Apiculture, better known as beekeeping, is an excellent agricultural activity to take up if you are looking in that direction. Or, you can also take it up as a hobby. If you are afraid of bees and worry about being stung, though, take heart. With the right bee protection suit, you will be just fine. But in case you need more reasons to start keeping bees, here are a few.
You will be doing a favour to humanity
Over the last few years, there has been a sounding alarm due to the decrease in bee population around the world. So serious is the situation that even the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has re-sounded the alarm.
Bees are important to nature. Did you know that bees perform 80% of pollination worldwide? Now, imagine a world without them. Just how many plants and flowers do you think human beings can grow on their own without bee pollination?
It is for these reasons that you should consider beekeeping. Your activities will go a long way in helping boost their population. By helping to grow bee colonies, you will be helping humanity, too. Think of it as supporting a good cause to aid Mother Nature.
Your crops will benefit
Since bees are responsible for pollination, having them in your garden or farm will always be a good thing. Their presence will improve pollination, which, in turn, will boost your harvest. Your garden will end up producing more without much effort on your part.
You will enjoy free honey
Honey is one of the most versatile products known to humans. It can be used for a variety of things including wound treatment, skin treatment, and as a sweetener. Due to the multiple uses of honey, it can sometimes be costly, with prices going as high as $30 per kilogram. That usually applies to Manuka honey. So, if you keep bees, you will be able to eliminate the cost of purchase because your bees will provide you with what you need.
Beekeeping is an income-generating activity
If you produce excess honey, you can always sell it to other people. In addition to honey, you can also sell beeswax, which has multiple uses as well. It can be used to make salves, lip balms, candles, and shoe polish, among many other things. So, there is a market for this by-product of bees.
Other by-products you can obtain from beekeeping include bee venom, royal jelly, and bee pollen. Bee venom is used for injections to reduce the symptoms of arthritis and nerve pain while royal jelly is used to treat medical problems like asthma, PMS, and stomach ulcers. As for bee pollen, it is in demand as a dietary supplement and for reduction of inflammation.
Do not let the fear of bee stings get you when the right protection suit would solve the problem. Keeping bees will help improve your health and financial situation. Just give it a try and see how you like it.
