Where does "stingless" honey come from?
Not all honey is the same. In fact, one of our honeys is usually referred to as “stingless” honey. It has a liquid consistency and a distinctive sweet and sour flavor.
Where does it come from? It is made by stingless bees!
Stingless bees are small insects that may resemble flies more than stinging bees. They are small insects with black bodies that do not contain stingers. Scientifically, they are in the Melipona genus, of which there are over 40 different varieties around the world!
They do not make wax honeycomb, but rather, they store their liquid honey in round, resinous pods.
A peak inside a stingless hive, revealing storages of stingless honey inside renisous pods.
Because they do not sting, they are safe to keep in populated areas. We have about ten hives hanging outside of our office in Ololosokwan Village, Tanzania. Hives are lowered when it is time to harvest, or if there is a suspected problem with the colony. However, stingless bees are quite resilient and generally do not require much inspection or maintenance. They do well when left on their own.
Harvesting is a tedious mission, because each honey pod must be broken individually.
Harvesting is also disruptive for the bee colony, so we take honey only when there are ample honey storages. (It is better for the colony and the beekeeper to wait and harvest larger amounts, than to frequently take small amounts of honey.) Still, these small bodied bees are also small-scale honey producers; a productive harvest may only yield a few kilos.
Even a small amount of stingless honey is prized for its medicinal qualities and unique flavor.
The unique “stingless” honey is traditionally used to treat the common cold, support healthy digestion, and kill bacteria- it is even said to help in the treatment of H. pylori overgrowth (the bacteria that causes stomach ulcers). It is best consumed raw and on an empty stomach; a tablespoonful is a healthful digestif before a meal. You may also choose to use the honey in food or tea if you are fond of the flavor. Its higher water content means that it has less sugar, but it is still a sweet and unique treat.
Bottles of stingless honey for sale at our shop in Ololosokwan Village, Tanzania.