We first joined the Save The Bees campaign in 2020 with the myhive brand, and this time we have joined with a broader audience for this charitable cause. We managed to draw the attention of thousands of tenants to the alarming decline in bee populations within our office communities and CPI Hungary employees. We participated in on-site events a total of six times at CPI Hungary office buildings. At the HIP office buildings known for their tenant well-being program and two cheerful beekeeping exhibitions in the lobbies of myhive office buildings, which are inherently bee-friendly, we collaborated with the Hungarian National Beekeeper’s Association.

Despite having a diverse mix of tenants, a true sense of community spirit was fostered during the on-site events in the office building lobbies. We sent bee-friendly educational coloring books to the children of our tenants and gifted the community with a small batch of locally produced honey, sourced from a small-scale producer located 20 km from Budapest. This gesture aimed to minimize our carbon footprint and support domestic honey producers. We invited participants to a prize draw, where they were asked to plant bee-friendly flower seeds outdoors and send us a photo of the results by June 30th. Through this initiative, we aim to expand bee habitats and promote pollination.

Beyond the HIP program, we organized two exhibitions in the lobbies of myhive office buildings, and we were delighted that Dr. Adrián Pungor, the executive director of the Hungarian National Beekeeper’s Association, accepted our invitation. We interviewed him, among other things, about the current status of bees and our office campaign as well.

Bees play a crucial role in the functioning of ecosystems and maintaining the fertility of plants. During the process of pollination, the transportation of pollen by bees and subsequent pollination help in the fertilization and fruiting of plants' flowers. The bees' activity contributes to the development of fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based products. Estimated data suggests that approximately one-third of the world's food production relies on their pollination.

The protection of bees is important for everyone as it affects food supply and the maintenance of biodiversity in ecosystems. It is essential to recognize their vulnerability and take action to preserve and safeguard this critical player in our natural system.

myhive Hungary: How is the Hungarian National Beekeeper’s Association operating?

Dr. Adrián Pungor: The predecessor of the Hungarian National Beekeeper’s Association was established in 1879, but in 1948, its operations were prohibited with the nationalization of our headquarters. The organization was reestablished in 1984. Today, it has nearly 14,000 members who live their communal lives in 111 beekeeping associations nationwide. In 2002, we acquired our own office in the 9th district of Budapest through "brick tickets" purchased by beekeepers. The office operates with five full-time employees, and we also maintain a network of 21 county-level consultants under contractual arrangements. In addition to assisting beekeepers with their daily issues such as subsidy applications, bee health problems, and honey market advice, the Hungarian National Beekeeping Association conducts a wide range of activities.

myhive Hungary: What kind of activities are involved?

 P.A.: These include publishing a monthly professional journal called Méhészújság, managing the production of honey jars for beekeepers, recommending quality assurance using the OMME seal, conducting quality checks on honeys sold in domestic stores, and operating an environmental monitoring system. Our activities also involve daily information dissemination through the beekeeping community's website, coordinating professional education and theoretical knowledge dissemination at a national level, maintaining contact with legislative bodies and providing professional advice, close collaboration with ministries related to the industry, and cooperation with relevant authorities. The protection of bees and pollinators and environmental conservation are of paramount importance.

myhive Hungary: What European beekeeping organizations exist?

P.A.: Similar to us, neighboring countries also have beekeeping associations functioning as civil organizations, bringing together beekeepers in their respective countries. Of course, these associations differ in terms of membership and composition because the geographical and economic characteristics of each country, including their beekeeping sectors, vary. Unfortunately, it can be considered a shortcoming that there is no common representation for the beekeeping organizations of member states in the European Union.

myhive Hungary: What should we know about bees? Are they true superorganisms?

P.A.: Bees have existed on Earth for a very long time, and there are numerous species. I believe it can be stated that they are true survival champions. "Our bees," namely the honey bees (Apis mellifera), live in bee colonies where everyone has their designated tasks, and they exist in an incredibly organized "community." A bee colony consists of a queen bee (female), drones (males) during certain periods, and worker bees (females). The colony's population is not constant throughout the year and can vary between 20,000 and 60,000 individuals (1 queen, 5,000 drones, and 20,000 to 55,000 workers). The majority of the colony consists of worker bees, who perform the daily tasks within the hive. Communication within the family is highly developed, and bees utilize multiple senses for it. For example, they perceive the queen bee's pheromone through their sense of smell, but workers engage in movement-based communication known as the "waggle dance," which informs each other about the spatial location of foraging areas. The dance conveys a series of movements, creating a kind of map for other bees.

Interestingly, bees don't only use their wings for flight. When ripening nectar into honey, they reduce its water content (by fanning their wings), and they also regulate the internal temperature of the hive using this wing-fanning technique.

myhive Hungary: Are the bees in danger? What is the global situation like? Where do we stand in Europe and in the world?

P.A.: A few decades ago, domesticated honey bees, which are cared for by beekeepers, also existed as wild animals. However, due to negative factors affecting the lives of bees, they would go extinct within one or two years without the assistance of beekeepers. The causes of this are an imported bee pest from Asia, the consequences of climate change, and the harmful effects of intensive agriculture. Although the keeping of honey bees presents new challenges for beekeepers each year, with additional work and costs, the domestic bee population has been continuously increasing in the past decade but has stagnated in recent years, mainly due to economic reasons.

Earlier, I mentioned that bees are true survival champions, as they have existed on our planet for millions of years and have been able to adapt well to various environmental factors. However, they cannot adapt at such a rapid pace to an increasingly strong influence, which is humans and human activities. Mass bee deaths are often reported. Mild winters and droughts caused by climate change, bee diseases, and the spread of parasites clearly pose significant problems. This trend is not only present here but also observed almost everywhere in the world. Hungary, if I may say so, is still in a good position regarding bees, as they perform pollination in agriculture, and we have one of the highest bee densities in the world.

myhive Hungary: How does global warming and climate change affect the lives of bees and pollination?

P.A.: As beekeepers, we directly experience the effects of climate change. Winter bee mortality in Hungary has increased from 5-10% to 25-30% over 15 years, which means it has tripled in the past fifteen years. Traditional bee pastures are also significantly affected, as white acacia, for example, has been freezing for years, and our bees can only collect from secondary blooms. In summer, due to drought, in many places across the country, we have to feed the bees with supplementary food as early as August because there is no natural forage available.

myhive Hungary: What are the beneficial effects of honey?

P.A.: Honey is not only delicious but also healthy and versatile. Honey's natural components are essential for the human body. It could be a long list of ingredients, but to summarize in one sentence: it contains 11 types of vitamins (such as C, B, H, P, D), approximately 30 types of minerals, 19 types of amino acids, and enzymes. It also promotes the healing of wounds and infections. Beeswax can be an ingredient in moisturizing creams, soaps, and even furniture polishes. It is no coincidence that Homer refers to honey as a gift from the gods in his epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey.

myhive Hungary: We joined the save the bees campaign with our HIP and myhive brands, aiming to educate and raise awareness among our tenants and colleagues about the importance of bees through a beekeeping exhibition, a prize draw, and honey tasting. What is your opinion on this? Why is it important to increase people's knowledge on this topic? How can such a campaign help society?

P.A.: In my opinion, you are doing very important work! To understand the significance of beekeepers' work and the potential risks of pollinator decline, it is crucial to mention that 87% of flowering plants, including three-quarters of the most important cultivated crops, rely on the involvement of pollinators, with domesticated bees being responsible for 90-95% of pollinators observed in some orchards. The general public can best support bees by creating smaller bee-friendly habitats, even planting flowering plants on a balcony of an apartment building. The more diverse the plant selection, the better.

It is important to ensure that the area intended for flowers is cultivated (weeding, soil loosening, etc.). Freshly sown or planted plants always require aftercare (after sowing, after the plants have emerged, at least until they are strong, care must be taken to ensure soil moisture and to prevent weeds from overgrowing). Perennials should be planted in flowering areas intended for pollinators, as they require less maintenance and in some cases flower sooner.

It is also worth thinking carefully about where to plant beehives. For the general public, balconies, balconies and small gardens are all suitable. In an urban environment, avoid small (1-2 square metres) areas enclosed by concrete - these are typically too dry - and places favoured by dogs, such as the base of trees on a boulevard. Even with active - almost daily - care in these areas, failure is guaranteed.

In addition, avoid the edges of busy roads and green areas separating multi-lane roads - only flowering trees should be considered for the latter. The problem is that car traffic is almost certain to kill insects flying at low altitudes, whereas this risk is greatly reduced when the trees are higher up.

The best option is to designate a small or large area of larger parks bordered by less busy roads for this purpose.

myhive Hungary: What are the possibilities for helping bees in office buildings? What do you think about the installed beehives on the rooftops in the city. What is your opinion on this? Is it really helping the bees?

P.A.: Basically, it is a good idea if it is educational and the office workers can either observe the bee colonies or observe the work that the beekeeper has to do on the colonies. However, it is important to note that the installation of hives, the purchase of hives, does not help to solve the problem. Bees require specialised expertise and without this work they can be a threat to other beekeepers from a bee health point of view.

There is currently a beehive on the roof of a building in Budapest, which is tended by a beekeeper every 2-3 days in spring. Feeding is also important and the whole process requires a lot of attention.

myhive Hungary: Can a lay person install bee colonies in their garden?

P.A.: We do not recommend lay people to keep bees. They can have many different diseases and need expertise to treat them properly. Within a 5km radius, an infestation in a local hive can be serious if not treated properly.

myhive Hungary: What is the the producer honey?

P.A.: It's a trust based product, you can see the face behind it. You get a quality, you know exactly where it was produced, you have a right to expect the benefits from the honey you want to buy, you won't get that from a syrup. OMME's sealed ribbon program is open to OMME members,

The OMME's lock strip programme is for OMME members to join, sign a contract with the association, volunteer to provide a sample of their bees for testing, and then have them tested by the association in accredited laboratories. If it's OK, you can use the sealing tape. If you see this on your honey, you can be sure that what you are seeing is Hungarian, quality and producer honey.

If everyone ate a spoonful of domestic honey a day, we wouldn't have to export it. This is not only an economic aspect, but in the long term it will help beekeepers to survive.

myhive Hungary: Why does honey crystallise?

P.A.: The ratio of fructose to glucose determines how prone a honey is to crystallize. If there is more fructose, it will crystallize more slowly. For example, rapeseed honey has more glucose, acacia honey has higher fructose, above 14.45. These are simple sugars, they don't need to be broken down. Bees add these to the honey in a digestible form. It's more easily broken down by the body and gets into the bloodstream faster.

myhive Hungary: Thank you for the interview and we wish you good luck!