What's the Buzz?

The other day I made a startling discovery! Malaleuca, which is common in South Florida where I have my hives, and MANUKA are closely related!!! Some folks even felt that they were exactly the same…..my beekeeping partner actually stopped labeling some of our wildflower honey "Malaleuca" and was marking it "Manuka" instead.

I've seen Manuka honey for sale for years for $20 a lb. and always felt we were paying by the mile since it comes from New Zealand. Instinctively I felt that it was not inherently more healthful than other honeys.

I decided to do some research. In general most raw honeys have about the same nutritional content and benefit. However, it was true that certain components of Manuka were in higher concentrations. I also found that Manuka and Maleleuca were in the same family.

They are both members of the TEA TREE family. Yes, the same family of trees that bring us Tea Tree Oil, well documented as having antimicrobial, antibacterial and antifungal properties.

However, the Tea Tree family tree has several members, and Manuka and Malaleuca each stemmed from different family, well, "tree". Both Malaleuca and Manuka belong to the Myrtaceae family, along with Eucalyptus, Clove and Myrtle. But Manuka stems from the Leptospermum side of the family. Some feel that this "New Zealand Tea Tree" is the original tea tree used by Captain Cook when he arrived in New Zealand. It is often used medicinally in the same way as other tea tree oils, although it is more drying to the skin. People use it in a carrier oil to treat muscle pain and rheumatism.

However, this part of the family lacks the amazing immunity enhancing powers of Melaleuca alternifolia. So…some would feel the Malaleuca would have more benefit.

Either way, honey is awesome for you. And we can battle on and on as to which "tea tree" makes the most healthful honey. But I can tell you this…..we've got plenty of Malaleuca in our recent honey harvest. It's half the price of Manuka, since we didn't have to transport it thousands of miles.

It's LOCAL! So give us a call and come try some yourself. You be the judge!

Earlier this week, a top researcher for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) filed a complaint alleging that the agency retaliated against him for his research on bee-harming neonicotinoid pesticides — and for blowing the whistle on USDA interference with his research.

Dr. Jonathan Lundgren has worked at USDA's Agricultural Research Service lab in Brookings, South Dakota for 11 years. His peer-reviewed research on neonicotinoids (neonics), and their impact on pollinators, has been widely published and has received accolades from his contemporaries.

USDA, however, appears to be less pleased. The claim that Lundgren filed against USDA highlights examples of unusual agency behavior that slowed down his research and made it difficult for Lundgren and others in his lab to do their jobs.

When it comes to pollinators and pesticides, the stakes are high. Bees pollinate roughly one in three bites of food we eat, and they've been dying off at alarming rates for almost a decade — with independent studies pointing to neonics and other pesticides as a key factor in this trend. Still, corporations like Bayer and Syngenta routinely claim their lucrative neonic products are pollinator-safe. And these corporations have been known to heavily lobby decisionmakers.

This is a sticky situation for USDA. The agency is at the helm of the federal task force (along with EPA) charged with protecting honey bees and other pollinators. In this and all situations, USDA's scientific integrity is critical.

The back story

In 2004, Dr. Lundgren was hired as a research scientist by USDA. As an entomologist, his research often looked at neonicotinoids and their impacts on beneficial insects, including pollinators like honey bees as well as important predatory insects that help keep pests in check.

His findings have provided important information on the benefits of biodiversity in farm ecosystems, and he’s looked closely at whether or not neonicotionid seed coatings provide real benefits in yield or profit for farmers. Lundgren’s research is independent and peer-reviewed — and in some cases, his conclusions haven't matched up with the interests of the pesticide industry.

In March 2014, Lundgren served as a reviewer for a Center for Food Safety report on the lack of yield benefits associated with neonicotinoid seed coatings. In the same month, he gave an interview about his research on emerging RNAi biotechnology, and the Minneapolis Star Tribune published an article featuring his research on neonicotinoids.

Soon after, Lundgren's employer strongly discouraged future contact with the media, even though his interviews had not broken any agency protocol. In his complaint against USDA, Lundgren also reported that he and other researchers in his lab began facing disproportionate hurdles from USDA higher-ups in routine processes like travel approval and grant submissions.

Dr. Lundgren filed a scientific integrity complaint in September 2014, describing these interferences with his research and the day-to-day operations of his laboratory and travel.  

In August 2015, less than a year after his scientific integrity complaint against the Agency, Lundgren was disciplined with a 14-day suspension. The justification for the suspension? Two distinct events, neither out of the ordinary according to norms at USDA — minor issues with travel paperwork and with an article submission to a journal.

This week’s whistleblower complaint, filed by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility on Lundgren’s behalf, provides evidence that disciplinary action taken against him was in retaliation of his scientific integrity complaint.  

Not the first time

The news on Lundgren’s case just broke yesterday, and those of us outside the agency can’t know exactly what happened behind closed doors. But unfortunately, recent USDA history gives us reason to be concerned.

In July 2014, Dr. Jeffrey Pettis — formerly the lead scientist at the USDA’s bee research lab in Beltsville, Maryland — was demoted from his position. Leading U.S. beekeeping organizations were vocal in their concern over Pettis’s removal, as he had established himself as a strong advocate for beekeepers and “advanced research on honey bees like few others in the world can claim.” Pettis himself expressed that he had “strong reservations”about the change in leadership, but chose not to publicly challenge the changing of the guard.

And Pettis and Lundgren aren’t alone. This spring, ten USDA scientists spoke up, filing a petition calling on USDA to clean up its track record of ordering researchers to “retract studies, water down findings, remove their name from authorship and endure long indefinite delays in approving publication of papers that may be controversial.”

We need public eyes on USDA — and on all public agencies responsible for making critical regulatory decisions about pesticides, genetically engineered crops, and our food and farming system. Rigorous, independent science is the bedrock beneath sound regulatory decisions. Red flags about intimidation and harassment of USDA scientists should cause concern for all of us. It’s time for the agency to clean up its act.

REPRINTED FROM PESTICIDE ACTION NETWORK 

I found this really interesting article that was posted on the Dadant website in August of 2014. Thought I'd share it with you! It's still on their "NEWS" page at: http://www.dadant.com/news/venom-gets-good-buzz-as-potential-cancer-fighter

Read on! 

"Bee, snake or scorpion venom could form the basis of a new generation of cancer-fighting drugs, scientists will report here today. They have devised a method for targeting venom proteins specifically to malignant cells while sparing healthy ones, which reduces or eliminates side effects that the toxins would otherwise cause. The report was part of the 248th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world’s largest scientific society. The meeting, attended by thousands of scientists, features nearly 12,000 reports on new advances in science and other topics. It is being held here through Thursday. A brand-new video on the research is available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRsUi5UrH7k&feature=youtu.be. “We have safely used venom toxins in tiny nanometer-sized particles to treat breast cancer and melanoma cells in the laboratory,” says Dipanjan Pan, Ph.D., who led the study. “These particles, which are camouflaged from the immune system, take the toxin directly to the cancer cells, sparing normal tissue.” Venom from snakes, bees and scorpions contains proteins and peptides which, when separated from the other components and tested individually, can attach to cancer cell membranes. That activity could potentially block the growth and spread of the disease, other researchers have reported. Pan and his team say that some of substances found in any of these venoms could be effective anti-tumor agents. But just injecting venoms into a patient would have side effects. Among these could be damage to heart muscle or nerve cells, unwanted clotting or, alternately, bleeding under the skin. So Pan and his team at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign set out to solve this problem. He says that in the honeybee study, his team identified a substance in the venom called melittin that keeps the cancer cells from multiplying. Bees make so little venom that it’s not feasible to extract it and separate out the substance time after time for lab testing or for later clinical use. That’s why they synthesized melittin in the lab. To figure out how melittin would work inside a nanoparticle, they conducted computational studies. Next, they did the test and injected their synthetic toxin into nanoparticles. “The peptide toxins we made are so tightly packed within the nanoparticle that they don’t leach out when exposed to the bloodstream and cause side effects,” he explains. What they do is go directly to the tumor, where they bind to cancer stem cells, blocking their growth and spread. He says that synthetic peptides mimicking components from other venoms, such as those from snakes or scorpions, also work well in the nanoparticles as a possible cancer therapy. Pan says the next step is to examine the new treatment approach in rats and pigs. Eventually, they hope to begin a study involving patients. He estimates that this should be in the next three to five years."

How exciting is THAT! Bee stings, anyone? 

Just listened to a really great piece on NPR about why honeybees are disappearing. A very well done bit of reporting. You can listen to it too. You'll love it. And after you're done……GO PLANT A FLOWER!!!! 

http://www.npr.org/2013/09/27/225440117/why-are-bees-disappearing 

For the first time in two years we got a harvest from the Keys of our "Butterbee Pancake Honey". I'm basically drinking it. Trying to restrain myself I poured it over plain yogurt with grapes, raspberries and blueberries. I'm one happy camper. Yum.

This is my unofficial name for this honey. It's a tropical wildflower mix created from the nectars of mangrove, Caribbean Rosewood, and we're not sure what else the bees are drinking when they make this luscious nectar cocktail! It's a low viscosity honey, meaning it's very runny... Which makes it PERFECT for adding to cold items that don't get cooked, such as cool drinks, salad dressings, etc. Thicker honeys need to be warmed to thin out enough to mix in well…..honeys like Orange Blossom. But this honey really is runny enough to pour directly on pancakes and have it be just perfect, without gluing your pancakes together!! 

We're not sure which nectar makes it taste so butterscotch-y. But I can assure you this is how it comes right out of the hive. Well, time to go have another sip…..!!!

The following link will give you lots of cool info honeybees and ways you can help pollinators in YOUR neighborhood. Check it out!

http://www.honeybeehavens.com/content/take-pledge#.VbI9uyZLsEw.facebook

EPA, don’t ignore this big threat to bees Bees need help Tell EPA to include neonic-treated seeds in its pollinator protection plan. Speak up before the comment period closes on June 29! Federal agencies are finally doing something to help protect pollinators — but that “something” is not nearly enough. EPA’s latest plan does narrowly address use of neonicotinoids (neonics) and other bee-harming pesticides, but it entirely overlooks the most common application of these chemicals: seed coatings. Tell the agency to step it up! Tackle this head on, EPA » Coating seed with neonics is a common practice that leads to widespread pollinator exposure. Because neonics are systemic pesticides, they're taken up through the seed and spread throughout all parts of a plant — including to pollen and nectar. Bad news for bees! Each year, neonic-treated seeds are planted on about 200 million acres of farmland in the U.S. — including almost all of the corn and more than half of soybeans. Many other seeds, including canola, are also coated. Yet seed treatments aren’t technically considered a “pesticide use” by EPA, so they’re letting it slide. EPA’s proposed plan only addresses foliar applications (pesticides directly sprayed on a plant) when certain plants are in bloom, and when commercial honeybees are being used to pollinate these crops. Bees need real help! » The science is clear: neonics are a key contributing factor to declining pollinator populations, and seed treatments are a primary route of exposure. Tell EPA to get in gear, and take meaningful action on neonic-treated seeds! And fast.

Once again, it looks like federal decisionmakers are sidestepping the issue of bee-harming pesticides. The Pollinator Health Task Force, launched almost a year ago by President Obama, released its strategy for addressing pollinator declines last week — without tackling the pesticide problem. While the plan sets an ambitious goal for reining in honey bee losses, and calls for state plans to increase habitat for pollinators, it fails to directly address the impact of neonicotinoids and other insecticides, despite crystal clear science that these chemicals are impacting pollinators.

TELL CONGRESS TO ACT Call on your Rep. to support the Saving America's Pollinators Act! Help get neonicotinoids and other bee-toxic pesticides off the shelf. Act Now The creation of this inter-agency task force — led jointly by USDA and EPA — signaled a renewed commitment at the federal level to address the crisis facing bees and other pollinators. And while regulators were formulating their new strategy, more than four million beekeepers, farmers, scientists and concerned advocates across the country urged them to directly and meaningfully address the issue of bee-toxic pesticides.

Unfortunately, the plan falls short. Goals without a plan The task force strategy focuses on three goals: Reduce honey bee colony losses to economically sustainable levels; Increase monarch butterfly numbers to protect the annual migration; and Restore or enhance millions of acres of land for pollinators through combined public and private action. All important, certainly. But it's unclear how regulators intend to meet their goal of reducing annual honey bee losses to an "economically sustainable" average of 15% — commonplace for healthy hives — when losses in recent years have hovered around 30-40% or more. Recent reports show that last year's bee losses were the second worst on record for U.S. beekeepers. An ever growing body of independent science shows that neonics and other pesticides play a critical role in declining bee populations. Without action on pesticides, the problem will persist. In a media statement last week, PAN organizer Lex Horan put it this way: “A lopsided federal policy that takes decisive action on habitat, mites and other issues, while remaining stuck on pesticides, will not turn the tide on bee declines.”

Where: OMNI/Adrienne Arsht Center Metromover station 1455 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, Florida, 33132

Why: To protest the DARK Act, (H.R. 1599), a bill introduced by Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.) and written by Monsanto, that would strip states of the right to pass GMO labeling laws; to call for a global ban on Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide; to call for an end to Monsanto’s global seed monopoly and toxic monocultures.

In June, Congress will hold its first vote on H.R. 1599, The Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act. Critics call it the Deny Americans the Right to Know (DARK) Act because that’s what it’s designed to do—keep consumers in the dark about the GOs in their food. In March, the World Health Organization declared glyphosate, the key active ingredient in Roundup, a probable carcinogen. Roundup is the most widely used herbicide in the world, even though it has been linked to cancer, kidney and liver disease, infertility, chronic digestive disorders and other illnesses. Citizens in Miami, Florida will join millions of people from around the world on May 23, to march against Monsanto’s support for the DARK Act, and to call for a ban on Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide.

More on the Miami, Florida March against Monsanto https://www.facebook.com/events/847841778587193/

More on the national March against Monsanto.http://www.march-against-monsanto.com/events/ National March against Monsanto on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MarchAgainstMonstanto World Health Organization study on glyphosate

We wait all year for this!!!! Orange Blossom honey is being harvested NOW!!!!!! Yippee! This early Orange Blossom comes from colonies in Arcadia, Florida….(There are no orange groves here in Miami!) We've got our first supers spun out...We're busily bottling the honey up now, and looking forward to the rest of the harvest. 

Everyone seems to love Orange Blossom. It's nice and clear and takes the longest to crystallize of any of our raw honeys…..can take close to a year! Of course, a lot of people love crystallized honey too. I love them both.

It won't be long before we harvest the Tropical Wildflower from the hives in our backyard. When we do, you'll be the first to know! 

Or….is springing, anyway! We are happy to report that the Oranges are flowering upstate, and that the Lychees are going ballistic with more blossoms than we have seen in at least three years. We are looking forward to harvesting some flavorful tropical honeys over the next few months. Yum!

So here's a thought.....Harvesting honey without ever opening the beehive. Beautiful fresh honey without disturbing the bees. I love this! It's revolutionary! I do hope that they get the funding they need to be able to manufacture this system and share it with the world. Meanwhile, check out this short video to see their invention in action!

http://www.honeyflow.com

After the holidays it gets a little nippy, even here in Miami, and the bees experience a bit of a work slowdown. But they've been busy, gearing up to get ready for Spring. We've put new Supers (wooden boxes) on top of the colonies, giving them plenty of room to build up honeycomb in anticipation of the Spring honeyflow. Also keeps them from getting crowded, so it's a method of swarm prevention as well. The mangos and the avocados are blossoming, so they've got some lovely flowers to play with. (Truth is, mango blossoms are not their favorite, but they'll pollinate them anyway....) Looking forward to the girls building up their population so that there will be plenty of field bees collecting nectar and pollen by March....

To: Citizens of the Planet

HELLOOOO!!! ! I'M A HONEY BEE!!!! 

I am responsible for 30-40% of your food! 

I got along without you for 100,000,000 years.

And we got along GREAT when you first moved into the neighborhood 200,000 years ago. 

I help the flowers make love to each other and make more flowers and fruit. I kiss the trees and suck nectar and make honey -- and even when you take it -- [even to make money!] -- I don't complain.

I give you life, beauty, sweetness...

I've never asked anything of you but peace. 

But now your FOSSIL FUELS and CHEMICALS are KILLING me.

I can't tell what season it is anymore. 

I can't find enough flowers. 

I can't find enough nectar.

I can't even find my way back home.

If you like FOOD, HONEY and LIFE -- you’ve GOTTA stand up for me, the HONEY BEE -- PLEASE!!! 

My honey is eternal, but at this rate creatures like you and I are not...

If you are a BEEKEEPER [or know any], and can tell the world how important we are, please join our SWARM and BUZZ this on! We have our good friend DRAGONFLY helping us out -- please reach out to her! >> dragonfly@revbilly.com <<

Remember... YOU can't make honey... or eat your money...

Thanks!!!

Hun E. Bee

As many of you know, we've been in a state of flux for over a year, fighting Miami-Dade county and struggling to keep our beehives. Our county refused to acknowledge a 2012 Florida state law that gave beekeepers the right to keep hives on non-agricultural (residential) land. It's been a really long haul. Anyway, last week Miami-Dade withdrew their case after being interviewed by the Miami Herald about their stance on beekeeping and their position being in defiance of state law. I absolutely bee-lieve that their dropping legal proceedings was in order to avoid further negative publicity.

The funny thing is, this Miami Herald article was like the answer to a prayer. I had been gearing up, getting ready to write numerous press releases and sending them to news and media outlets in order to enlist media support for our issue. I had a whole strategy ready to roll out.

But out of the blue, the Miami Herald called us and was doing an in-depth look at the state of bees in the state of Florida. We were interviewed, photographed, the county backed down, and today, the article actually made the front page of the paper.

The online version can be found here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/09/15/4350437/florida-law-helps-fights-to-save.html#

Have a good read! I'm so grateful!!!