Wild honeybees living in Ma Wan become active in spring. Some of them will be led by their queens to leave their hives to be reigned over by another bee, thus I specially built comfortable homes for the honeybees in Ma Wan Park so that they can help the ecology by busily buzzing around spreading pollen from one blossom to the next.
Honeybees are communal, social insects. A hive can keep as many as 30,000 honeybees, including the queen bee identified by its larger size, a small number of drones and female workers that are mostly infertile. When honeybees discover a nectar source, they dance around in a circle or move through a tight figure ‘8’ to tell the other honeybees where to go.
Ma Wan has many native tree species that provide nectar throughout the four seasons. Bees make flower-scented honey in spring, fruity honey (mainly longan and lychee) in summer and winter honey in winter. Winter honey is best for clearing heat and nourishing the lungs. Here are some tips about natural honey:
- Do not use a metal spoon with honey to avoid destroying the natural ingredients.
- Consume honey plain or mix it with warm water (below 40°C) before drinking.
- Store in a dry, well-ventilated place. Refrigeration is not required.
by Edmond Wong, Manager of Ma Wan Park
Ma Wan Park
Website: www.mawanpark.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/mawantree
