HELP SAVE THE BEES FOUNDATION

2023 HOLIDAY NEWSLETTER

PROPOLIS: ANOTHER SPECIAL TREASURE FROM THE BEES

BY LAURIE YARBOROUGH, PRESIDENT HSBF

The word Propolis, of Latin and Greek origins, means “Pro”- for (or in the defense of) “Polis”- city (or hive).

Propolis is a very sticky resinous material of waxy consistency that is collected by only 1-2% of the female forager bees from the buds of certain trees like Pine, Norway Spruce, Alder, Willow, Horse-Chestnut, Birch, Plum, Ash, Oak, Cottonwood and Poplar. As these trees bud, they exude these resins around the bud in order to protect it from fungi and other diseases. The bees load these sticky resins into the pollen baskets on their hind legs and carry them back to the hive. This substance is so gooey they can’t get it off so “cementing bees” will scrape or bite it off and put it in holding sites where it will be used where needed. This resin/sap is mixed with certain salivary discharges and beeswax and the bees use it as a cement in repairing and maintaining the hive.

It is used as a sealant to bind the hive structure together, keep out the light, fill in the gaps and cracks as well as for smoothing out the interior walls. All these things help to protect the hive from external invaders like snakes, lizards, insects and other pests, any and all of which would love the warmth, shelter and food supply of the hive. The Propolis also insulates the hive against elements like wind, rain and temperature.

Besides these very important aspects of hive maintenance, this gooey substance, known also as “Bee Glue,” is crucial in helping to protect the hive from harmful microbes from bacteria, fungi and viruses. The antimicrobial compounds in the Propolis help keep the hive sterile and therefore the colony healthy. Bees will use propolis where they’re going to build wax and they will line the cells with a coating of propolis before the Queen lays an egg. Propolis is all about creating a sterile and hygienic environment within the hive. It’s like a strong immune system for the bees.

What is IN Propolis?

Propolis is composed mainly of resin (50%), wax (30%), essential oils (10%), pollen (5%), and other organic compounds (5%). The National Institutes of Health have identified about 300 chemical compositions in Propolis, most notable flavonoids, phenols, esters, terpenes and more. Its antibacterial, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, anesthetic, and healing properties have been confirmed in many scientific research studies. Propolis has been effectively used in treatment of dermatological, laryngological, and gynecological problems, neurodegenerative diseases, in wound healing, and in treatment of burns and ulcers.

Propolis also contains important vitamins, such as vitamins B1, B2, B6, C, and E and useful minerals such as magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), potassium (K), sodium (Na), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), and iron (Fe).

A Little Human History

Propolis has been known and used for centuries. The ancient Greeks, Romans and Egyptians were aware of the healing properties of propolis and made extensive use of it as a medicine. From as early as 300 BC, writings show that Propolis was used by the Egyptians for embalming cadavers. Bees do something quite similar. If an invader gets into the hive that the bees cannot carry out, they will encase it in propolis in order to keep the hive sanitary from the germs and bacteria due to decomposition.

Propolis has been used for humans and livestock as an antiseptic, anti-microbial and detoxifier for thousands of years. The Incas used Propolis as an antipyretic in 1600 BC. The Romans used it to heal wounds, cuts and burns as a topical therapy. In the Middle Ages it was applied to navels of newborns to prevent infections. It was used as an antiseptic and oral disinfectant. Propolis became popular between the 17th-20th centuries for its antibacterial qualities and was used to treat wounds during WWII.

Although the use/understanding of Propolis continued on through folk medicine, it fell away from mainstream. However, through the last century, much scientific research validates what our ancestors thought. Today, Propolis has been recognized for a myriad of health benefits. Propolis has anti-fungal properties, along with being antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and immune boosting. There are many research journals (chemical, biological, medical, health, etc. ) as well as magazine articles, websites, blogs, health food stores that can help us to understand how Propolis works its magic.

Uses of Propolis at a Glance

We have learned that much research supports Propolis for its therapeutic properties as an antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, hepatoprotective, and anti-inflammatory agent and, for its ability to increase the body’s natural resistance to infections. Propolis has been used for the following:

Wound healing, Diabetic Ulcers
Burn treatment
Acne, eczema, and psoriasis treatment
Supports Oral Health, cavity prevention, cold sores, canker sores
Gingivitis and stomatitis treatment, swelling/sores inside of the mouth
Alleviate cold and flu symptoms
Helps body resist infections
Relieve dermatitis and neurodermatitis

Some recent Propolis clinical trials with promising beneficial results for the following:

· Chronic Kidney Disease
· Cancer treatment side effects
· Type 2 Diabetes

Importance of Source

When buying propolis, it is important to know how it was derived; produced using synthetic chemicals, plants/trees sprayed with pesticides, hives treated with chemicals, purity, etc., because what goes into it, goes into your body so it’s good to know the sourcing practices of the beekeeper or company where you are buying your products. As we all know, our global food system depends on bees to pollinate 1/3 of our food supply so our primary goal is for bee health. We can do this by buying sustainably sourced products from companies that work on a small scale, avoiding the use of chemicals and pesticides. Perhaps choose a company that is upfront about their sourcing practices. As beekeepers, we know it’s important not to overharvest any of our bee products, leaving plenty for the bees for them to be healthy and flourish. Healthy hives, healthy bees, healthful treasures for us! It’s a win-win all around!

If you are a beekeeper, there are many sources for learning how to make your own salves and tinctures.

Enjoy digging a little deeper to learn more about Propolis, another blessed treasure from our bees! And Cheers to good health!

All content and information in this article is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute any health advice. The information presented here is not a substitute for any kind of professional advice, or treatment from a physician and you should not rely solely on this information.

HELPING OUR NATIVE POLLINATORS SURVIVE THE WINTER

BY MELINDA TORVINEN

Although some butterflies (like Monarchs) are known for migrating great distances when the seasons change, most of our native pollinators prefer to stay at home and ride out the cold. Some survive as eggs left in hollow stems; some as larvae sheltered in leaf litter or in the ground; a few can survive as caterpillars or overwinter as chrysalis; and others stay active through the winter. All need habitat and some shelter from the elements.

What can you do to help provide habitat necessary for survival? By doing less clean up in your garden in the fall you may be doing more for pollinators. Leave some dry leaves which provide nutrients, insulation and cover for overwintering eggs and larvae. Embrace the beauty of dormant plants and leave some dry stems, grasses, flowers. Hollow stems are especially important for our native bees. If you are not comfortable postponing all the fall clean-up, consider gathering up some of the leaves, bundling some of the dry stems, and relocating them to a habitat ‘pile’ in a less conspicuous spot in your yard.

In the spring, delay cleanup as long as you can. Postpone lawn mowing until after the dandelions bloom to help the early season pollinators. Consider adding some native plants next spring to add more overwintering elements to your yard. And always – avoid using pesticides no matter the season.

By adopting some simple changes, together we can help increase the availability and quality of nesting and overwintering habitat in our area.

KEEP BEES BUZZIN’

BY DAVID “FEZ” DUFFIE

1. The vast majority of our native bees are solitary and don’t form hives or have queens. The bumble bees, 49 species of which are found in the United States, are the exception.

2. Like honeybees, bumble bees live socially in hives which provide shelter and a place to raise their young. Usually located underground, particularly in abandoned holes made by rodents, bumble bee hives usually include between 50 and 500 individuals.

3. Except for new queens, which hibernate during winter, bumble bee colonies die in late fall. Queens overwinter in small holes just beneath or on the ground’s surface, emerging in spring to create new colonies they begin by laying eggs.

4. Bumble bees are important pollinators for our food plants. Bumble bees pollinate plants out in nature, helping to keep our ecosystems healthy, but they are also commercially valuable as pollinators of many crops.

5. Bumble Bees are in trouble. Several bumble bee species are rapidly declining. The western bumble bee, the yellow banded bumble bee and the Franklin’s bumble bee have all vanished from large portions of their range and the rusty-patched bumble bee was recently listed as officially endangered. Scientists report similar losses across Europe, South America and Asia. Bumble bees face many threats, including habitat loss, pesticides, introduced diseases, climate change and competition from honeybees.

6. Because most queens overwinter in small holes on or just below the ground’s surface, avoid raking, tilling or mowing your yard until April or May (or June in the mountains).

Resource - National Wildlife Federation blog: https://blog.nwf.org/2021/05/5-facts-about-bumble-bees-and-how-to-help-them/

FALL AND SPRING GARDENING BULBS & POLLINATOR PLANTS

BY BARB FENNE

This is the time to plant bulbs because they can stratify (get cold) and will grow roots (daffodils, narcissus, tulips), rhizomes (iris. Canna lilies, ginger, bamboo) and corms (ranunculus, crocus, gladiolas, tuberous begonias) in the ground. Hardy bulbs are tulips and daffodils; tubers can be cut into pieces and planted like dahlias and caladiums. Tender bulbs are dahlias, begonias, and gladiolas. “Bulb” is a generic term for these categories.

Early spring when the ground is workable and approaching 60 degrees is a good time to plant, also. Look for bulbs right now to plant within the next few weeks and be sure to look at the planting zone on the box or tag (we are zone 7, in Reno) and that indicates how cold hardy the bulbs are.

Pollinator plants are slow growing because of the long roots they develop to be able to follow water. If you must dig them, be sure to make a wider, deeper hole and dig up all of the roots. Sometimes you get lucky with a partial root with small roots growing off the tip.

Milkweed has long roots that lengthen as they grow; I pick off the pods when they start to turn brown or if they are splitting. It is easy to harvest seeds by several methods. One way is to put them in a container and shake it; open a corner and theoretically the brown seeds fall out. Another way is to open the pod carefully and, using your thumb and first finger, grab the white area opposite the seeds and give it a little twist. Then run your thumb and first finger on your other hand to gently push the seeds off. Usually there are a few that are hiding in the mass of white fluff. You will save seeds by opening them over a shallow bowl. Another way is to plop the seeds into a bowl and wet them. You will not have “little floating sky divers” all over the place.

To keep milkweed from crowding out your flower beds just pick the pods off before they can escape to the ground. You can throw them in a paper lunch bag and turn the top down a couple of times to save them. I also use prescription bags and buy lunch bags in bulk to save time.

Make sure you use a permanent marker on the outside of the bag to print the name of the seed and the date. Plant them like any other seed by just barely covering them.

Why not store seeds in plastic bags? They will mold, especially if you have a long, narrow plastic bag like a crafts bag (2” x 3.5”)

Generally, pollinators plants need to be planted or transplanted just like most other plants. Loosen the soil, make sure the hole is deep enough so you do not J-root or curve the root into a “J” shape. Use native soil or amended soil. Do not fertilize or compost the plant; that is not natural for pollinator plants, and you could send them into shock. Do water them and keep them well watered until they are standing up straight and are developing leaves. Then, cut back on the water to once or twice a week.

Native plants have grown naturally in Nevada without human help or interference. Nativars are plants that grow readily and may be modified by man. Unfortunately, when plants are hybridized (mixed genetics) they are modified for color, the amount of petals and size but they lose their fragrance. Bees, butterflies and other insects cannot smell them and they usually do not have the nectar that pollinators need to survive.

FALL RECIPE: CRANBERRY CHUTNEY

This is my personal favorite contribution to a Thanksgiving meal. And, in truth, to me it is not really Thanksgiving without it. I’ll eat the stuff squished from a can, but this, chunky and real, wins. You can make chutney at other times of the year with fresh peaches, apples, pears, or figs—or whatever else happens to be ripe in that season. Depending on the sweetness of the fruit, you may need to adjust the amount of honey you add.

https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/laurey-masterton/the-fresh-honey-cookbook/9781612120515/?lens=storey

Makes 3 cups

The ingredients:

1 (1-pound) bag fresh cranberries

2 navel oranges, unpeeled, cut into 6 wedges and then into thin slices

⅓ cup golden raisins

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon whole cloves

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ cup apple cider

½ cup honey, preferably cranberry honey

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

Here’s what you do:

1. Pour the cranberries into a 2-quart pot. Add the oranges, raisins, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, salt, apple cider, honey, and vinegar. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the chutney thickens, about 20 minutes.

2. Remove from the heat and serve warm or, if you prefer, chill and serve cold.

TEACHER’S CORNER: LITTLE PIECES OF NOTHING…EXPOSING YOUR HEART

BY BARB FENNE

Queen Bee Barb prepares to demonstrate the Waggle Dance to 3rd grade students at Jessie Beck Elementary in Reno, Nevada.

One of the most memorable times I had as a child was sitting with my mom at a kindergarten class and having all kinds of paper supplies. My mom asked what we wanted to make, and I chose the theme of “butterflies”. We had a lot of 8” x 10” colored construction paper, scissors, glue, and that was about all.

When you are five years old that size paper was like having a 12” x 18” piece of paper. We chose the colors and both mom and I cut out shapes that were symmetrical so that the butterfly would not have problems flying. Fantasy, collaboration, proportion, color, and common sense kicked-in on this lesson. We chose, agreed, and disagreed in a calm manner and the butterfly was spectacular.

My biggest take-away from this day was that you can agree to disagree and come to a settlement in a kind way. This was a hard lesson learned because I was painfully shy and “okay” was my key neutral reply. I was too frightened to disagree and being the youngest of our family I was not treated like “the baby of the family.” My twin was 10 minutes older, so the rule of the house was, when Mom was away from home the oldest child was responsible. Geesh, it was a “done deal” forever. To this day.

As an art teacher my students would clamor for an “open art day”. They were sick-and-tired of having to follow directions all day, week and year long. So, like dangling-a-carrot-in-front-of-them, I promised them a “free art day. They were super happy, enjoyed the freedom and were proud of their work.

So, working at schools in Reno where there was little to no money for art supplies, I would go to the “PIE Warehouse” (Partners in Education) and anything that the public dropped off in-quantity was the art supply. I did not know at the time what projects we would do so I had to “play” with the supplies to come up with an idea. It had to contain all or most of the Elements of Art: color, texture, size, shape, etc. Voila! Creativity.

People would comment on the scope of the art projects we displayed in the hallway and ask how I got to be so creative. “Poverty” was always my reply along with “Growing up poor!”. When you can do something with little pieces of nothing your creativity soars.

My students were told at the beginning of the year that “if any two projects were alike both projects would earn an “F” and they would have to start over. I want what you have experienced and what is in your heart to show in your artwork.” That is what art is all about: exposing your heart.

CRAFT IDEA: BUTTERFLIES!

BY BARB FENNE

Gather your supplies: paper, colored plastic, cool pieces of glass, little pieces of jewelry, wallpaper, stationery, white glue, scissors, masking tape, (for older kids: Masonite, grout)
Fold your largest piece of paper in half and on the fold-side draw a number 3 with the top of the 3 bigger than the bottom and think of half of a butterfly wing. When you are satisfied, cut it out, remembering to start cutting at the fold. You will have a symmetrical butterfly shape. You might chose to paint large designs or use colored pencil to make overall patterns, lines, etc.
Now, take scraps of colorful paper, glass, plastic, etc. and cut/break/tear two sets of shapes of: circles, squiggles, teardrops, hexagons, squares, etc. It could be the same shape repeated in different sizes, etc. Place the shapes on your opened butterfly shape and move them around until the design looks pleasing, curious, energetic, bizarre, etc. When you are pleased with the design, start gluing. Use masking tape to hold the heavier shapes until the glue is dry.
Add an elongated oval to the center of the butterfly and decorate it with pipe cleaners, dots, yarn, fabric, etc. It could be 3-D.
Draw the 3 to the fold and make it fit the paper. Now, extend the bottom of the 3 to elongate if you wish.

If you have a big “oops” and cut the butterfly in half that is no biggie. Just cut a center piece by making an elongated oval and glue the two wing pieces onto the body of the butterfly.

For older kids: Use Masonite to glue glass and plastic on and grout. If you have a glass grinder smooth the edges especially if they hang over the edge. (Drill two holes in the wood at the top and use a wire to hang.) Adapt this project for pumpkins, apples, etc.

HOLIDAY SALAD

PEARS AND PECORINO WITH CHESTNUT HONEY

This is a very simple appetizer, but it completely stopped me in my tracks the first time I traveled to Tuscany. Pecorino cheese, made from sheep’s milk, is very popular in Tuscany, though the cheese makers originally migrated there from Sardinia. American cheese makers are now making some wonderful pecorino cheeses right here, having spent time in Italy at the feet of those master cheese makers, but if you can’t find really good pecorino, substitute aged cheddar. Avoid commercially available Pecorino Romano, as it has an unpleasantly strong taste. Look for Pecorino di Pienza instead. The trick here is to encourage your guests to make sure that each bite includes a bit of pear, a bit of honey, and a bit of cheese. It is one of those wonderful combinations where the whole is far more interesting than each of the parts.

Serves 4 as an appetizer

The ingredients:

2 ripe but firm pears

½ pound aged pecorino cheese

2 tablespoons honey, preferably chestnut honey or a local, dark honey

Here’s what you do:

Cut the pears in half from the stem to the blossom end. Remove the core and cut each half into 5 long wedges.
Slice the cheese into thin triangles.
Place the sliced pears on a platter and put a slice of cheese on each pear slice. Dip a fork into the honey and drizzle a thin stream over the fruit and cheese slices.
Serve immediately!

Valley Wood Park, Reno

A Transformation

Before and After Photos of Waterwise Gardens from Turf to Gardens

Firecracker Penstemon exploding in the Pollinator Garden at Valley Wood Waterwise Gardens

The Valley Wood Waterwise Gardens has 8 themed gardens, each with its own separate watering system.

EDUCATION

We are grateful to have had the opportunity to expand our classroom instruction on bees and pollinators this year and to have reached over 150 local children and adults. Being able to educate our community on the importance of these creatures and their role in our ecosystem is truly a privilege.

OUTREACH

Because of your help, Help Save the Bees Foundation participated in over a dozen local events with our partners and sponsors, showcasing our bee booth with live honey bees and native bees. The excitement in the kids’ faces when they see live honey bees in their home is priceless.

HABITAT

Our campaign against Neonicotinoid pesticides in Nevada was successful thanks to our community and team's support. We've taken a significant step towards protecting the environment and preserving habitats for pollinators. Thank you for your support towards a greener future.