The Sweet Science: How Bees Create Honey and Why They're in Danger
As honey takes center stage on tables during Rosh Hashanah, symbolizing hopes for a sweet new year, zoologist Dr. Haim Moyal highlights the intricate world of bees and their vital role.
Dr. Moyal, a lecturer at the Levinsky-Wingate Academic Center, explains that European honeybees are far more than just honey producers. He describes them as exceptionally intelligent creatures capable of problem-solving and finding food sources through diverse methods. Beyond honey, their most significant contribution is pollination, essential for nearly all global agricultural crops, with an estimated annual economic value of $300 billion.
The bees' process begins with locating flowers and collecting nectar and pollen. Upon returning to the hive, they communicate food source locations to other bees through a complex "waggle dance," where the dance's direction, intensity, and speed guide their hive mates. The transformation of nectar, a sugar-water solution, into honey involves enzymes in the bees' saliva that alter its chemical composition. They then fan their wings to evaporate excess moisture, achieving the familiar honey consistency. This results in one of nature's most stable foods, with honey found in 3,000-year-old Egyptian tombs still being edible.
Within the hive, a highly organized social structure prevails. Larvae are fed honey and protein-rich pollen, while the queen receives a special secretion from worker bees, rich in proteins, vitamins, and amino acids, enabling her to lay eggs and sustain the colony. Moyal emphasizes the bees' nature as a "superorganism," where the colony's welfare supersedes individual needs, with bees willing to sacrifice their lives to protect the hive. In some cases, bees can collectively generate intense heat to eliminate intruders without stinging.
Despite their crucial role, European honeybees face increasing threats from pests, diseases, pesticides, and environmental changes, placing them on the endangered species list. As Israelis celebrate Rosh Hashanah, Moyal's insights serve as a reminder of the complex natural wonder behind the sweetness, a small marvel that sustains both humanity and the environment.
