Honeybees do n’t mean togather pollen . They do n’t go searching for it , and it does n’t get their foraging trips . In fact , the honeybee ’s pollen collection is a bit of an afterthought .
Nectar is what drive the Apis mellifera forager to bring down blossom . It ’s the nectar that she ’s concerned with when she returns to the hive and does her waggle terpsichore for her sister , conduct the precise location where the sweet poppycock can be found . By gross design , pollen just sort of finds it ’s way into the mix .
A Closer Look At Bees & Pollen
Pollen is the procreative spore of the male part of a flowering plant . As the foraging Apis mellifera glides from one flower to another ( slurping up ambrosia with her extra - farsighted proboscis , take care you ) , she inadvertently catches pollen on the tiny haircloth that cover her body . Doing double duty by also pollinating the exceptional eccentric of plant she ’s chew the fat , the honeybee conclude her foraging speculation treat head to toe in pollen .
As she curry herself ( mid - flight ! ) , add digestive enzymes along the way , the pollen collect into concave grooves on her hind legs that we ( most endearingly ) call “ pollen basket . ” She ’ll bring back to thehivewith a honey breadbasket full of nectar and baskets full of processed pollen , and she ’ll channelise those to her sisters for storage in the beehive . little pollen trap , installed by the beekeeper at the beehive ’s entering , stop this last measure . They collect the pollen from the forager ’s leg as she returns home and enters the hive .
While honey leave carbohydrates for the bees throughout the class , pollen is their vital protein source . Without it , the hive , young and old , would suffer in health , vigor and ability to winter .
For Your Health
When glean sustainably by humans — mean that enough is left behind to provide the dependency with protein for the winter — pollen can be an unbelievable superfood supplementation for humans . Bee pollen can contain up to 40 percent protein and offers a natural way to battle seasonal allergy . * Here ’s a close look at what it has to offer :
As withhoney , it ’s important to notice that bee pollen varies in its nutritional breakdown because the type that is gathered is pendant on environmental factors completely out of the bee ’ or apiarist ’ restraint . Also remember that the colours of the granule vary depending on the type of plant the bee collected the pollen from .
Harvesting Bee Pollen
When source bee pollen , it ’s of the utmost grandness to do so responsibly — for the rice beer of your health , as well as the Colony it came from . It ’s best to know how , when and where pollen was gather up . If possible , origin pollen directly from thebeekeeperswho harvest it from their bees . They will have contingent and brainwave into the forage plants the bees visited , and , of course , the wellness and direction trend of the hives from which the pollen came . If you ’re after bee pollen for keep with seasonal allergies , it must be source both locally and seasonally , because you want pollen from the exact plants you react to in your region .
Bee pollen pack a nutritionary slug in a very minor package . But this generous giving from the honeybee must not be abused . It take a single honeybee work 8 hoursper dayforone whole monthto acquire asingle teaspoonof bee pollen . Use it wisely and gracefully , and the next time you see one , give thanks a honeybee !
- The information in this article is not mean to replace aesculapian care by a physician . Please discuss the use of pollen as a supplement with your care provider . In some instances , people with wicked allergic reaction to honeybee stings can go through similar reactions to ingest honeybee pollen .
