density;
- has a varied pollen collection.
Such honey is more saturated with all kinds of minerals and amino acids (more than twice). In large quantities there are such substances:
- carbohydrates;
- proteins;
- metals.
It is recommended to store the product at a temperature of 0 to +3 degrees, if it is higher, the honey will begin to oxidize.
The number of kilocalories in bumblebee honey:
- 1 teaspoon (12 g) - 38.7 kcal;
- 1 tablespoon (30 g) - 96.3 kcal;
- 100 g - 324 kcal;
- a glass (360 g) - 1166 kcal;
- a cup (380 g) - 1231 kcal.
Honey is very useful, effectively helps to cure various ailments:
- asthma and bronchitis;
- diseases of the digestive system;
- liver disease;
- diseases of the genitourinary system.
This product can cause allergies, so this fact should be taken into account.
If the blood sugar level is above average, then it is better not to use this product. In general, bumblebee honey is a nutritious product with a lot of useful properties.
How do they live in nature?
Bumblebees live one season during the warm season.
Bumblebee honeycombs can be located in a hollow or under the roof of an old barn. The main condition: the place must be isolated, for the normal development of bumblebees, a stable temperature is required.
After choosing a place, the uterus begins to deal with issues of procreation. She lays eggs in containers, fills them with pollen and nectar. This process lasts non-stop: the pupae mature, then a bumblebee is formed from the pupa, during this time the uterus continues to lay eggs.
Honeycombs have an unconventional shape (similar to closed jars and more capacious). In order for bumblebees to take root, beekeepers make special dwellings, which significantly increases the yield of plants.
artificial breeding
The main difference between bees and bumblebees is that they are collectors of pollen and nectar; for this, bumblebees have special notches on their hind legs. Bumblebees are tireless and extremely productive. One bumblebee per day can "spud" more than one thousand plants. Bumblebees "work" even in inclement weather. The cooling and thermoregulation system of the bumblebee is unique, its body always maintains a temperature of + 40 degrees.
A kilogram of bumblebee honey costs more than five thousand rubles. When buying such honey, it is recommended to pay attention to quality certificates, as there are many fakes on the market.
It happens that farmers even put bumblebees in greenhouses. These creatures are able to perfectly navigate at any time of the day, they will always find a way out of the room where there is a half-open window. It is difficult to think of a better plant pollinator than a bumblebee.
Bumblebees can be bred artificially, for this special hives are built, in which the lid is removed. It is not difficult to make such bumblebee "apartments". The thickness of the board is two centimeters.
Nucleus:
- width 14.2 cm;
- length 20 cm;
- height 15.1 cm.
Inside, the bumblebee object has a volume of 15.5 cm, the notch is made with a diameter of 1.6 cm.
The letok is specially covered with black color so that female bumblebees fly in. The floor is covered with a layer of sawdust of the order of 3 cm. Old nests of mice, which are collected in the fields, are placed on top of the sawdust. These nests are free from parasites and are warm.
Wax moth often annoys insects. After the bumblebees have populated the hive, a couple of anti-moth tablets are placed on the lid.
To protect bumblebee nests from moths, a bumblebee deflector is placed, which is shaped like a tube. The design of the device is simple and effective. To protect bumblebees from ants and voles, pegs are driven into the ground (50 cm high), on which a sheet of plywood is placed, it is covered with PVC film, it must be extended eight centimeters beyond the limits, the hives are fixed with tape or twine.
At the end of summer, the females burrow into the ground, fall into hibernation. With the onset of frost, they are collected and placed in the refrigerator, where the temperature is not below zero. In spring, hibernation in females ends, they are released into the wild to fly around the hives. Such operations make it possible to successfully populate the "premises" prepared for bumblebees. Bumblebees pollinate various crops well, several times more efficiently than bees.
Bumblebees are polytrophs that are universal in terms of pollination. Bumblebees are very beautiful creatures and extremely good-natured, unlike bees. More than 15 species of these unique creatures are listed in the Red Book.
For more information about bumblebees, see the video below.