Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – Bee Health Collective

Honey Industry Testing-What is it and Why is it Done?

Written by Grace Kunkel on October 20, 2022. Posted in blog, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), Honey.

The honey we love and consume every day should be wholesome and trustworthy. This is why the honey industry is committed to advancing stronger testing solutions to ensure the honey we consume is pure and authentic. In order to preserve the purity of honey, the industry is spearheading the ability for honey to be traced back to its original location and deploying new methods aimed at detecting adulterated honey, preventing it from entering the market.

For more information about the steps industry groups are taking to champion pure honey, click here.

Questions about testing methods? Click here for FAQs.

What About Colony Collapse Disorder?

Written by Grace Kunkel on October 20, 2022. Posted in blog, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), Honey Bee Health.

In 2006, Colony Collapse Disorder devastated many beekeepers and honey bee colonies across the US.

Colony Collapse Disorder is a syndrome characterized by some very specific symptoms: the majority of worker bees in a hive disappear and leave behind a laying queen, plenty of food and a few nurse bees to care for the remaining immature bees and the queen. It’s as if a booming metropolis suddenly emptied its working population. As a result, the hive dies.

Scientists still don’t know for sure what causes Colony Collapse Disorder, and the syndrome is infrequently seen today as compared to 2006. Even though CCD is not at the forefront of honey bee health concerns today, high annual losses related to the “4p’s”listed above persist, and are often mis-attributed to CCD in the media.

(link to CCD section of honey bee health page)

What’s Killing Bees

Written by Grace Kunkel on October 20, 2022. Posted in blog, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), Honey Bee Health.

We know what’s killing bees.

There are many things that contribute to high annual colony losses. Often these factors are grouped into what is commonly known as the “Four P’s.” These represent the major honey bee health threats, and they are all connected. For example, Varroa mites not only weaken bees but also spread viruses, and without access to sufficient floral resources (food), bees are less able to fight off the parasites and diseases. Scientists are also looking at these factors through the lens of climate change, and how they respond to extreme environmental conditions and stressors.

(link to 4p’s pop ups: parasites, pathogens, poor nutrition, pesticides)