During the first week of July in Quebec, the bees in the hive are busy with various tasks. Here are some activities that bees typically engage in during this time: 1. Foraging: Bees leave the hive to collect nectar and pollen from flowers. They play a vital role in pollination and gather food for the colony. 2. Honey production: Bees convert the collected nectar into honey through a process of regurgitation and evaporation. They store the honey in honeycomb cells for future use. 3. Nurse bees: Some bees within the hive take on the role of nursing the brood. They feed the larvae with a mixture of pollen and nectar called "bee bread" and ensure the overall well-being of the developing bees. The role of nurse bees in the hive is crucial for the survival and development of the colony. Here are the main responsibilities of nurse bees: 1. Feeding the brood: Nurse bees are responsible for feeding the developing brood. They produce a special substance called "bee bread" by mixing pollen and nectar. This nutrient-rich bee bread is fed to the larvae, ensuring their proper growth and development. 2. Cleaning and grooming: Nurse bees maintain a clean and hygienic environment inside the hive. They remove waste and debris, clean the cells, and groom the adult bees to keep them free from parasites and pathogens. 3. Temperature regulation: Nurse bees play a role in regulating the temperature inside the hive. They use their bodies to generate heat or fan their wings to cool down the hive, ensuring that the brood and other bees are kept at an optimal temperature for their well-being. 4. Hive maintenance: Nurse bees assist in building and maintaining the honeycomb structure. They produce wax from specialized glands on their abdomen and use it to construct and repair the honeycomb cells. 5. Queen care: Nurse bees attend to the queen bee's needs. They feed her and ensure her comfort, as the queen is vital for the colony's reproduction and stability. Nurse bees are essential for the overall health and growth of the hive. Their dedicated care and attention contribute to the successful development of the brood and the overall success of the colony. 4. Hive maintenance: Bees work together to maintain the hive by cleaning and repairing the combs, removing debris, and regulating the temperature and humidity. 5. Queen's activities: The queen bee lays eggs to replenish the colony. During this time, she can lay up to 1,500 eggs per day. These activities contribute to the overall growth and sustainability of the bee colony.

Honey crystallization isn’t a bad thing. Honey contains more sugar than water, so over time, these sugars begin to separate and crystallize. This is a sign of a raw, pure, less adulterated honey product. Crystallization is somewhat preventable and reversible. Other than crunchy bits in your honey, the only real downside to crystallization is what can come next: fermentation. Fermented honey can change its flavours. So, you want to liquefy it before this point. “Honey crystallization or granulation is a natural phenomenon by which honey turns from a liquid (runny) state to a semi-solid state. Beekeepers refer to this as set honey.” Crystallization of honey “Set honey” That sounds a little final, doesn’t it? Honey crystallization (or granulation) can sometimes be seen as a bad thing. But it’s a perfectly natural process and often signals an authentic, unadulterated product. And it certainly doesn’t mean you have to throw your jar away. But you do need to liquify your honey before it ferments. Once that process starts, it’s a different story. So what happens when honey crystallizes? How do you stop honey from crystallizing? And can you reverse the process? That’s what we’ll explore here. In this guide to honey crystallization: ·         Why does honey crystallize? ·         Things that make honey crystallize ·         Does honey go bad when it crystallizes? ·         How to keep honey from crystallizing at home ·         How to liquefy honey ·         How many times you can liquify honey ·         Where to buy the real stuff  ·         Crystallized honey FAQs ·         Why Does Raw Honey Crystallize? ·         So, what causes honey to crystallize? ·         Honey is made primarily from sugar (glucose and fructose) and water. It contains more sugar than water, and there isn’t enough water content to keep the sugar dissolved. ·         So, over time, it can begin to separate and form honey crystals¹. ·         These honey crystals continue forming until all the sugar in the water is crystallized. ·         Whilst every honey has a slightly different chemical composition, here’s an idea of the elements and their rough proportions:   Things That Make Honey Crystallize “Each variety of honey crystallizes differently. Some of them never crystallize, some crystallize very slow, some very quickly, some have fine crystals and some have bigger crystal grains.” • Rheology and crystallization kinetics of honey. Raw honey tends to crystallize more than factory-produced or processed honey. Why? It’s all to do with chemical composition and how this has been altered, or changes over time.   Let’s look first at pure, raw, unprocessed honey. Scientists have tried to predict crystallization behaviour with limited results. Even a difference in moisture content of just 1% can impact honey crystallization¹. The key factors that can impact the crystallization process of raw honey: • Its botanical origin. Some honeys never crystallize, some crystallize quickly. • Its water content. This can range between 13 and 29%². • Its storage temperature. Honey stored at 20°C (68°F) typically produces coarser crystals than honey kept at -20°C (-4°F). Finer crystals typically taste better. • Impurities in the honey. These could include pollen grains and beeswax particles which have been known to influence crystallization. This is also why crystallization can be the sign of a purer, raw, less adulterated product. If these things are still present, the honey is probably less processed. The more a honey has been processed, the less good stuff is likely to be left over. Many of the cheaper honeys you find on grocery store shelves have been heavily processed and perhaps even diluted. That’s because there’s a greater demand than supply of honey. Heating and filtration often removes the compounds that are associated with health benefits. This leaves a sugary substance with only a sweet flavor to offer. So even though a pure, raw product crystallizes, it’s much more than a sweetener. And with minimal proper care and storage, manuka honey specifically can be used for many different things from foods to skincare, wound healing, hormone imbalance, and even sexual health. Is Honey Good or Bad When it Crystallizes? “[The] crystallization process will not cause any change in nutritional value if honey is properly crystallized, but improper crystallization will lead to an increase in water activity and thus leading to fermentation.” • Honey crystallization: mechanism, evaluation, and application. Nothing bad happens when honey crystallizes. But left long enough, it can begin to ferment, which might change its flavour. Honey is hygroscopic. This means it absorbs water from the air, raising its moisture levels. Raw honey hasn’t been pasteurized, so these moist conditions allow yeast to grow, fermenting the natural sugars and producing things like carbon dioxide and acetic acid. And they don’t taste great. Fortunately, there are plenty of things you can do to prevent honey from crystallizing and fix crystallized honey if it’s too late How to Stop Honey Crystallization “Crystallization being an undesired phenomenon, there are several methods to prevent it such as heating honey or storing at low temperature, ultrasound treatment, filtration, ultrafiltration.” • Honey crystallization: mechanism, evaluation, and application. Pure honey crystallizes because of its natural chemical composition. But there are a few things you can do to delay or minimize the process. Some honey producers will put their honey through certain processes to prevent crystallization like heating, filtration, and ultrafiltration. This can remove some of the beneficial compounds of honey. But the best way to avoid crystallizing honey at home is to use it up! The next best way? To store it properly. Here’s what that means: • Keep it in an airtight container. • Keep it in a cupboard or away from direct sunlight. • Keep it at room temperature (refrigeration, or temperatures under 10°C (50°F), which can accelerate crystallization). Even after doing everything right, your honey may still crystallize. To give our customers a helping hand, we give them a head start. How to liquefy honey If you’re interested in how to fix crystallized honey, the good news is, you can. Your honey is still perfectly good for consumption. You need to warm your honey to melt the crystals. It’s important to do this carefully so that you don’t end up killing the good stuff in the honey associated with its antibacterial properties. (never put your honey in the microwave). Here’s what to do if honey crystallizes: 1. Warm it up (gently). Place your container of honey in a larger bowl, and fill that outer shell container with warm water. Do not use boiling water! Avoid taking the honey out of the container and placing it in a saucepan with direct heat. 2. Remove the honey from the warm water bowl and stir it slowly. If there are still granules, put it back in for a few more minutes. 3. Repeat this process until you remove the grainy consistency in your honey. It could take a while to get back to a smooth consistency. Liquifying your honey a few times shouldn’t harm it if you follow these steps each time. Crystallized Honey FAQs In a rush? Get quick answers to your questions about honey crystallization here. What causes honey to crystallize? Its sugar and water contents. Honey contains more sugars than water, so over time, this separates and crystals form. When this happens, the type and shape of the crystals depends on factors such as the botanical origin of the honey, how it’s been processed and how it’s been stored. Crystallization is one sign of a raw, pure honey product. How long does it take for honey to crystallize? This varies based on the type of honey, how it was processed, and how it has been stored. Honey with less moisture content crystallize faster. Storing honey at lower temperatures also accelerates crystallization. Studies have tried to predict crystallization behaviour with mixed results. Does pure honey crystallize? Yes, absolutely. If temperatures get too low, honey can even crystallize in the hive. Studies have found that impurities in the honey like pollen and beeswax particles can influence the granulation process. If honey contains these kinds of particles, it is much less likely to have gone through intense processing. Crystallization is a sign of a pure honey product. Can you use crystallized honey? Yes. Crystallized honey still tastes like honey but with an added crunch. Finer crystals are thought to taste better, but it’s down to your personal preference. Just don’t leave the crystallized honey for too long, otherwise, it may start to ferment. How to fix crystallized honey Gently warm your honey to melt the crystals. Avoid direct heat (like a saucepan), instead place your honey jar in a warm water bath. Remove the honey, stir it, and replace until you get the desired consistency back. How do you liquefy honey? Liquefy honey with a warm water bath. Place your honey jar into a larger container, and pour warm (not boiling!) water into the outer shell. Leave your honey for a few minutes, remove it, stir it, and replace. Repeat this process until your honey’s liquid consistency is restored. Why does some honey crystallize and some not? It all depends on the chemical composition of the honey. Honey crystallizes because it contains more sugar than water, and so there isn’t enough water for the sugar to stay dissolved. But honeys vary in their moisture content. Some contain as low as 13% water, some as high as 29%. So this impacts if, and how quickly, it crystallizes. Does honey go bad when it crystallizes? No, honey doesn’t go bad when it crystallizes. You can liquefy honey, but if the crystallized honey starts to ferment, the flavour will change, and you won’t be able to restore the honey. Is it safe to eat honey that’s crystallized? Yes, it’s safe to eat crystallized honey. You can liquefy it if you’d prefer it to be liquid again. Is real honey supposed to crystallize? Yes. Crystallization is a natural process that pure, raw honey goes through. Not every honey will crystallize, and some will crystallize faster than others. But it’s a good sign that your honey is real and less processed. Honey can even crystallize in the hive if temperatures get too low!

Honey bees and Valentine's Day may not seem like an obvious combination, but there is actually an interesting connection between the two. Honey bees play a crucial role in pollinating many of the flowers that we associate with Valentine's Day, such as roses, tulips, and daisies. Pollination is the process by which bees transfer pollen from the male parts of a flower to the female parts, allowing the flower to produce seeds and fruit. This process is essential for the reproduction of many plants, including those that produce the beautiful flowers we often give as gifts on Valentine's Day. Honey bees are known as one of the most important pollinators because they are highly efficient at collecting pollen and nectar from flowers. They have specialized body parts, such as their long proboscis (tongue) and hairy bodies, that help them gather and transport pollen from one flower to another. Without honey bees and other pollinators, many of the flowers we associate with Valentine's Day would not exist. In fact, bees are responsible for pollinating around 70% of the world's crop species, including many fruits and vegetables. So next time you give or receive a bouquet of flowers on Valentine's Day, remember to thank the honey bees for their important role in making those beautiful blooms possible!

By Malcolm Prior BBC News Rural Affairs team The UK government has again given emergency authorization for the use of a type of pesticide banned because of the harm it can cause bees. Permission to use a neonicotinoid on sugar beet seeds has been given to protect the crop from a particularly damaging virus spread by aphids. The authorization was given against the advice of an independent panel of pesticide experts. Campaign group Friends of the Earth labelled the move "incredibly brazen". But Michael Sly, chairman of the NFU Sugar board, welcomed the decision, saying he was "relieved". "The British sugar beet crop continues to be threatened by virus yellows disease, which in recent years has caused crop losses of up to 80%. The home-grown sugar industry is working hard to find viable, long-term solutions to this disease," he said. The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said strict conditions would be in place and the pesticide - a seed treatment called thiamethoxam - could only be used if independent modelling predicted a yellows virus incidence of 63% or above. If that threshold is met and the pesticide used, other conditions will minimise risks to the environment, it said. The overall ban on the use of neonicotinoid pesticides remains in place. Farming Minister Mark Spencer said the emergency authorisation was taken after "careful consideration" and as "a necessary measure to protect the industry". The decision was informed by advice from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the independent UK Expert Committee on Pesticides (ECP) and Defra's own Chief Scientific Adviser, Professor Gideon Henderson. However, the ECP did not support the authorisation, saying: "In light of the risk assessment conducted, a reduction in survival of honey bees and impacts on homing flight ability (which also influences survival of foragers) could occur." The HSE also said the risks posed to bees foraging on the pollen and nectar from flowering crops planted in fields after treated sugar beet posed "a potential concern". But Professor Henderson said that could be dealt with by insisting on a 32-month minimum period before a flowering crop could be planted. In his advice, he also said: "There is clear and abundant evidence that these neonicotinoids are harmful to species other than those they are intended to control, and particularly to pollinators, including bees." In granting authorisation, the Minister conceded that there was still "a degree of uncertainty in relation to the risks to bees." Despite the pesticide normally not being approved for use, this is the third year the government has given emergency authorisation. Sandra Bell, of Friends of the Earth, described the decision as "incredibly brazen", adding: "The government has gone directly against the advice of its own scientific advisors with potentially devastating consequences for bees and other vital pollinators. "The health of us all and the planet depends on their survival. The government must fulfil its duty to protect wildlife and keep pesticides off our crops for good." The UK's decision comes just days after the Court of Justice of the European Union said that EU member states could no longer offer exemptions to the bloc's ban on crop seeds treated with neonicotinoids

A University of the Sunshine Coast researcher is investigating whether spider and scorpion venoms have the potential to save Australia's honeybees from the invasive and deadly varroa mite parasite. Hundreds of hives have been destroyed, and Queensland, Victoria and South Australia have banned bees, hives and honey products from New South Wales in a bid to contain an outbreak of the Varroa destructor mite, detected for the first time in Australia at several properties in New South Wales. "Despite the grim outlook, I think it is not all lost yet, if we act swift and hard," says UniSC Associate Professor Volker Herzig, who is researching environmentally friendly treatments for honeybee pests, such as the varroa mite and small hive beetles. "Now, halfway into my project, and after screening over 240 arachnid venoms against varroa mites, we have four lead molecules that we are currently characterizing to identify the best possible candidate," he said. "Unfortunately, these will take several more years to develop, so they can't be applied to control the present outbreak in New South Wales." Associate Professor Herzig said Australia was previously the only country to escape the Varroa destructor, a parasitic mite species that causes negative impacts on the honeybee health and eventually results in colony collapse. "So far, no country to which Varroa destructor has spread previously has been able to successfully eradicate them," he said. Associate Professor Herzig doubts whether current eradication, surveillance zone and buffer zones reach far enough. "It just takes a single breach of the current exclusion zones, in combination with beehives being transported across Australia for pollination services, and we will soon end up with an uncontrollable spread of the varroa mites," he said. As a precautionary measure, he recommends immediately prohibiting any movement of beehives within Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. "Once the mites have spread to any of the feral honeybee colonies, there will be no means of monitoring or controlling their further spread anymore, which would make eradication practically impossible," he said. "I am aware that such hard measures will cause a significant economic hit to the bee industry, but that it would only be for a limited time." "In contrast, the associated economic impact would pale in comparison to the many millions of dollars it will cost the Australian bee-industry annually once the mites have become endemic, because then there will be no going back." Provided by University of the Sunshine Coast

A virus found in parasitic varroa mites attacking honey bees may turn out to be an unlikely ally in fighting another crippling bee disease, deformed wing virus (DWV). Entomologist Dr. Antoine Felden is studying how the recently discovered virus in the varroa mites may lessen the effects of DWV, which affects the bees' ability to fly and leads to their early demise. Varroa mites carry many viruses, including the debilitating DWV, says Dr. Felden, a postdoctoral research fellow in the Center for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology at Te Kura Mātauranga Koiora—School of Biological Sciences. He's recently discovered an interesting, and seemingly unlikely, relationship between DMV and another virus, which he thinks may be the key to suppressing DWV. "When there are high loads of the varroa-destructor virus (VDV-2) in varroa mites, then DWV levels are lower in both varroa and the bees they parasitize," Dr. Felden says. What he still has to work out is whether it's the high levels of VDV-2 that cause low viral loads of DWV, or vice-versa. The relationship between the varroa mite and the two viruses is complex, but may be vitally important for understanding bee colony losses, he says. Varroa and DWV are now the leading causes of honey bee colony loss in New Zealand and around the world. In winter 2021, varroa was responsible for the loss of 5.3% of bee colonies, according to estimates from the Ministry for Primary Industries. That's up from 1.6% in 2017. Dr. Felden hopes to secure funding to continue his work on the link between the two viruses. "We need to look at the genetic variation and loads of VDV-2 in varroa to test whether DWV viral loads are associated with specific VDV-2 variants. Preliminary work suggests there are up to eight variants in New Zealand." Working with a team of scientists and students, Dr. Felden plans to "manipulate" VDV-2 loads in the varroa mites and examine the flow-on effects on DWV viral loads in both the mites and parasitized honey bees. "By injecting the VDV-2 virus into varroa, we can confirm the association between the two viruses and test whether VDV-2 infections in the mites can limit deformed wing virus-associated mortality in bees." The research has the potential to significantly improve the prospects of honey bee colonies and reduce hive loss. The group's work will also have broader implications for honey-bee resilience and for understanding emerging diseases and threats to the bees, Dr. Felden says. Provided by Victoria University of Wellington