Buzz
Humanity's connection with bees extends far beyond our obsession with honey. This golden substance possesses peculiar traits and intriguing claims, yet it's the bee venom, their genetic composition, and ancient fossils that are reshaping numerous scientific disciplines.
Ancient healing methods are resurfacing to treat (or harm) present-day patients, and astonishing prehistoric events are encoded in the DNA of these insects. There’s the discovery of the world’s earliest honey farm, surprisingly sophisticated for its time, and the oldest bee, whose existence evolutionary forces seemed to oppose. While an individual bee in the garden may go unnoticed, the depth of their history and their profound impact on the world are anything but simple.
10. The Secret Behind Honey’s Timeless Durability
The formula for immortality is quite straightforward—acidity, no water, and a dash of hydrogen peroxide. At least, that’s how it works for honey. Many an astonished archaeologist has uncovered this sweet treat and discovered that it remains perfectly edible even after thousands of years.
Honey’s one true nemesis—water. If water finds its way into honey, the substance begins to spoil. Nectar itself is largely composed of water, which is the initial ingredient in the honey-making process. Impressively, bees eliminate the water from the nectar by fanning it with their quick wing movements.
Once bees regurgitate the nectar into their honeycombs, they leave behind a special enzyme from their stomachs that breaks down the liquid. One by-product of this process is hydrogen peroxide, which, combined with honey’s naturally acidic and water-free environment, ensures that no organism can survive inside this sweet substance.
This infection-fighting ability is precisely why honey was used as a natural dressing by many ancient cultures for treating open wounds and burns. If honey remains sealed away from water, there’s no reason it can’t endure for as long as the container stays intact.
9. Prehistoric Treats for Bees
In 2015, scientists investigated the types of pollen found on the fossilized remains of bees from the now-extinct Electrapini group. These bees, discovered in Germany and dating back 44–48 million years, provided insight into their feeding behaviors beyond the hive.
Bees travel long distances to collect pollen for their young. These pollen grains are packed into balls on the bee's hind legs, forming pollen baskets. During their extensive flights, adult bees must also consume food continuously to replenish their energy. The pollen found on the ancient bees indicated that these nectar-seeking adults were not afraid to venture beyond their usual pollen sources to find nectar for themselves.
The presence of one type of pollen in the baskets (for the offspring) and multiple other types of pollen on their bodies (picked up during nectar collection) is a significant scientific discovery. This is the oldest evidence proving that bees gather food for both themselves and their young on the same flight.
This discovery is vital for the future of modern bee populations. By applying this understanding to identify which flowering plants provide the best nourishment for bees, researchers can better protect these essential food sources.
8. The Flavor of Ancient Mead
In 2000, archaeologists uncovered a grave in Germany. The burial mound, dating back to between the seventh and fifth centuries BC, held the weapons of a long-decayed man. At his feet (or where they had once been) lay a cauldron. Inside it was the 2,500-year-old remains of something dark.
Eager to determine what item was so cherished that it needed to accompany the man into the afterlife, researchers decided to test the substance. The sediment turned out to be mead, a honey-based alcoholic drink.
Taking the investigation further, brewers were called upon in 2016 to recreate the ancient beverage. The Iron Age alcohol consisted of five ingredients: honey, yeast, barley, and herbs like mint and meadowsweet for flavor. When sampled, the drinkable result resembled a dry port without the sweetness.
Surprisingly, the mint flavor dominated the drink with just a subtle hint of meadowsweet and no trace of honey. The absence of honey’s taste wasn’t unexpected, as the ingredient had transformed into a strong alcoholic punch. Despite this, the general opinion was that the Iron Age mead would likely not become a favorite at modern bars.
7. The Arrival of New Cuckoo Bees
Cuckoo bees earned their name from the bird that lays its eggs in the nests of other species. These bees don’t build their own hives; instead, they leave their larvae in the hives of other bee colonies. A cuckoo baby bee eliminates the resident bee larvae and consumes the stored pollen meant for them. After maturing, the intruder departs the adopted nest and leads a solitary life.
In 2018, researchers made an astonishing discovery: cuckoo bees are adept at hiding in museums too. When scientists sifted through bee collections in North American museums, they uncovered 15 new species of cuckoo bees. All of them were from the Epeolus genus, expanding the known North American species of this group to 43.
The new discoveries resembled wasps more than they did bees. While some species were clearly unfamiliar, others were so alike to known bees that only DNA testing revealed their unidentified nature. The discovery of new bee species in old collections could be just the beginning of expanding the already vast list of 20,000 known species.
6. Romania’s Deep Connection with Bees
In Romania, the healing powers of the hive go far beyond a passing trend—they’re a serious part of life. Due to the country’s historical struggles with poverty and communism, Romania didn’t modernize as quickly as many other nations. As a result, its natural world remained rich in biodiversity, and its people preserved traditional remedies. Many of today’s skilled doctors and bee product researchers come from families where honey was long used as a form of medicine.
Currently, Romania is committed to preserving apitherapy, both in rural communities and through scientific research. Known as the “oldest pharmacy in the world,” apitherapy incorporates venom, honey, propolis, and even pollen in its healing practices.
Going back to ancient Greek and Roman civilizations, it was celebrated for its properties as a wound healer, a remedy for indigestion, and much more. Romanian treatments using bee products are believed to help with ailments such as multiple sclerosis, sore throats, and immune system weakness.
The country is undeterred by the medical community, which largely remains skeptical of apitherapy. Every town hosts a so-called plafar, a pharmacy dedicated to bee-based products. Bucharest was home to the world’s first apitherapy medical center, opening its doors in 1984. A 2010 census recorded 42,000 beekeepers managing 1.3 million bee colonies with pride.
5. The Ancient Brain Booster
Around 2.5 million years ago, hominids diverged from apes, evolving larger brains. Something remarkable happened to these early humans that further expanded their brain capacity, endowing them with the cognitive abilities that set them apart from animals.
Researchers suggest that food, particularly honey, played a significant role in the development of human brainpower. While honey wasn’t the sole contributor to cognitive growth, there is a compelling argument that its properties acted as a sort of natural brain booster.
In addition to other essential foods like meat, honey provided a rich source of glucose and concentrated energy, perfect for brain development. Back then, wild honey was the only option, and it was even more beneficial. This variety was packed with bee larvae, minerals, vitamins, fat, and protein.
Although there is no direct evidence of honey-fueled brain growth in the fossil record, the behavior of modern humans and apes supports the theory. Wild honey continues to be a vital part of diets in many tribal cultures around the world, and primates still use clever methods, including tools, to access beehives.
4. People Who Love Bee Venom
Known as Bee Venom Therapy, this ancient and painful treatment is part of apitherapy, which involves the medicinal use of bees and their products. The practitioner, or anyone qualified to perform this unusual method, provokes a bee and allows it to sting the patient.
Bees are typically applied to specific trigger points on the body. During a session, the patient may receive multiple stings from a small swarm. The precise mechanism through which the venom is believed to help with conditions like scarring, inflammation, anxiety, and even severe diseases like high blood pressure and multiple sclerosis remains unclear.
Despite the uncertain benefits, supporters, including some celebrities, are firm believers in the treatment. For those who fear the stings, there is the alternative of venom injections. However, the therapy is not without risks, and the claimed benefits still need scientific validation.
In 2015, a Spanish woman tragically experienced anaphylactic shock after undergoing Bee Venom Therapy for two years, despite having no prior bee allergy. During her final session, a sting caused a stroke and organ failure, ultimately leading to her death.
3. Dinosaur Extinction in Bee DNA
The mass extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs around 65 million years ago is widely known. Depictions of massive creatures like Tyrannosaurus rex perishing in this catastrophe (believed to be caused by a space impact) overshadow the fact that other non-dinosaur species also disappeared. Among them may have been the ancestors of today’s carpenter bees.
In 2013, a study examining the DNA of carpenter bees uncovered an unexpected finding. A genetic anomaly hinted at the possible impact of the dinosaur extinction event on the evolution of carpenter bees. Four different species of these bees displayed the same anomaly: Around 65 million years ago, their evolutionary progress came to an abrupt halt.
For nearly 10 million years, there was no genetic diversity in the carpenter bee lineage. To scientists, this suggests a mass extinction event within the species. The coincidence in timing implies that these bees were likely among the many species that perished during the catastrophic event that also wiped out the dinosaurs and 80 percent of life on Earth.
2. The Oldest Bee Was a Dud
Amber is a semi-precious gemstone known for its ability to trap fossils. Due to its translucent nature and remarkable preservation properties, amber often encases specimens millions of years old, making them appear as though they are suspended in time within yellow-tinted glass.
A recent discovery of another fossilized specimen revealed the world’s oldest bee, preserved in amber. The piece was mined from Myanmar's Hukawng Valley, and inside was a bee that perished roughly 100 million years ago.
Remarkably, the previous record-holders for the oldest bees were about 40 million years younger. This discovery provided scientists with a rare opportunity to study the 'first bee.' This male bee, not related to any modern species, fed on pollen but was not a honeybee.
Named Melittosphex burmensis, this ancient bee was five times smaller than today’s honeybee and shared many physical features with carnivorous wasps. The tiny creature, alongside four flowers preserved in amber, may offer insights into the floral environment of its time.
Unfortunately for Melittosphex burmensis, the absence of any surviving descendants indicates that this species was an evolutionary failure, becoming extinct before it could evolve into a precursor for modern bees.
1. The Oldest Bee Farm
In 2010, 30 clay cylinders were discovered at Tel Rehov in Israel’s Jordan Valley. These contained ancient honeybees, but not as simple traps. The bees lived inside these containers, as evidenced by small doors and fossils of various individuals at different life stages.
The remains included worker bees, drones, and pupae and larvae. These hives were around 3,000 years old and unusually found within a courtyard of a dense urban area. The reasoning behind this risky placement is unclear. One possibility is that the precious honey required protection from theft or environmental damage, hence the unusual location.
Interestingly, the bee species found in the farm was not native to Israel, but instead closely resembled Turkish bees. This discovery marked the first archaeological evidence of beekeeping in the region. The presence of the foreign bees, likely imported for their superior quality, along with the elaborate courtyard setup, indicates that beekeeping was already a sophisticated practice in Israel over 3,000 years ago.
