Centre for Ecological Apiculture

Natural Honey And Organic Honey From Framehive Beekeeping?

Old Traditions In Apiculture And Viniculture

Abstract: In most cases organic produce are a good choice. The slogan: "without genetic engineering because it's organic" does not apply to supermarkets. Organic Honey and other organic beeproduce do not live up to expectations at all. In most cases natural beekeeping is pretended, in parts even ecological, sustainable or bee-friendly beekeping. Warré hive beekeeping. Almost no difference between organic and non-organic beekeeping method. The beecolonies are neither being kept ecological in organic apiaries nor in non-organic apiaries. The "traditional" framehive beekeeping and sugar feeding allows organic beekeepers to harvest as much honey as beekeepers from other beekeeping associations. Many authors who write about organic beekeeping or certified organic apiaries, have more phantasy and the ability of pure invention than real specialist knowledge. The aims and principles of an organic apiary still remain rationalisation and higher yields at the expence of the beecolony's health. Mrs. Bentzien describes the organic apiary highly imaginative in the most rosy colours; this apply also to organisations such as "natural beekeeping trust"; but the reality of organic beekeeping is different: those beekeepers who are allowed to use an organic label are allowed to feed sugar, to carry out artificial insemination of the queen - well, of course an "insemination of the queen without much injuring" should be guaranteed - , to use non natural queenbreeding methods ("grafting"), to add artificially created parts of the comb (which disturbs communication among the colony), to fix these artificially created parts of the comb with wire, the use of magazines and supers (for instance framehive beekeeping, rotating framehive and warre beekeeping), the use of smoke (which by the way can be called an act of cruelty to bees), even the Pressing-Method is not prohibited; Some organic beekeepers even clip the wings of the queen to prevent swarming - a technique which is supported by many beekeeping associations and scientists. Travelling with beecolonies is also allowed in organic beekeeping; that's the reason why also organic beeproduce may be contaminated with heavy loads of pesticides and antibiotics. Against industrialisation of apiculture and viniculture. Mass-produced articles sold in supermarkets: Food processing industry uses the full repertoire of food technology; regarding beeproduce for instance: ripening machine, heated honey homogenisators, ultrafiltration, honeypowder, artificial comb honey; Medihoney
 

We reported in Apicultural Review Letters [1] ,that the turnover with organic produce annually increase by five billion $ Dollar and 2007 passed the grade of 40 billion $ Dollars. The biggest markets for organic products are Germany, the United States, Great Britain, and Sweden.  Most organic products are really good, especially fruits, vegetables, meat. They are produced with less pesticides, without GMO, and in accordance with nature.

Nevertheless some organic produce are widespread who cannot alltogether be called healthy (for instance organic sugar, organic fast food, sugar containing sweets, dried milk). However, you may say: if I want to ruin my health I can do it at least without ruining the environment!

Organic Honey and other organic beeproduce do not live up to expectations at all. In most cases natural beekeeping is pretended, in parts even ecological or beekeeping considering the character of bees. You can see pictures of straw hives and so on allthought there is almost no difference between organic and non-organic beekeeping method. The beecolonies are neither kept ecological in organic apiaries nor in non-organic apiaries. The "traditional" framehive beekeeping and sugar feeding allows organic beekeepers to harvest as much honey as beekeepers from other beekeeping associations. Thus there is no reason for higher prices in the organic honey sector, as this kind of organic beekeeping supports the worldwide dying of beecolonies.

In beekeeping considering the character of bees the beekeeper turns one's attention to supporting a harmonical developement of the bee-colony during the year and its natural way of living. Unfortunately, this is being neglected in many apiaries - even in organic apiaries. In the USA for instance apiaries with 50.000 colonies are nothing unusual. The colonies are being loaded on trucks in units of  500 colonies and are being transported with open flightholes for days and more than 4.000 km. The way of keeping bees in Europe or especially Germany is similar; framehive-beekeeping (Langstroth, Dadant etc.) - although the opposite of ecological beekeeping - is widespread, also among organic apiaries(!); travelling with beecolonies is also very common; 30.000 km per year is nothing unusual for such an apiary - therefore "Colony Collapse Disorder" (CCD) may also occur in Europe or Germany.

Making full use of travelling with beecolonies is very common among organic beekeepers; this is a reason why also organic beeproduce such as honey, comb in the comb, beesbread and propolis can be contaminated with pesticides and antibiotics from time time. There are many areas in the world like we have in Baden-Württemberg (federal state of Germany); in this federal state of Germany more than 11.000 hectaria fruit farming regions were sprayed with Streptomyzin. Large amounts of honey and other beeproduce had beed contaminated with Streptomyzin, because main infection time is during flowering time of fruit farming areas. In Baden-Württemberg more than 8.000 kg Honey had been polluted with Streptomycin of more than 0,02 mg/kg. According german regulation on maximum permissible limits this peak load was allowed until September 2008. In season 2009 the new Europien peak dose is 0,01 mg/kg. Diseases of fruit farming regions in Germany is covering only the whole territory of the federal states Baden-Württemberg and Bayern. The use of Streptomyzin in fruit farming regions is strictly conditional; it is only allowed to use it within a special warning system; these warnings normally are very short termed, as they depend on weather conditions. Organic beekeepers of course take care that their hives are being located on field managed organically, but they don't care that their bees also fly to conventional fields or fruit farming areas; this apply especially to organic apiaries who migrate with their hives. [9][10]

Nicht nur vom intensiven Obstbau droht Gefahr, sondern auch von sogenannten Guttationstropfen; diese sitzen als runde Wassertröpfchen meist auf den Blattspitzen und den Blatträndern. Die Guttationstropfen zum Beispiel an Mais, Getreidepflanzen, Raps usw. können sehr hohe Giftkonzentrationen beinhalten, die auch ohne weiteres das 100-fache der für Bienen tödliche Dosis enthalten können. Das mit Clothianidin behandelte Saatgut, das zum Bienensterben geführt hatte, darf nicht mehr verwendet werden. Es gibt aber noch genügend andere giftige Mittel; zum Beispiel das Insektizid "Force 1.5 G". Tefluthrin ist ein breit wirksames Nervengift. Ein anderes Insektizid mit demselben Wirkstoff, das bei Futter- und Zuckerrüben zugelassen ist, gilt als sehr giftig für Wasserorganismen und kann in Gewässern längerfristig schädliche Wirkung haben. Auch für Bienen ist dieser Stoff hochgradig giftig. Dabei gibt es längst Möglichkeiten, in der gesamten Landwirtschaft ohne Pestizide auszukommen. Die einzig zuverlässige und umweltverträgliche Methode, den Maiswurzelbohrer zu bekämpfen, ist die Fruchtfolge! [9][10]

Many authors who write about organic beekeeping or certified organic apiaries, have more phantasy and the ability of pure invention than real specialist knowledge. For instance the German author Claudia Bentzien: do not forget that regarding the organic apiary "the most important aims of an organic beekeeper is beekeeping considering the character of bees" - That would be perfect, if it were the aim of an organic beekeeper! The aims and principles of an organic apiary still remain rationalisation and higher yields at the expence of the beecolony's health, as shown in the last issue of Apicultural Review Letters. Mrs. Bentzien describes the organic apiary highly imaginative in the most rosy colours; but the reality of organic beekeeping is different: those beekeepers who are allowed to use an organic label are allowed to feed sugar, to carry out artificial insemination of the queen - well, of course an "insemination of the queen without much injuring" should be guaranteed - , to use non natural queenbreeding methods ("grafting"), to add artificially created parts of the comb (which disturbs communication among the colony), to fix these artificially created parts of the comb with wire, even the Pressing-Methode is not prohibited; Some organic beekeepers even clip the wings of the queen to prevent swarming.  [2][3][4][5]

Even organic and bio-dynamic apiaries are allowed to use artificial parts of the combs, to feed sugar and siropes,  to make full use of travelling with beecolonies, to use heat treatment for bee-produce. Thats the reason why it is useful purchasing apitherapeutical beeproduce from beekeeping considering the character of bees (certified according standards of Centre for ecological Apiculture); these beekeepers support a "longlasting fertility in beekeeping" in contrast to success in artificial beekeeping for a short time. These produce cannot be found in organic shops or supermarkets; they can only be ordered directly in special apiaries. [6]

Those who want to stop "traditional" framehive beekeeping and start with ecological topbar beekeeping should start with a distance course in ecological topbar beekeeping or practical courses / Traineeship in the Centre for ecological Apiculture. [7]

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[1] Centre for ecological Apiculture 2007: Organic Honey does not live up to expectations. Apicultural Review Letters 2007, 6, # 112.
[2] Dbj 2008, 16, p. 229.
[3] Thiele, M. 2008: Why do honeybees swarm? Apicultural Review Letters 2008, 7, # 239.
[4] Ibd.
[5] M. Thiele 2002: Nature and Art. Apiservices 2002  - Virtual beekeeping gallery. In it: In the Organic Beekeeping Journal 8/2001 (http://www.thehealingpath.com) you can read the following councel to organic beekeepers: „The best methods of managing the swarm impulse, is to clip the queens wings and catch the swarm from the ground" - a more stupid method to deal with the swarm impulse cannot be found on earth until now ! This is the way the "organic beekeeping society" supports beekeepers up in word and deed. See also note 3.
[6] Further information and adress sources for pure beewax from naturally built combs, pure german comb honey, beebread, natural honey (runhoney harvested from naturally built combs), german pollen, pure german propolis, Gelee Royal: Centre for ecological Apiculture, phone 0049 5652 917899 or see List of apitherapeutical produce
[7] Further information on distance course ecological beekeeping in topbar hives see: Centre for ecological Apiculture
[8] Centre for social medicine and natural Apitherapy 2009: Natural Therapies and social Medicine instead of Biotech-Medicine - Press-Release
[9] Thiele, M. 2009: How to avoid contamination of bee produce with antibiotics and how to obtain apitherapeutical beeproduce without residuals? Apicultural Review Letters 2009, 8,Nr. 335
[10] itm 1/2009

Further reading and references:

Online-Magazines:recently published scientific research and practical advices on this topic can be found in the quarterly magazine Apiculture and Supplement Apicultural Review Letters
as well as in Natural Science and Science Review Letters
Genetically Modified Seeds Cause More Harm Than Good I-VI. More...
Cancer Caused By GMO's. More...
Genetically Engineered Plants Or Animals In Landscape - Who Is Responsible For It, Like Authorities Who Release The Rules, Can Be Taken To Court For It
Monsanto And The GM-Crop Disaster
Biosafety? Unscientific Assumptions The Basis Of Approvals? - Blatant Propaganda Exercise Stands Validated As Exemplary Science - Toxic Genetically Engineered Foods Could Have Been Approved.
Genetically Modified Foods And Seeds Are Unhealthy And Unsafe - Evidence Links GM Foods To Allergies
Green Biotechnology And Red Biotechnology In The Retreat
On The Risks Of Agro-Biotechnology I-V  - Negative Side Effects Of Genetically Modified Crops On Honeybees
"Genetic Engineering - Wrong In The Premises?"