Honey from stingless bees

	About 800 species of stingless bees are found throughout tropical regions of the World, ranging from such ecologically diverse habitats as humid rainforest to dry savanna or cerrado. Their greatest diversity and abundance, however, is in the Amazonian rain forest. While they range in size from only a few mm to larger than the honey bee (Apis mellifera), they all live in colonies where they care for the brood (the new bees) laid by the colony mother, or queen. Some colonies contains thousands of individuals. Working females are constantly flying in and out of the colony to gather what is needed for sustaining the large family. Most importantly the foraging workers gather honey and pollen used as provision for the young bees (larvae) being reared. The bees will usually store a large amount of both honey and pollen during favorable times which they can use later. If properly managed, the honey can be harvested from the stingless bees without damaging or weakening the colony. The taste of stingless bee honey is experienced different by different people, but generally it is called very sweet and pleasant, almost acidic and with a boost of floral fragrances. The highly desired Tetragonisca honey is a little more acidic compared to honey from Melipona due to the plants visited by these bees.
	Traditional use of honey from stingless bees The use of stingless bee honey is known from all of the regions where these bees are found, with possibly most interest in the cultivation in Latin America and Australia (called sugar-bags there). The best documented use of honey from stingless bees comes from the Mayan civilization in the Yucatan peninsula where they use Melipona beechei. Here the bee is called "xunancab" and beekeeping of this species originated independent of hive beekeeping with honey bees in the Old World. "Xunancab" was in the Maya civilization only second in importance to corn (maize) in people's lives and rituals. The honey was used both as honey, but also fermented as "balche", their alcoholic drink. Today the tradition of keeping stingless bees has largely been abandoned in favor of imported honey bees (Apis mellifera) which yields more honey. In Peru stingless bee honey has been used in traditional medicine for centuries or more, but the actual beekeeping has been limited and most honey for the local market is collected by cutting down trees with entire bee colonies, which are then left to die. Traditionally honey from stingless bees are harvested by squeezing the honey pots with the bare hands and collecting the honey as it pour out of the nest, often contaminated with pollen and brood (bee larvae). This makes the honey particular susceptible to fermentation. The honey is widely used and often sold at local markets. Here the honey may serve both as a sweetener, but more often as part of folk medicine. Stingless bee honey are an important part of different treatments against throat infections (common cold, cough), but are also used in the treatment of fertility problems. While the honey possesses anti-bacterial properties dependent on the botanical origin of the honey, the combination of stingless bee honey with jungle herbs may alter or improve the properties of each remedy to be more specific in the treatment. A typical mixture to combat fever include stingless bee honey (1 part) mixed with sugar cane alcohol (5 parts) and left with the local plant "chuchu-huasi" (Maytenus krukovii) and pollen.  http://www.melipona.org

Mari Kita Ke Kebun...oi!!

17 Mac 2013, bermula jam 8.30 pagi, kerja -kerja membersihkan kebun yang dicadangkan untuk diletakkan beberapa sarang kelulut dimulakan....boleh tahan gak penatnyer....

Menyangkul bang....control sikit....tak lama lagi majlis nak langsung...

 

Pokok durian ada, mangga ada, kelapa matag ada....macam-macam ada...

 

Sedap mata memandang...bilo nak gugur buah bang??

Akhirnya wak datang membawa 'senjatanya'...kan sonang dan copek....

 

Jam 10.30 pagi, kami pun bersurai....moga-moga usaha kami kelak akan membuahkan hasil....insya-Allah...

Rezeki usahawan madu lebah

SHAIFUL HIZAM menunjukkan koloni lebah yang diusahakan di ladang Carambola Bee Farm yang terdapat di beberapa tempat seperti Semenyih, Selangor dan Parit Sikom, Simpang Renggam, Johor.

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TIGA tahun lalu, Shaiful Hizam Harman pernah berkobar-kobar untuk menternak burung walit. Namun, hasratnya terbantut apabila dia kekurangan maklumat mengenai penternakan haiwan itu.
Ternyata ada hikmah di sebalik semua itu, kerana selepas puas berfikir dia kemudian memilih untuk menternak lebah madu.
“Sekitar 2007, memang saya terfikir untuk masuk dalam industri pemakanan kerana saya sendiri merupakan pengusaha gimnasium yang terletak di Wangsa Maju, Kuala Lumpur. Saya lihat masyarakat moden hari ini lebih menitik beratkan pemakanan mereka.
“Bagaimanapun ia terpaksa dilupakan kerana selain kekurangan maklumat, saya mendapati permintaan untuk sarang burung itu pun lebih menjurus kepada pasaran China,” katanya.
Permintaan tinggi
Namun begitu, tidak lama selepas itu dia teringat tentang khasiat madu seperti yang pernah dibacanya dalam hadis Rasulullah.
“Saya mula membuat kajian tentang tawaran dan permintaan madu di seluruh dunia. Saya baca laporan yang dikeluarkan oleh Jabatan Pertanian Australia, Amerika Syarikat dan Eropah,” katanya.
Kebanyakannya mendedahkan permintaan madu dari luar negara sangat tinggi sedangkan pengeluaran bahan itu sangat kurang.
“Seperkara lagi, modal yang diperlukan untuk memulakan industri lebah madu masih kecil iaitu kira-kira RM12,000 berbanding RM250,000 untuk industri sarang burung walit,” katanya.
Selama setahun, Shaiful mula melihat laman-laman web dan belajar mengenai lebah menerusi video YouTube selain melawat beberapa ladang lebah madu di sekitar Selangor.
Hari ini, usahawan muda itu mampu meraih pendapatan kira-kira RM8,000 sebulan melalui lima kotak atau koloni lebah yang dihuni oleh 70,000 ekor lebah bagi setiap kotak.
Lebah bersifat sensitif
“Tidak susah untuk memulakan industri lebah madu. Ia boleh dibuat di belakang rumah atau ditumpang di kebun buah-buahan. Risikonya kurang kerana jika satu koloni lebah diserang penyakit seperti bakteria atau fungus, ia tidak berjangkit kepada koloni yang lain,” katanya.
Pada pendapat beliau, lebah bersifat sensitif, amat mengenang jasa dan setia kepada tuan yang memeliharanya.
“Saya pernah berhadapan dengan kesulitan kewangan pada awal tahun 2009. Apa yang saya buat tidak menjadi. Saya duduk di hadapan kotak-kotak lebah saya dan menceritakan masalah saya. Saya meminta lebah-lebah ini keluar untuk mendatangkan madu dengan jumlah yang banyak,” katanya.
Beliau hampir menitiskan air mata apabila doanya dimakbulkan Allah, dengan lebah-lebahnya mengeluarkan berkilogram madu.
“Saya hanya berada di kawasan ternakan lebah dua atau tiga kali seminggu. Tetapi mungkin lebih kerap jika perlu menguruskan pemindahan lebah ke tempat baru. Sekali pergi saya akan berada untuk tempoh sejam atau dua bagi menguruskan semua koloni lebah,” katanya.
Antara yang terbaik
Beliau berharap orang ramai agar membuka mata terhadap industri yang amat berpotensi itu.
Di Malaysia, madu yang terhasil menerusi kerajinan lebah mencari manisan daripada pokok gelam, akasia (sejenis pokok kayu balak), nanas dan belimbing, mempunyai bau yang lebih kuat.
Ia menyamai madu dari New Zealand yang terhasil daripada lebah-lebah yang terbang mencari manisan dari pokok manuka.
Pada masa ini, Shaiful hanya menjual madu yang dibotolkan dengan jenama Madu Tree secara dalam talian pada harga RM44 bagi 500 gram berbanding RM98 (500 gram) madu yang diimport.
Shaiful menawarkan madu asli dan asas ternakan lebah yang boleh diperoleh melalui laman web http://carambolabeefarm.blogspot.com. – Bernama

 

Sumber: Kosmo!

What are Native Bees?

www.aussiebee.com.au
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		There are over 1,500 species of "true blue" Australian native bees (see photos of some common examples below).
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		Commercial honey bees (Apis mellifera) are not native to Australia. They were introduced from Europe in about 1822.
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		Australian native bees can be black, yellow, red, metallic green or even black with blue polka dots! They can be fat and furry, or sleek and shiny.
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		Australia's smallest native bee is Cape York's minute Quasihesma bee. It is less than 2 mm long.
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		Australia's largest native bee is the Great Carpenter Bee of the tropical north and northern NSW. It is up to 24 mm long.
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		Most Australian bees are solitary bees which raise their young in burrows in the ground or in tiny hollows in timber.
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		Australia also has 10 species of social native bees (genera Tetragonula* and Austroplebeia) which do not sting! (Previously called Trigona - Why has their name been changed?)
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		Stingless bee honey is a delicious bush food and stingless bees can be good crop pollinators. So stingless beekeeping is becoming increasingly popular.
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		Native bees are also important pollinators of Australia's unique wildflowers and are a vital part of our Australian bushland.
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Australian Native Bees
Stingless Social Bee (Tetragonula - previously called Trigona) - 4mm	Blue Banded Bee (Amegilla) - 11mm
Great Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa) - 24mm	Teddy Bear Bee (Amegilla) - 12mm
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Introduced European Bees
European honeybee (Apis) -- 12mm Photo by Simon Boyd This bee is used for honey production and crop pollination throughout Australia. Feral nests of this bee are also found in most areas of Australia.	European Bumblebee (Bombus) -- 8 - 22 mm Photo by Brian Faulkner A feral population of this bee has become established in Tasmania but fortunately it has not spread to the Australian mainland. More details.

Honey Production with Stingless Native Bees

Stingless native bees are primitive species that only produce small amounts of honey. It is only in warm areas of Australia, such as in Queensland and northern NSW, that they can produce more honey than they need for their own survival. Harvesting honey from a nest in a cooler area could weaken or even kill the nest.

In warm areas of Australia, however, honey production is possible with these bees. Hives also can be kept successfully in boxes in these areas and propagated by splitting. Special methods are being developed to harvest moderate amounts of honey from stingless bees in these areas without harming the bees.

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A cluster of honey pots from the Austroplebeia australis stingless bee species.

Stingless bee honey is called Sugarbag and was prized by Aboriginals who collected it from wild nests. Stingless bees store their flavoursome honey in clusters of small resin pots near the extremities of the nest. The resin adds a wide variety of tangy flavours to the honey, such as lemon or eualyptus. It is delicious drizzled over ice cream! However, Sugarbag honey is a rare product to be savoured because each hive only produces about 1 kg of honey per year.

For honey production, the bees need to be kept in an especially-designed box so that the honey stores can be reached without damaging the rest of the nest structure. Box designs for honey production provide a separate compartment for the honey stores so that honey pots can be removed without spilling honey into other areas of the nest.
  
Sources: www.aussiebee.com.au

Australian Stingless Bees

(Sources: www.aussiebee.com.au)

Can I pollinate crops with Australian stingless bees?

Stingless bees can be excellent pollinators of certain crops in Australia. They are particularly useful for macadamias, mangoes and watermelons, and for crops grown inside greenhouses. Some breeders can supply hives of stingless bees for crop pollination. For more details, read our article: Crop Pollination with Native Bees.

Are there any workshops on stingless beekeeping?

Dr Tim Heard runs popular workshops on stingless beekeeping in the Brisbane area. For details of these workshops and other seminars on native bees visit our page: Native Bee Seminars and Special Events.

Where can I learn more about Australian stingless bees?

Aussie Bee has written a set of ten detailed booklets on native stingless bees - their nests, behaviour, species, tips on stingless beekeeping and a detailed guide to boxing and splitting hives.

We also stock John Klumpp's excellent book, 'Australian Stingless Bees' which presents a wide range of other information about our stingless native bees.

Back issues of Aussie Bee's popular magazine, 'Aussie Bee Bulletin' are also available. Aussie Bee Bulletin is like a complete encyclopedia of practical information about native bees.

To purchase your copies of these publications, visit the Aussie Bee Shop.

Where can I read free articles about stingless bees? Aussie Bee also regularly adds great free articles about native stingless bees to the Aussie Bee Online section of this website. Topics have included fighting swarms, nest structures, stingless bee breeding and protecting hives against small hive beetles. The articles cover the latest research findings from the scientists and great ideas contributed by stingless bee keepers. Look through the index of all our free native bee articles on this page: Aussie Bee Online Articles.

How can I stay up to date with stingless bee news?

To find out all about the latest new articles, publications, photos, videos, workshops, seminars and other news about stingless native bees, subscribe to Aussie Bee Email Updates. These free updates are sent out about three times a year. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Aussie Bee Website also has a Facebook page where we announce news about stingless bees. We are currently adding fascinating galleries of photos from our intrepid native bee safaris to our Facebook page. Share the adventure as Aussie Bee visited remote areas of Cape York, The Kimberley, Arnhem Land and Central Australia in search of long lost species of Australian stingless bees!

There is also an active chat group on Yahoo! about Australian native bees. Join in the discussion about stingless bees and other types of native bees in Australia.

Australian Stingless Bee

Sources: http://www.aussiebee.com.au 

What are stingless bees?
 

Australia has about ten species of small black stingless bees. They are about 4 mm long -- see the photo below of a stingless bee compared with a much larger commercial honeybee.

Some species are black with white fur on their faces and sides. Other species are black with tiny yellow markings on their backs. They build resinous nests inside hollow trees.

Visit Aussie Bee's special galleries to see:
-- beautiful photos of stingless bees
-- spectacular videos of stingless bees

Above: One of the spectacular photos of stingless bees in our Photo Galleries. This photo was taken by Peter O.

In which parts of Australia are stingless bees found?

Stingless bees are tropical. So they only thrive in warm areas of Australia such as Queensland, northern areas of WA and NT, and north-eastern areas of NSW. To find out more, read our article: Which Native Bees are in Your Area?

Can I keep Australian stingless bees?

Native stingless bees can be kept in a natural log or in a hive box in suitable parts of Australia. These bees are easy and safe to keep in your backyard but you need to learn about their special requirements. To find out more, read our article: How to Care for Your Nest of Australian Stingless Bees.

Where can I buy some Australian stingless bees?

Aussie Bee provides a list of many breeders who can supply hives of stingless native bees. It is important to buy a bee species and a hive design that suits your area. So have we grouped together the hive sellers whose bees suit various areas of Australia. Visit our hive sellers' page: Where to Buy Stingless Bees in Australia.

Can I harvest honey from Australian stingless bees? Stingless bees only produce small amounts of honey - less than one litre per year. However, this honey (known as Sugarbag) is delicious and tangy! It is possible to harvest small amounts of honey from suitable hives in warm parts of Australia. To find out more, read our article: Honey Production With Stingless Native Bees.