Latest buzz on bees
AUSTRALIA could very well be described as the last refuge for the world’s bees.
Not only is our continent home to nearly one tenth of all the world’s bee species and an even greater proportion of the total population, far more importantly it is the only place on the planet where the Colony Collapse Disorder has not occurred.
Colony Collapse is a profound decimation of hives that has occurred sporadically through history, yet never with the intensity or gravity we see today. Triggered by a combination of pesticides and a proliferating invasive mite, it causes malformations in the bees’ wings rendering them unable to fly, meaning that entire hives slowly starve.
And it’s not only commercial honeybees that can be affected. Smaller and locally distinct species can be just as significantly affected. The results, unsurprisingly, begin to mount up quickly.
Fewer bees means less honey, but also lower pollination rates for plants. This, unfortunately, means that fewer flowers appear in the following year, as the downward cycle continues.
While we may be unable to help with the impacts on commercial beekeeping, there are important steps we can each take in our own community.
Reduce your use of pesticides. Plant native shrubs and trees, especially flowering ones. And let your state and federal representatives know that you demand the maintenance of local green spaces, and possibly the addition of some extra ones.
Lastly, be prepared to pay a reasonable price for real Australian honey.
Some imported honey makes it onto our shelves, and it’s not always clearly labelled.
SPICED HONEY DUMPLINGS
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1 cup self-raising flour 2 tsp ground allspice 1 tsp ground cinnamon 100g butter
1 egg
¼ cup milk
1 cup honey
¼ cup dark brown sugar 2 cups orange juice
Ice cream and berries, to serve
Method
1. Combine the flour, spices and half the butter in a bowl and rub with fingertips. Mix in the egg and milk, then stir gently until a dough forms.
2. Meanwhile, pour the honey, sugar and orange juice into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add dollops of batter and cook gently for 10 minutes, until just firm. Serve with ice cream and berries.