Cheers to the bee, because today is World Bee Day! In an interview with the KSG bee tamer Ralf Rehm from "thefirmenbiene.de" we talk about his work as a beekeeper and why our little company hummers are an indispensable part of the ecosystem.
Mr. Rehm, to counteract the dangerous decline in the bee population, our first bee colony with 50,000 bees moved to the KSG company premises in 2021. In order to create good living conditions for the bees, they regularly take care of them. How exactly does bee care work?
I come to KSG about 10-15 times a yearto to take care of the bees for 30-45 minutes. During these visits, KSG employees or other guests also have the Possibility to to look over my shoulder. I check the presence of the queen and see if she is laying eggs. I also check whether there is enough brood and what condition the colony is in. We also take care of the honey harvest right through to the finished, filled and labeled honey jar.
Why do bees need intensive care?
The honey bee has a special status as a farm animal because humans cultivate and care for this species. However, mites and diseases are a major problem for them. They therefore require intensive care.
Within two days, our 250-meter-long bee meadow was created over an area of 1000 meters.2 created.
We often read in the media about "bee mortality" - how great is the danger and why are the little buzzers so important for our environment?
In recent years, there has been repeated talk of bee mortality and, in fact, wild species in particular are not doing particularly well. There are many reasons for this: insecticides, monocultures, the sealing of surfaces and, last but not least, climate change. The latter ensures that plants that flower earlier and earlier disrupt the rhythm of the animals. Bees are the third most important livestock in our country after cattle and pigs. Not because of the honey, which is a welcome by-product. Their main service: they pollinate fruit trees and shrubs and thus ensure the harvest of many important foods.
What should you do if you see a swarm of bees?
Swarms of bees are not dangerous. Bees are peaceful pollen collectors and have no interest in attacking humans. As a sting is fatal for them, they only sting in an absolute emergency to defend their swarm. In addition, swarming bees transport honey as provisions, which makes a sting even less likely. If you want to do the bees a favor, watch where the swarm settles and call an employee of "diefirmenbiene.de" or the local beekeeping association. Ideally, a beekeeper will then come by and catch the swarm.
To ensure that our company bees are sufficiently supplied and find enough nectar, we have scattered seeds for a colorful bee meadow this year. In your opinion, what other measures are important that everyone can take in everyday life to do something for bees?
It's the little things, such as planting your own garden with insect- and bee-friendly plants, avoiding pesticides and weedkillers, buying regional honey or planting a wild meadow.
Mr. Rehm, thank you very much for the interview. Finally, we would like to know: Did you have a particularly memorable experience as a beekeeper?
A friend of mine was able to treat her hay fever allergy with regional honey. Another wonderful experience was a trip to Kenya. The locals used honey to heal wounds or as a plaster.
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