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Most people know that bees make honey. But do you know exactly how bees make honey? If you read on, you may be surprised to find out that the process is very complicated indeed. In fact, it’s hard not to be completely astonished by how these clever little creatures make this incredible natural product.1. Gathering the nectarThe first step for making honey is to find some nectar-producing flowers. Collecting this sweet liquid from flowers is the job of the foraging worker bee, and she is seriously good at it. Using her highly-sensitive antennae, a foraging bee can detect nectar up to two kilometres away. Flowers produce nectar at different times of the day, but the clever bees know exactly which time is best to pay them a visit.The bee sucks up the nectar with her long, s

If you are one of the increasing number of people who wants to eliminate toxins and plastics in your home, then a great place to start is with beeswax. This remarkable natural product has a myriad of uses. We have selected our top seven most practical. Firstly, what is beeswax?Beeswax is a unique substance secreted by special glands on a honeybee’s abdomen. The bees store this incredible building material as tiny flakes. When they are ready to build or repair their hives, they chew the wax to make it soft enough to mould. Beeswax has special properties which have benefited humans since ancient times: It’s naturally free of nasty chemicals and toxinsIt’s entirely natural and edibleIt has built in anti-bacterial propertiesIt is anti-

Loaded with enzymes, vitamins and antioxidants, raw honey has many beneficial health properties. But what is raw honey and how does it differ from other honeys?Raw honey is not pasteurized. We tend to think of pasteurization as a process that protects food from going off. However, although this works for milk, this is not the case with honey. Raw honey is naturally antibacterial and stays perfectly safe to eat, even after thousands of years. So why do we pasteurize honey at all? The reason has to do with supermarket shelf-life.Honey is pasteurized to kill off any yeast that might cause fermentation. Pasteurization also slows down the granulation process, so the honey stays runny for longer. Unfortunately, pasteurization involves heating the honey, sometimes up to 70° ce

There is nothing better than a walk in the New Zealand native bush, complete with dashing waterfalls and birdsong in the canopy. And there are many reasons for bringing native bee-friendly plants from NZ into your garden – especially those loved by the bee.Regardless of the size of your property or your motivation level, planting native bee-friendly plants in NZ will have your place looking fantastic, as well as providing shelter and food to bees and insects.Natives are low maintenance, leaving more time for you to spend doing what you love. You’ll not only have a beautiful garden buzzing with happy bees, but you’ll be helping support your local environment and native ecosystems.1. NZ Flax NZ flax, also called Harakeke, grows a mass of brightly coloured

Many people love honeydew honey for its rich taste and silky, runny texture. It makes the perfect accompaniment on your morning toast or drizzled over your favourite breakfast cereal. But this honey doesn’t just look divine and taste amazing, Honeydew Honey also has some unique health benefits.If you look a little closer, you’ll find little-known properties and health benefits that make this honey very special indeed. Antibacterial and Anti-inflammatory properties.Raw honey, used for centuries to aid the healing of wounds, naturally contains antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. All raw honey is antibacterial and anti-inflammatory due to its low moisture content – Honeydew honey is no exception.  Bacteria simply can’t survive in an

Helping make the world a better place can be as simple as planting a flower or vegetable. Bees love to forage; they are always on the lookout for nectar-rich flowers. You don’t need a prepackaged wildflower mix to enhance your garden for the bees. There are lots of everyday plants that will entice bees into even the smallest garden.It turns out that feeding the bees has wonderful benefits for us humans, too. We’ve chosen ten plants that bees adore, which you will love having in your garden.1. RosemaryBees love this versatile, easy growing plant that flowers from winter to summer. Commonly grown as a shrub or a hedge, Rosemary has brilliant blue flowers that are particularly attractive to bees and has an aromatic smell. Add to your cooking for a flavour boost; Ros

Most people have heard of Manuka honey and its health benefits. But most people haven’t heard of Kanuka honey. To understand the difference between Manuka vs Kanuka it’s best to look at the research.Despite being a lesser-known New Zealand honey, Kanuka is beginning to gain popularity. As well as sharing many of Manuka honey’s special properties, Kanuka honey has a few tricks of its own. It’s no wonder scientists are starting to pay Kanuka some serious attention.Both honeys come from plants native to New Zealand. In fact, Manuka and Kanuka are close cousins, which explains why their nectar shares so many special characteristics. But, research is ongoing into the specific differences between Manuka vs Kanuka honey.Since we know quite a lot more ab

New Zealand is renowned for Manuka honey, but have you heard of Kanuka honey? Not many people know about Kanuka honey, despite research pointing to a range of health benefits. In this article, we answer the question “What is Kanuka Honey” and highlight some of the associated health benefits.Kanuka honey is derived from the nectar of flowering Kanuka trees, which can grow as tall as 30 meters. It’s cousin, Mānuka, are smaller trees that can grow as tall as 10 meters.Both trees are endemic to New Zealand’s native forests but Mānuka accounts for about 70 to 75 per cent of the country’s honey exports. In all, New Zealand exports around $350 million worth of honey a year to various countries like Australia, the US, the UK, Japan, Germany, Belgium, and more.

Research shows that raw Manuka honey is full of antioxidants and nutrients that predominantly come from the pollen it contains. Manuka honey also has strong antibacterial properties and other enzymes that are highly beneficial for the immune system. Additionally, research has shown Manuka Honey has anti-inflammatory properties, further supporting the idea it has immune system benefits.Raw honey was used as a treatment for diseases since ancient times. This makes honey one of the oldest medicines known to man. But only now, through scientific research, are we beginning to understand why honey is so special.When winter comes along it’s an important time to focus on our health and make sure our immune system is in good shape to protect us from winter colds and flu.We all

Throughout history, honey has been regarded as one of the world’s oldest medicines, with even Ancient Egyptians understanding how to use honey to heal infected wounds. In recent years, Mānuka honey has gained great scientific interest with research showing it has unique and powerful antibacterial properties. However, there may be a new honey lining up for the crown — Kānuka honey. What is Kānuka Honey?Kānuka honey is made from the nectar and pollen of the Kānuka tree (Kunzea ericoides). It has silky texture and a unique taste, with hints of dark caramel, burnt marshmallow and cola. The Kānuka tree is a member of the myrtle family (a.k.a. tea trees) making Kānuka honey a cousin to Mānuka honey. Research indicates Kānuka honey has high levels

A well-loved staple in every New Zealand household, honey is proven to have a wide range of uses. Whether it’s eaten on toast, used as an alternative to sugar, applied topically for faster wound healing or used to treat coughs and colds, raw honey is a true natural wonder.The variety of honey depends on the source of its collection, with each raw honey offering its own unique taste due to naturally occurring differences in the nectar and pollen. New Zealand is lucky to have a diverse native flora that produces a wide range of delicious honeys unique to our country. Each honey has its own distinctive characteristics, providing a range of unique tastes and beneficial properties. Here are the most common types of honey you can purchase in New Zealand.Mānuka Honey

Manuka honey has been the subject of research into treatments for gastrointestinal issues like IBS. However, research supporting the use of Manuka Honey for IBS is inconclusive. Some research suggests that Manuka could help ease the symptoms of IBS. However, other research suggests the opposite.Chronic abdominal pain, constipation or diarrhoea and irregular bowel movements are all symptoms of IBS or Irritable Bowel Syndrome. People can develop IBS because of infections or simply through stressful life events. Research also indicates there is a hereditary component to IBS as well.In this article, we take a look at what the research says in regards to treating IBS with Manuka Honey.Manuka Honey for the UninitiatedLeptospermum scoparium, more commonly known as Manuka, is a