Ask A Beekeeper ·29 novembre, 2018

Ask a Beekeeper: Part 1

This month, we posted on our Facebook and Instagram pages giving YOU guys a chance to ask us any and all questions relating to bees, honey, beekeeping, pollen, and more! We then got Danny and Ginette – our resident beekeeping experts! – to sit down and answer these questions in their own words. Here is the first round of questions and answers:

1. How do you collect pollen?

Pollen is collected by inserting a custom-made drawer to the bottom of the hive; it has a screen base. As the bees make their way into their hive, they walk through the screens which gently brushes off some of the pollen they are carrying; the rest they bring into the hive for their cells. We then have a scheduled collection that has us visit the hive, open the pollen drawers, and collect what has been left behind.

One of our pollen drawers

Here the drawer has collected numerous pollen granules

2. Does bee pollen interact with other medications?

To us, bee pollen is considered to be a natural vitamin, mineral, and enzyme supplement. Like any other vitamins, you should consult your doctor before adding them to your current list of medications.

Yummy, healthy batch of bee pollen

3. Can bee pollen be taken when you already have seasonal allergies?

Bee pollen can be taken strategically to build immunity and increase desensitization to natural allergens. An allergy happens when your body develops an immune response to an allergen, creating antibodies. These antibodies then activate certain receptors on your cells to release histamine, resulting in an allergic reaction (puffy eyes, runny nose, sneezing, etc.) Bee pollen is actually known to reduce histamine, which is the same goal of over-the-counter allergy medications. Carefully exposing yourself to pollen through measured consumption can lead to a desensitization to natural allergens. Depending on the severity of your seasonal allergies, it is wise to take very small doses of pollen (1-2 granules) at a time and increase your dosage to the recommended 2 tsp/day when your body safely allows for it. Consistency is key!

Beekeeper posing with pollen Look at all that excess pollen