How Bees Help Landowners

Consider the bees

Honey bees are an important part of agriculture, here in Texas and worldwide, about 1/3 of the food we enjoy is pollinated by honey bees. Honey bees are an agricultural tradition that have been passed down for generations.

In addition to pollinating our fruits, veggies, and nuts, honey is another sweet product these industrious workers provide that we all love.

Unfortunately, in recent years, honey bees have faced unprecedented declines. The exact cause of these declines is still being investigated, but nutrition is believed to be one of the causes. Like other livestock, good forage is a key to good nutrition, and thus, improved health.

People often ask what they can do to help support these prolific pollinators and the simple answer is to provide forage for them, such as native flowering annuals. With urban encroachment, especially in east Texas, land for honey bees is becoming much harder to find. More importantly, land with good pollen and nectar sources (aka. flowers) is giving way to development.

For this reason, the landowners of Texas are in a good position to help support the beekeeping industry.

Planting native flowers will provide good forage for honey bees. Seed companies such as the Texas-based Native American Seed have seed mixes specifically designed for bees. Native wildflower mixes are especially good for forage because the flowers will come back year after year once established.

In addition to providing forage for honey bees, landowners can also provide land for commercial beekeepers to place their bee hives. Generally speaking, beekeepers need areas to set their bee hives when they are not pollinating crops. These “resting” periods are very important to the bees’ health, and the better the forage the quicker the bees can recover. Areas away from holding pens and houses but near water sources are best.

For landowners interested in allowing beekeepers to place beehives on their property, contact the Texas Beekeepers Association. This state association works with, and is comprised of, Texas beekeepers. Also on their site is a honey locator to help you find honey produced in your area.

Providing land for honey bees can also benefit landowners financially. Land can receive an agricultural designation if used for beekeeping. This applies to parcels between 5 and 20 acres. For more information, contact your county tax appraiser’s office. 

Lastly, supporting research efforts that seek to find answers to honey bee declines is another great way to help the honey bees. Texas A&M Honey Bee Lab under the leadership of Dr. Juliana Rangel, is one such institution based in Texas that is conducting cutting edge honey bee research.

Another group that helps Texas beekeepers is the Bee Informed Partnership. In 2015, this non-profit group will begin operating Tech Transfer Teams—similar to crop consultants—in Texas that are aimed at helping beekeepers reduce bee mortality.

For more information on beekeeping and what you, as a landowner, can do please contact the Texas Apiary Inspection Service. This state agency is responsible for regulating the commercial beekeeping industry in Texas. The inspection services’ duties include inspecting commercial bee hives for diseases and issuing interstate permits. In addition to the regulatory duties, the agency also provides educational opportunities to beekeepers and the general public. These opportunities include giving talks on honey bee pests and diseases, and providing a link between the industry and the research sector. The inspection service’s website is a good resource for beekeepers and the general public on beekeeping topics.  

As a Texas landowner, why not consider helping these hard workers? Who knows, you may just want to become a beekeeper yourself!