“Colony Collapse Disorder is the phenomenon that occurs when the majority of worker bees in a colony disappear and leave behind a queen, plenty of food and a few nurse bees to care for the remaining immature bees and the queen.”

Beginning in the winter of 2006 to 2007 a strange anomaly, which would become known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), began impacting much of the world’s European honey bee (Apis mellifera) population. Within this first year, major colony loss reports between thirty and ninety percent were made both by commercial beekeeping operations as well as by smaller nonmigratory associations in the United States. Although majorly affecting North America, the collapse of bee colonies bled throughout other countries including Germany, Switzerland, France, Poland, Greece, Spain, Italy, Portugal, and Canada.

Although the disorder predominantly lasted until 2013 to 2014, the average annual loss of bee colonies in the United States continued to drop. In 2015, the annual loss from CCD was reported at 42.1%, “according to preliminary results of the annual survey conducted by the Bee Informed Partnership, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Apiary Inspectors of America.” The bee populations only continued to fall, as the United States reported a total loss of approximately 11.4 million honey bee colonies between the recent years of 2015 and 2022. The state of Kansas, alone, produced the highest reported colony losses between these years, losing approximately one-fifth of their total honey bee colonies each season. Arizona and New Mexico were not too far behind, resulting in about eighteen percent average quarterly colony losses. Unfortunately, these numbers only seem to be negatively fluctuating, as reports from “beekeepers in the United States lost an estimated 48.2% . . . of their managed honey bee colonies” between April 1st, 2022 and April 1st, 2023.

Studies have been carried out with attempts to discover the cause for these colony collapses. A study published in 2009, for example, evaluated sixty-one quantified variables associated with CCD. Among the considerable factors were pesticide levels, pathogen loads, and bee physiology. Despite this comprehensive study, no specific issue emerged as a most-likely cause of CCD. However, what they did find was that colonies directly associated with CCD contained “higher pathogen loads and were co-infected with a greater number of pathogens than control populations, suggesting either an increased exposure to pathogens or a reduced resistance of bees towards pathogens.” More recently, however, it was discovered that in the spring of 2022, “more than 40% of all colonies [in the United States] were afflicted with varroa mites, a parasite that targets bees.” Since 2022, it has been reported that these mites and other parasites are the leading role in kicking the bees.

The production of honey is greatly influenced by a variation of environmental components. Because bees are responsive to alterations in temperature, extreme hot or cold weather conditions can noticeably “affect their foraging and pollination activities.” Furthermore, rainfall is essential for the accessibility of nectar-producing-flowers. Thus, seasons with low rainfall and drought conditions can directly impact the quality and quantity of honey due to the reduction of floral resources. On the same note, a diversity of flowers produces greater honey yields, as a lack in the variety of honey sources leads to a lack of nutrition for bees. Having this wide selection can help bees contribute more to healthier soils and cleaner water by “fostering robust plant communities.” For these exact reasons, it is important to steer clear of any herbicides near bee colonies, as the agrochemicals “can reduce the diversity of plants in an area.” Additionally, changes in the natural environment, such as that of expanding land for development, can restrict foraging opportunities and lead to habitat loss. Thus, urbanization and deforestation have major impacts on the wellbeing of bees and the upkeep of honey production. Sustainable agricultural practices, the reduction of harmful pesticides and agrochemicals, the conservation of natural environments and habitats, and sustaining diverse floral landscapes all aid in supporting healthy honeybee colonies and sustainable honey production.

It is important to understand the relationship between the ecological service of pollination and the economy, as it plays a crucial role in the livelihoods of the individuals farming and tending these crops for fertilization and distribution. According to the Office of the Press Secretary, reported on 20 June 2014, “Pollinators contribute more than 24 billion dollars to the United States economy, of which honey bees account for more than 15 billion dollars through their vital role in keeping fruits, nuts, and vegetables in our diets.” Thus, as can be understood, pollination from honey bees is imperative for the upkeep of not only certain foods and plants, those of which people rely on for healthy and rich nutrients, but also for the maintenance and conservation of those who are in the economic market of keeping bees and maintaining farms.

Agricultural products, including those of over 130 different kinds of nuts, fruits, and vegetables contribute to about fifteen billion dollars in revenue when successfully pollinated by honey bees. Additionally, “Pollinators, including honey bees and wild bees, add up to $200 billion annually in ecological services.” In addition to their role in pollinating agricultural products, bees play a vital role in producing food for wildlife, maintaining soil health, and keeping water clean. Most of this revenue is sourced from three major contributing states: Texas, Florida, and California. Combined, they contribute to hosting about fifty-five percent of all US commercial honey bee colonies. Delaware, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Nevada, and Alaska contribute the least.

Photo by: The Lucian of Samosata Project

For millennia, cultures and religions have portrayed bees as being messengers from the gods, symbols of prosperity, and representations of fertility. Bees were depicted as these powerful and sacred creatures, admired for their organization, wisdom, and beauty. Below, I have provided the different roles bees played in four ancient cultures:

• In ancient Egypt, bees were associated with the sun god Ra, and they were believed to be messengers between this world and a world more divine. Bees were also correlated with the primordial goddess Neith, a deity representing creation and wisdom. Their incessant labor and dedication to the hive was seen as a reflection of divine order and cosmic balance.
• In ancient Greece, bees were depicted as messengers from Demeter, the goddess of agriculture and fertility, as it was said that abundance and prosperity was ensured through their act of pollination.
• In ancient Mesopotamia, bees were portrayed as bringers of light and warmth and were believed to be messengers carrying sacred knowledge between humans and the gods. Bees are also notably described as symbols of vitality and the sweetness of life in the Mesopotamian’s “The Epic of Gilgamesh.”
• In ancient Hinduism, bees were also admired as messengers of the gods, and they symbolized the power of love, attraction and the emergence of new life.

Drunk on Honey?

Besides consuming honey for its nutritional benefits or utilizing its medicinal properties, you can also convert the sweet substance into an alcoholic beverage to imbibe. This sweet-tasting potation is referred to as mead, and it is made by simply adding honey and yeast to water. They can range anywhere between 3.5% and 20% ABV (alcohol by volume), with anything lower than 7.5% being referred to as a hydromel, or session mead. Adding different ingredients can alter the finished product to such a degree that there are a variety of meads depending on what elements are added. Here are some examples: a melomel is a fruit mead; a metheglin mead is made with spices; a braggot is a hybrid beverage combining the ingredients of mead and beer; and a rhodonel is a mead made with roses. There are so many different ways to modify a mead, and they all produce a completely unique profile. Although there are many other kinds of concoctions, below is a chart listing the more prominent variations of meads:

Photo by: Batch Mead

Otherwise known as the “nectar of the gods,” mead has been around for millennia, while considerably predating both beer and wine. As mead was often the alcoholic drink of choice for many of our ancient ancestors, mead is also widely considered to be the oldest alcoholic beverage, with historians dating the earliest mentions, by African bush tribes, as far back as 20,000 B.C. For the past few hundred years, however, mead has been on the back burner, but recently there seems to be a resurgence of the beverage climbing its way back into the light. This regrowth may have something to do with all of the eco-friendly movements nowadays, as mead is an extremely environmentally sustainable alternative to many other alcoholic beverages. Because beer and wine contain ingredients that flourish in particular parts of the globe, what results is the utilization of fuel and other resources to package and ship these drinks all over the world. Honey, however, is produced in every continent on the Earth except for Antarctica, and with locally sourced ingredients, it is very easy to make and appreciate the locally crafted libation, of course, if you have the proper equipment.

Photo by: Greece High Definition

Throughout ancient history, there have been myths and legends that often referenced mead in some form or another. Although I shall only name a few, many stories highlight the important significance that honey and mead held within societies, cultures, and religions:

• Mead was held in very high regard in Greek society, as it signified divine blessings from the gods. They believed that through its consumption, it would “prolong life, and bestow health, strength, virility, re-creative powers, wit, and poetry.” It was a symbol of prosperity, and it was often used as an elixir for curing those with illnesses. Thus, the medicinal qualities of honey at the time were most likely understood in some kind of capacity.
• According to writings from Herodotus in the beginning of the 6th century B.C., Cleisthenes of Sicyon hosted a party where he invited the best men of the Greek world to prove themselves worthy of being his son-in-law. One of these men, Hippocleides, supposedly got so inebriated on mead that he jumped onto a table, stripped naked, and balanced upside down on his head whilst moving his arms and legs to the tune of the melodic flutes. Cleisthenes, witnessing his buffoonery, exclaimed, “Son of Tysander, you danced away your marriage.” Hippocleides famously replied, “Hippocleides doesn’t care.”
• On another note, Bacchus (Dionysus) was recognized as the god of mead long before he was honored as the God of wine.
• In Norse mythology, tales tell of the magical brew being concocted from the blood of Kvasir, a being of immense wisdom. Supposedly, he was lured into a dark cavern by two dwarven brothers, and after killing him they mixed his blood with honey. It was said that all those who drank the potation would be granted the gift of scholarly knowledge and poetic wisdom.
• In Hinduism’s Rig Veda, it is said that “in the wide-striding Vishnu’s highest footsteps there is a spring of Mead,” which was said to have the power of fertility.

Photo by: Anthony, Beekeeping 101

From the flower to the hive to the wounded for healing or the brewery for bottling, honey is indeed a jack-of-many-trades, and this is all thanks to its producer—the honey bee.

No doubt a treasure to not only many cultures but to the world. Their simple yet complex act of pollination allows for the reproduction of many plant and flower species. As such, they play a crucial role in maintaining the life of the ecosystem.

Although the lore surrounding these magnificent creatures may be no more than simple tales, our ancestors were certainly wise to hold their perceptions of these winged animals in high regard.