Honey bees have been playing an important role in the course of human history for many years. The first recorded appearance of honey bees was about 130 million years ago on the Gondwana super continent made up of present-day Africa, India, South America, Australia and Antarctica. The present day European honey bee came into existence about 2.5 million years ago in Europe and Africa. Since that time, people have been interacting with honey bees and making use of their gifts/abilities. Rock art shows that many civilizations had already mastered beekeeping skills by 400 A.D.
Since European honey bees were not native to the western hemisphere, European settlers introduced them to North America in the 17th century. This introduction of the European honey bee gave birth to the apiculture industry of today. It wasn't until the 19th century, however, that the introduction of the removable frame hive, smoker, comb foundation maker, and honey extracting machinery helped turn the apiculture industry into a commercial success.
Bees are very important to human society. They not only help our plants grow and enable them to produce food, but they also provide a natural remedy for treating problems such as arthritis and burns. Exposure to bee stings has been said to treat arthritis, multiple sclerosis, high blood pressure, asthma, hearing loss, and even PMS. The venom found in bee stings contains adolapin, a substance that has anti-inflammatory and pain-reducing properties. Although bee sting therapy might not work for everybody, especially those who are allergic to bee stings, it has been proven to be an effective natural alternative to prescription drugs.
Honey bees are also responsible for providing us with honey and beeswax to make many edible and decorative products. Products such as candles, honey, and alcoholic beverages such as mead are made with the help of bees. But there is something that can prevent bees from producing these products: Colony Collapse Disorder, or CCD, has plagued bee colonies around the world. This mysterious disorder, which nobody knows the main cause, plagues bee colonies and renders them helpless to provide honey or pollination services for our society. During the time that I have been a beekeeper, I have noticed a few things that have caused our colonies to "collapse." Mite infestations have caused our bees to develop wing deformations, which made it impossible for our bees to fly and leave the hive to collect pollen. Exposure to new medicine treatments killed 30% of our colonies one season. The new medicine proved to be too strong for our bees and they died. Exposure to pesticides has also been proven to cause CCD. The takeaway message that this project is trying to send is to spread awareness of CCD to the public. With a general idea of what can cause CCD, the public can help beekeepers out by spreading the word and doing their part to keep honey bees healthy. Farmers can help by eliminating the use of pesticides or herbicides around fields where bee hives are close by. So, the next time you see a honey bee, think about how much this tiny insect can do not only for you but for society.