Apiary

Why bees? Bee keeping and conservation provides numerous benefits, not only for the bees themselves but also for ecosystems, agriculture, and human society as a whole. Bees are often overlooked because the services that they provide are sometimes “hard to see and/or value.” Also, the honey extracted is used as a natural sweetener and in herbal remedies sold at the shop.

Benefits; Direct benefit include honey, which isn’t inly a delicious sweetener but also has various health benefits. Bees indirectly benefit plants in several ways through the process of pollination which in turn leads to increased fruit production, genetic diversity and biodiversity. To sum it all up apiaries play a significant role in tree health and reproduction by facilitating pollination.

The hives house the African honey bee (Apis mellifera capensis). This is a sub species of the European honey bee and is native to sub-Saharan Africa and is known for its adaptability to different environments.

The apiary area is also home to many plants that are used as forage. These provide the bees with nectar. Selection of the plants for forage at the apiary is thoughtful so that these not only provide the bees with nectar all year round but also contain active phytochemicals that are present in the honey produced by the bees. These include; Vernonia amygdalina, Calliandra calothyrsus, Eucalyptus spp among others.

Bee conservation is crucial we need to protect these vital pollinators and ensure the health of ecosystems and agriculture. You can contribute by; promoting responsible use of pesticides, creating and maintaining pollinator friendly habitats, awareness about the importance of bees and their role in pollination, and responsible bee keeping practices that prevent spread of diseases that harm bee populations.