The fact is that bee populations have recently been declining, putting these vital creatures in the limelight.
Beehives have been reported to be vanishing at an alarmingly rapid rate, which has consequences for food production. Pesticides, mites, and climate change are thought to be the primary reasons of the observed reduction.
Honeybees outnumber all other bees and pollinated insects on the planet, making them the most essential pollinator of food crops. It is believed that one-third of the food we consume each day is pollinated mostly by bees.
Many fruits and vegetables require pollination, including cucumbers, citrus fruits, melons, cherries, kiwis, avocados, soybeans, asparagus, broccoli, celery, squash, and sunflowers for oil, peaches, and cranberries, and in the case of crops like blueberries and almonds, the honey bee plays an essential role in pollination of commercial crops, with approximately 80% of the US crop relying on hoe pollination.
Furthermore, honey bees pollinate alfalfa and clover, which are used to feed cattle, thus bee population reduction has consequences for the dairy and meat industries, as well as any manufactured food products using these components.
Luckily, more and more individuals are understanding the gravity of the situation and are eager to help to its resolution. Many of them opt to raise their own beehives, which not only improves bee numbers but also supplies them with organic honey to eat.
You’ll need a pre-made bottom beehive kit, plywood, and jars for the main beehive, as well as one piece of 2′′ x 12′′ x 6′ wood (cut two pieces to 22′′ each for the sides), one piece of 2′′ x 12′′ x 6′ wood (cut two pieces to 18′′ each for the front and back), one piece of 1′′ x 1′′ x 6′ wood (cut two pieces to 22′′ each for the top frame one piece of 1′′ x 1′′ x 6′ wood (cut two pieces to 18′′ each for the front and rear sides of the top frame), one piece of strong plywood cut to 16′′ x 20′′, one box of 1′′ wood screws, 12 big mouth quart-sized jars for the honeycomb, and a can of dark wood stain
Because the plywood will act as a frame for the beehive kit, you can color it as you choose.
- — Drill 12 holes in the 16′′ × 20′′ piece of plywood for the mason jars to be screwed into.
- — To create the top frame, screw together the four pieces of 18′′ and 22′′ plywood.
- — Before turning the Mason jars upside-down into the holes, make sure they’re clean.
- – Then, insert washers or shims inside to support the weight of the honey.
- — Put the jar lids on, and they should fit exactly into the drilled holes, with less than a 1/16′′ space between the jar and the beehive hole.
- — Insert starting strips or empty combs into the jars, then add the bees.
- When the jars are full with honey, tighten the lids to allow the bees to continue working while the honey is gathered.
- — Keep the jars in the shade since they will heat up rapidly with the lids on because there will be no ventilation.
- After a while, you’ll have a steady supply of pure, organic honey while also helping to save the drastically diminishing bee population.
Source: educateinspirechange.org
