Bees
Bees pollinate crops and produce honey from the collected nectar. Beekeeping is therefore strongly linked to agriculture. Swiss beekeepers keep around 165,000 bee colonies. Each colony produces more than 100 kilos of honey a year for its own consumption. Of these, about 10-30kg are harvested honey.
Bees are vegetarians. They feed on plant sap, especially nectar. If honeybees are able to collect enough food, they build up supplies in the form of honey. They use these supplies during times in which there are fewer flowering plants. The honey also serves as a food source in the winter.
When the weather turns cold, bees do not enter into a state of hibernation. Instead, the entire colony comes together to form a winter cluster, keeping itself warm in the process. If the temperature falls below 10 degrees Celsius, the bees begin to flap their wings and thus generate heat. By doing so, they can heat the hive up to 30 degrees Celsius. This makes the honey more liquid again, meaning it can be used by the honeybees.
