We at Tailored Touches are in support of #savethebees efforts as these little creatures are our family trade. My Dad learned beekeeping from his father and later taught his grandson (my son) the love of bees. I grew up hearing tons of bee facts over the years, and I am happy to say that Dad's legacy and love for bees lives on through our business and my son.

​Read more about my family's beekeeping history here...
To help in the Save the Bees effort, here is a bit of information about why we need to protect the bees and what you can do to help. ​Don't forget to #savethebees on social media to spread the world to save our little friends!
Butterflies, honeybees, bumblebees, and creatures like them pollinate 30% of our food source worldwide. Without them, it would be impossible to feed the entire world efficiently and economically. Artificial pollinators are too expensive and impractical for the whole globe. If we did not have these little guys, we would miss out on foods like avocados, apples, blueberries, cucumbers, onions, and so much more. In addition to ensuring our food sources, pollinators also spread pollen for flowers and trees. They make our world beautiful! Without them, our food web would be altered completely, and our world would look entirely different... and drab!
Not only is beeswax good for bees, but it can be great for you, too. Beeswax functions as a protectant, keeping moisture in and pesky irritants out, while allowing the skin to breathe by not clogging pores. It is a great way to keep dry skin hydrated and soft. 

​REPLACE WITH INFO FROM BEESWAX BLOG - DONE

Propolis is a substance that bees make from the resins and saps of local trees mixed with their stomach acids. When they spit it back out, it hardens to help keep the beehive intact, patching holes and weather-proofing. Like beeswax, propolis has been found to be very healing, and many swear by it to prevent wrinkles. 

CAN WE SAY THIS PER FDA? - I THINK SO BECAUSE WE AREN'T LISTING IT AS AN INGREDIENT HERE, BUT DOUBLE CHECK W/ M
Annually, humans use 5.6 million pounds of pesticides globally. Pesticides are extremely overused, which can kill bees. However, a lot of people do not realize fungicides kill bees, too. Even though they target fungi, bees will pick up the fungicide in the pollination process and bring it back to the hive. Once these chemicals are there, they can hurt both the larvae and the bees themselves. Bees are very sensitive and these chemicals.
Plant a garden: Whether it is a full garden or just a few flowers to raise your curb appeal, having flowers and plants in your yard gives bees more access to pollen, which they later turn into honey!

Minimize pesticide/herbicide use: Although it is wonderful to have a luscious yard and a plentiful harvest, the chemicals found in pesticides and herbicides endanger the bees and their colonies more than the pests and weeds are to your lawn. Be conservative, and think before you spray.

Buy local: Buying from local farmer's markets supports local beekeepers and helps the bees! Plus, fresh fruits and vegetables are hands-down better than those from the grocery store.

Educate yourself: One of the best things to do is to be and stay informed. Find out what you can do in your local community and spread the word! You can make a difference for these little guys.
​
Honey is full of anti-bacterial properties. In fact, honey is one of the best things to use for any cut or burn, helping the wound to heal much faster. It is a "wonder" food in many ways, as it is known to soothe a sore throat and ease indigestion. Honey is even known to help people with allergies, as doctors sometimes recommend eating local honey to get your body adjusted to a higher pollen intake.

CAN WE SAY ALL OF THIS? MAYBE STEAL SOME LINGO FROM THE RECENT BLOG ON HONEY INSTEAD....
Not quite. There are three types of bees: drone bees, worker bees, and the Queen Bee. Bees have a very sophisticated system inside the hive. ​

On a daily basis, the purpose of drone bees is to fly out and find different hives the Queen can mate with. They only come back to their own hive to feed and rest. The drone bee allows bee populations to continually mix gene pools, creating an ever-growing and diversifying species.

Worker bees are sterile female bees that responsible for nearly every task inside the hive. They care for the larvae, build the hive, and make royal jelly until they are old enough to go out and collect pollen, water, and anything else the hive may need. The ordinary summertime lifespan of a worker bee is only 42 days. They literally fly themselves to death - by flying so much to provide for the hive, their wings fall off!

Queen bees have the sole purpose of laying eggs for the colony. One Queen can lay 1,500-2,000 eggs a day. She really is a queen; worker bees do everything for her. They feed her, carry her waste away, and attend to her every need. Unlike the worker bee, queen bees live, on average, three to four years. That's more than 30 times the life span of the worker!
Picture
Queen bee and worker bees. Queen bees are commonly marked to allow the beekeeper to easily spot her among the worker bees.
Royal jelly is a substance that all bee larvae are fed for the first three days of their lives. The only bee that continues to eat royal jelly past this age is the Queen. All other bees switch their diets to regular honey made from pollen. The expanded size of queen bees in comparison to worker bees is attributed to the concentrated plethora of vitamins and nutrients within royal jelly.
Picture
Apis mellifera, a European honeybee, extracts nectar from an Aster flower.
Worker bees attend to their larvae, store nectar, and bring pollen to the hive.
Bombus terrestris, a species of bumblebee, on the flowers of small-leaved lime.