At the end of each fiscal year (June 30th) Honey Candles® donates $2 from each Peek-a-Bee sold to support research on honey bees. The recipient of our donation this year is the University of Guelph Honey Bee Research Centre. In celebration of Bee Month at Honey Candles, we will be exploring the important work being done at the University of Guelph.
Research with honey bees at University of Guelph has a long history in Canada. The Ontario Agricultural College, which is the founding college of the University of Guelph, first began apiculture, or the management and study of bees, in 1894. A building dedicated to apiculture was built on their campus in 1920, becoming the first building of that nature for apiculture in North America. Today they boast 13 apiaries, 300 beehives and breeding stations.
The current work being done at the University of Guelph includes the study of honey bee genetics and disease in their molecular biology lab. This work has become increasingly important as honey bee populations have been experiencing disease and other threats to their survival. Honey bees are known for their natural wax and delightful honey, but honey bees and other pollinators also play a vital role in healthy agriculture, food security, biodiversity and much more.
In addition to their important research, the University of Guelph provides honey bee education to the general public. They offer tours and workshops on honey bees, as well as an Introductory to Beekeeping course. Recently they released a series of educational videos designed to provide help for both beginning and advanced beekeepers. If you are a beekeeper or you’re interested in learning how to become a beekeeper you can view their videos here.
Honey Candles is proud to support the work being done at the University of Guelph through the Peek-a-Bee program. If you would like to learn more about the University of Guelph’s Honey Bee Research Centre you can visit their website here.
