May 23, 2022
Posted by: Kim West
In our pursuit to save the honey bees from one of their primary threats — Varroa mites — our team is focused on innovating products that helps the bees without harming the natural environment. The rapid decline of bee populations and the struggle to combat Varroa mites and their vectors underscore the urgent need for new treatment strategies that mitigate the potential of mites resistance.
A New Frontier
Venturing beyond conventional methods, our team has worked tirelessly to develop a simple and potent solution that aligns with nature. We developed a treatment powder that prompts honey bees to groom themselves and dislodge Varroa mites!
Our independent testing in the lab and at our home apiary demonstrated promising results, supporting our vision to protect the bees and the ecosystem they thrive in.
The Creation of a Bee-friendly Solution
Everbee Protect™ treatment powder is a precise blend and formulation of two food-grade ingredients: carnauba wax and lemongrass essential oil. Working with our chemist Steve Puelo at Koster Keunen, we were able to mill the wax particles to mimic the size of pollen to ensure it would not inhibit the bees’ breathing.
The Proof is in the Powder
It was a landmark moment in our bee-saving journey when we put our powder to the test and it passed with flying colors! Honey bees immediately groomed after being dusted with Everbee Protect™ and successfully detached Varroa mites.
Once we determined that our formulation was the safest and most effective way to deliver treatment to honey bees, we launched the first season of the Everbee Protect™ Pilot Program for beekeepers across the US to test our powder in different climates and conditions.
Ethical Sourcing and Sustainability
It goes without saying that sourcing our ingredients responsibly is not only critical to the safety of honey bees and mother earth, but essential in creating sustainable solutions to the mite problem.
When it came to lemongrass essential oil, we did our homework. The essential oils industry is not well regulated and brands can label their oils “pure” or “natural” without containing 100% essential oil.
For their purity and ethos, we are happy to partner with the Bulk Apothecary who provides our cruelty-free, USDA certified organic lemongrass essential oil harvested from India. From farming, distilling, brokering and filling -– every aspect of the supply chain is held to the highest quality standards.
Our second ingredient, carnauba wax, is a widely used hypoallergenic wax of the leaves of the carnauba palm. It can be found in everything from candy to dental floss. We searched for a transparent source with sustainable practices who shared our vision to save the honey bee population.
We chose Koster Keunen to source our USDA certified organic, non-GMO carnauba wax. Their initiative, We Are All One Hive, pledges to cultivate healthy ecosystems with a fair and safe supply chain based on three areas of sustainability: environmental, social and economic.
Beekeeping Initiatives Worldwide
An added benefit to partnering with Koster Keunen is their commitment to sustainable honey bee initiatives such as their collaboration with USAID to foster training, support, beehives and protective equipment across seven West African countries to support beekeeping initiatives. Their efforts will increase crop pollination, food production and financial stability across these regions. That’s a cause we are proud to stand by.
The Ripple Effect of Everbee Protect™
In our journey learning about honey bees, we are shown time and again that our actions matter. Every choice we make creates a ripple of events that echo into our future. With Everbee Protect™, your choice helps strengthen the honey bee population today, and for generations to come.