Honeybees Making Dinner

Every day people make decisions over food: what to eat, where to buy it, and how to eat it. Most of the time I eat food unknowing of where it came from or its production process. A recent meal I had (Sodexo’s options in the dining hall were unappealing) was honey toast: toasted oat nut bread spread over with gooey honey. This simple ingredient I use in baking, spreading over biscuits, or mixing in tea to soothe a soar throat. In ancient times, this natural sweetener was “the symbol of wealth and happiness” (Horn 2). Since then, honey has been found in various industries including food, pharmaceutical, dental, and cosmetics. Honey has a very unique line of production and history that was started millions of years ago.

Honey bees evolved 130 million years ago in Godwana: a single land mass consisting of present continents India, Africa, South America, Antarctica, and Australia. Ten million years later, honeybees acquired to the ability collect pollen and nectar by certain features such as longer tongues, pollen baskets, fuzziness of the skin, and colonies to store materials. Freezing temperatures thirty million years ago, during the Oligocene-Miocene period, caused the extinction of the European honeybees; the Indo-European honeybees survived and began to reproduce and speciate. Honeybees come from the tribe Apinin, and are the last living member. In the early 1900s, tracheal mites were destroying the beehives of Apis mellifera (branch of Apinin) in Europe. The United States passed a Honey Bee Restriction Act in 1992 to protect Apis mellifera in the US; by 1980, tracheal mites had migrated to the United States, eventually killing off 50-80% of American bee colonies (NYT).

In the 19^th century four inventions sparked beekeeping as an economically successful industry; they include the smoker, comb foundation maker, moveable-frame hive, and honey extractor. These inventions are still being used today but have been modified since their appearance. In early times, the entire colony of bees was destroyed when honey was harvested. In the late 18^th century Thomas Wildman invented ways to prevent the killing of bees when harvesting their honey. He attached parallel bars across the hive to increase amount of surface area bees can attach their comb to. His inventions led to the current movable comb hives: a frame can slide out without harming the bees or the eggs. Modern beekeeping includes the use of movable frame hives, top-bar hives, and protective clothing for the beekeepers. All of these inventions have been modified over the years adapting to benefit both the bees and the amount of production.

Inside of the hive, nectar undergoes physical and chemical changes to create honey. The nectar is “gathered by honeybees from flowers to feed the bee colony” (Nicholls and Miraglio 2003). There are two different types of bees: field bees and house bees. Field bees bring nectar they store in a honey sac to the hive. Inside the beehive, house bees receive the nectar and inject enzymes into it, breaking down sucrose into fructose and glucose. The house bees extract water from the nectar converting it into honey. This process is done through physical and chemical changes. The nectar starts out as 70% water, and finishes as honey with 20% water composition. To eliminate water, the honeybees eat and regurgitate the nectar, producing honey. Once the honey is produced it must be collected from the hive by a beekeeper.

Most honey gathering happens at night when bees are less active. A torch is inserted into the hive, scaring the bees to the back. Wearing a protective suit, a beekeeper reaches his hand into the hive to collect the honey. Even through this suit, beekeepers are not repellent to their stings; they must accept this slight discomfort when starting this job.

Honey types vary in their composition, flavor, and color—the boldest flavors are in the darkest honeys. The nectar source gives the greatest variety of composition among honeys. There are over three hundred floral sources in the world. The make-up of honey is 38% fructose; 31% glucose; 17% water; and 13% disaccharides, trisaccharides, and oligosaccharides. A small percentage includes vitamins, enzymes, amino acids, minerals, phytochemicals, and organic acids. Even though honey is largely composed of sugars, it is full of antioxidants and vitamins. 

Honey is seen in many different industries including food, pharmaceutical, dental, and cosmetics. Comparing the majority of consumption and production of honey, the United States is in both categories. The majority of honey is produced in the United States, Canada, China, Argentina, and Mexico, while the majority of consumption is in the United States, Japan, and Germany. Production across different continents could not have been possible without humans rearranging the distribution of bees around the world. During the 17^th century, Europeans were fleeing wars and brought bees to the United States when migrating. Other societies brought beekeeping to New Zealand, Tasmania, and Australia. Bees first evolved when a few of the continents were connected and this helped scattering bees around the world. Although, most of the current dispersion of bees would not have been possible without the help of humans.  

Honey toast has been my savior in the college dining hall. The gooey sweetener is perfect to spread over toast or mix in tea. The history of honey has surpassed what I ever would have imagined. The behavior of honeybees is very interesting; I am intrigued by the process honey went through to get on my plate. From harvesting the nectar to collecting the honey to traveling in a semi truck to the grocery store, honey shares a deep history. When honey was invented it was a symbol of prosperity and happiness. In today’s society it is cherished for its sweetness and medical powers. This transition through time can be reflected through the many different industries honey is a part of now. In the past it was a symbol of wealth and happiness; to me honey represents purity and delight.