What's That Buzz In The Air?

It's Spring, and you may have noticed that Honey Bees are flying from dawn to dark now, visiting every flower bloom they can find.

   Honey Bees are a very important part of our agriculture, and a part of our East Texas traditions.  For many of us, we have fond memories of going to grandma's house and eating hot, buttered biscuits drizzled with honey.  But do you know where it really comes from?  It is the nectar from many kinds of wild flowers, mixed and processed by honey bees to convert the sugars to a sweet mixture of mostly glucose and dextrose- two sugars that are among the easiest to be used by us humans.

   About 75% of our agriculture needs, or even requires, the services of honey bees.  They are among the best pollinators, giving bigger yields of crops such as cucumbers, squash, blue berries, and canola.  They are virtually a requirement to get an almond, and they are in high demand in California where about 25% of the worlds almonds are grown.  This spring, more than 2 million hives were rented by almond growers in California just for that purpose.  Many farmers now pay to have honey bees in their fields and orchards so that their crops will be boosted.

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