Share the Buzz

©2012 Rodale Institute

Share the Buzz

Coach Mark SmallwoodExecutive Director, Rodale Institute

coach@rodaleinstitute.org610-683-1400

©2012 Rodale Institute

There is no AWAY.

Coach Mark Smallwood

©2012 Rodale Institute

Honeybee Facts

Bees are the only insects that produce food eaten by humans.

Honey is the only food that includes all the substances necessary to sustain life, including enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and water.

The average American eats about one pound of honey a year.

To make one pound of honey, worker bees have to fly 55,000 miles and tap two million flowers.

The honeybee's wings make about 200 beats per second, creating their infamous buzzing.

©2012 Rodale Institute

Cougle’s delivers

Precious Pollinators

More than 70 of the 100 crops that provide 90% of the world's food are pollinated by bees.

U.S. honeybees’ economic contribution has valued at nearly $15 billion.

Blueberries and cherries are 90-percent dependent on honeybee pollination.

Almonds depend entirely on the honeybee for pollination.

©2012 Rodale Institute

Precious Pollinators

Disappearing Colonies

The number of honeybee colonies in the U.S. has been steadily declining for the last seventy years.

1940s7.5 million colonies

Today2.5 million colonies

Photo © Colorado State University

©2012 Rodale Institute

Precious Pollinators

250,000,000,000

250 billion fewer honeybees today than in the 1940s

©2012 Rodale Institute

Prior to 2006…

In 2006, beekeepers began reporting unexplained losses of 30 to 90%of their hives.

Since then, winter colony losses have hovered around 30% each year.

This is three times more than what beekeepers consider “acceptable” winter losses.

Buzz Kill

CCD = Colony Collapse Disorder

(USDA ARS statistics)

©2012 Rodale Institute

Buzz Kill

The Usual Suspects

Pesticides

Pathogens

Parasites

Migratory life

Monoculture

GMOs

UFOs(unidentified pest or disease)

©2012 Rodale Institute

Buzz Kill

Researchers are no closer to identifying a definite cause,

much less a solution.

©2012 Rodale Institute

A Sweet Solution

The Honeybee Conservancy at Rodale Institute was started in 2012 in response to the major health problems that have

decimated the honeybee population in North America.

We believe that individual honeybee stewardsare one of the solutions to this problem.

©2012 Rodale Institute

A Sweet Solution

Classes in sustainable beekeeping practices Locally-bred bees from a very calm Italian line Hive hosting on our 333-acre organic farm Support for beginners through the network

©2012 Rodale Institute

A Sweet Solution

Award-winning instructor

Meme Thomas

Director of Baltimore Honey, is a member of the AFB-American Federation of Beekeepers, EAS-Eastern Apiculture Society, BUMBA Bowie Upper Marlboro Beekeepers Association, and HCBA - Howard County Beekeepers Association. Meme received the Maryland State Beekeepers Association 2010 George Imirie Award for excellence in beekeeping education.

©2012 Rodale Institute

A Sweet Solution

Humane Hive

Participants in our program receive a unique hive that class instructor Meme Thomas developed: Thomas Hybrid Hive (TH2). This hive is a combination of a top bar hive and the traditional Langstroth hive, proving a great habitat for the bees and easy access for honeybee stewards.

©2012 Rodale Institute

A Sweet Solution

Best for the Bees

Clean, natural comb

No smoke

No toxic chemicals

Preservation -vs- production

©2012 Rodale Institute

A Sweet Solution

Sharing a sip of water

Providing easily- accessible, clean,

fresh water at all times is essential to keeping

honeybees healthy.

©2012 Rodale Institute

A Sweet Solution

Males -vs- Females

The larger bee in the center is one of the

few male members of the colony. Male

drones have a larger body and squared-off rear-end. They have no stinger and their only job is to mate

with a queen. In the fall, they are kicked

out of the hive.

©2012 Rodale Institute

A Sweet Solution

Bowing to the Queen

The worker bees welcome the queen back to the hive following her

mating flight.

©2012 Rodale Institute

“Historical Native Americans, still clairvoyant, ‘saw’ that spiritual entity that governs the animal’s life instincts with complete wisdom. They called this spiritual being the ‘Great Bear’ or ‘Great Buffalo.’ We would suggest that when the ‘Great Bee’ experiences all these destructive forces, she withdraws from the physical entity. When the spiritual center of the colony is thus weakened, the individual bee flies out and does not come back…The Great Bee, which might also be called the group soul, cannot maintain the integrity of the colony.”

~ Gunther Hauk

©2012 Rodale Institute

What is our sacrifice?

©2012 Rodale Institute

Share the Buzz…

Rodale InstituteHoneybee Conservancy

The sweet rewards of humane hive-stewardship.

www.rodaleinstitute.org/honeybee-conservancy