#Hive defender back pro

Another term “social immunity” describes how individual behaviors of each bee in the colony helps to inhibit the spread of disease and parasites. I like to use the term “behavioral immunity” to describe bee behaviors that protect the colony and help the hives create a valuable immunity to dangerous pathogens in their environment. Bees use propolis to seal and protect their hive.īehavioral Immunity: How do the bees use propolis? If you are observant, you can see the shiny propolis coming in on the legs of the bees in the spring.īees in a hollow of a cottonwood tree. There is a lot of research about the health benefits of propolis on the web. The bees process the tree resin in their mouths and then, almost magically the tree resin is concentrated into an array of least 180 different compounds which have been identified so far.

The tree resin is not used in the hive in it's original form when collected by the bees. Here is my propolis collection and buds from the cottonwood trees which the bees collect the tree resin from. Propolis varies greatly in it's properties and composition based on the variety of deciduous trees the bees are collecting it from and this variety also effects the color of the propolis. The bees collect this substance from the tree buds and use it in their hives. These tender buds are protected with this resin coating which is anti-bacterial and anti-microbial. As far as our grandfathers not passing along bee knowledge to the next generation, most likely this had to do with the advent of industrialized beekeeping that brought in the era of cheap honey.ĭeciduous trees excrete a waxy resin which coats their newly formed buds in the spring. Why did our grandfathers stop keeping bees? Historical records suggest the use of propolis dates back to the ancient Egyptians, Romans, Greek and Jews. There is a gap in the stream of bee wisdom. How are they to know? This knowledge is not being passed down from generation to generation as in the past. When I travel around helping people with their hives, I find many people do not know they can collect propolis as they work their hive.

Propolis is an amazing and important substance for the health of the hive.

For the bees, propolis is their most valuable resource, enabling them to defend the hive from all types of invaders. These structures enabled the people to work and play without fear from invaders. Protective structures like gates, moats or walls, protected the villages or the cities by keeping the populace safe.

#Hive defender back pro

Interestingly the name Propolis, Pro = before + Polis = city, which from Greek translates to “before the city”. Aristotle had detailed writings about the bees use of Propolis and called it “the Defender of the city”. They also noticed when fall came, the bees would slowly close up their entrance, until finally in the winter, all but a few small holes, just the size of a single bee remained. These early observers of nature witnessed the bees using a bright, yellow and orange substance to form a protective entrance to their city. 'Before the City' - When early civilizations observed a bee hive they must have seen the hive as a “city” of productive inhabitants. What do Black Bees and Propolis have in common ?

After the First Cold Snap - A Bee Guardian's Fears of Loosing Beesīees add propolis to their hive entrance to winterize and defend from robber bees.

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