This month, Buzz B. thought he would share some “honey bee” vocabulary.

Pollen is the male germ cells produced by all flowering plants.  These cells are used for fertilization and the subsequent formation of embryos. Bees collect about sixty-six pounds of pollen per year per hive.
The honey bee uses pollen as a food. Pollen is the bee’s protein and is one of the richest and purest natural foods, consisting of up to 35% protein; 10% sugars; carbohydrates; enzymes; minerals; and vitamins A, B1 B2, B3, B5, C, H, and R.

Honey is used by the bees for food all year round. There are many types, colors and flavors of honey, depending upon its nectar source. You would think that almond honey would be very tasty,  It isn’t.  Almond honey is very bitter and is not consumed by humans.  Bees make honey from the nectar they collect from flowering trees and plants. Honey is easily digestible and is a very pure food. Honey is hydroscopic – that means it holds water – and it makes for a great moisturizing facial. Honey is also antibacterial and has been used for centuries to help wounds heal. Many physicians recommend eating local honey to alleviate allergies.  But, humans need to remember that children under the age of two years should not be given raw honey due to the risk of botulism. The spores of the Clostridium botulinum bacteria can be found in honey, and when ingested by an infant, the spores can release a toxin that causes botulism.

Beeswax is secreted from glands on the underside of the honey bee and is used by the bee to build honey comb. This substance is also used by humans in drugs, cosmetics, furniture polish, candles, and other products.

Propolis is gathered by honeybees from trees and is a sticky resin mixed with beeswax to make a sticky glue. Bees use this to seal cracks and repair the hive. It is used by humans as a health aid, and as the basis for fine wood varnishes.

Royal Jelly is the milky substance that turns an ordinary bee into a Queen Bee. It is made of digested pollen and honey or nectar mixed with a chemical secreted from a gland in a nursing bee’s head. Royal jelly is prized the world over and is expensive!  It is used by humans as a dietary supplement and fertility stimulant. It is loaded with all of the B vitamins.

Bee Venom is what causes the pain from the sting of a honey bee. Pain, swelling and itching are natural reactions to a bee sting. A small percentage of humans are severely allergic to bee venom. “Bee venom therapy” is practiced by some individuals in the United States to help with arthritis, neuralgia, Multiple Sclerosis, and other health issues.