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In the yard of an old house in Torovica, Lezha, near the grapevines, 80 beehives are placed. Around them, only the sound of silence is felt. In February, when temperatures are still low, bees are barely noticed. Later, in early spring, when the flowers bloom, hundreds of thousands of bees leave their hives and can be seen flying from cherry blossoms to sage blossoms or blooming chestnuts. The nearby meadows, old pastures, and hills surrounding the village become the Garden of Eden for the bees, enabling them to play their invaluable role in biodiversity by transferring pollen grains and helping in the fertilization and seed production.
A few years ago, this extraordinary life cycle almost stopped because the bees were infected with american foulbrood (AFB), a bacterial disease of brood. “I had only been working with bees for three months and was told to burn them, otherwise they would infect the others, weakening and killing the bee colonies,” says Rinaldo Gjolaj, a young beekeeper who founded “Alpine Bees.”
At that time, he was only 22 years old, had left university to raise bees, and suddenly his life was turned upside down. “For an entire week, I could do nothing but cry. Then, I remembered that I used to be an athlete and challenged myself in every championship, so I realized that the only way to win is to get back up after every fall,” he adds.
“It’s not that we dare not because things are difficult, but things are difficult because we do not dare.” This quote from Seneca has been a major motivation for Gjolaj after losing 50 beehives to the infectious disease. He managed to buy other beehives, facing the challenge that another unexpected infectious disease or parasites would bring, until two years ago, when he learned about new beehives with a monitoring device that prevents risks. It was then that he realized his fear would end.
He applied for funding in the “EU for Innovation” project, purchasing 30 devices for his beehives.
“They have sensors that monitor the bees without opening the hives. Through the sounds made by the queen, we can understand the condition inside the hive. The monitoring devices translate the sounds into information for us. We can understand if the bees are stressed, have enough food, are infected if the queen herself is damaged or if ventilation is working. Thanks to the EU Innovation Fund, I now learn in real-time on my phone what is happening in the hive,” explains Gjolaj.
“Hearing the voice” of the queen seems to have never been more essential for the life cycle. Bees have a vital role as 4 out of 5 flowers and wild crops need animal pollination, at least to some extent, and our food and health depend on it. This is why translating the bee language helps protect our world.
As part of the “Green Campaign,” a walk was organized in the “Alpine Bees” park in Torovica by the “House of Europe,” together with H.A.N.A., a youth organization in Lezha. Dozens of youngsters followed Gjolaj’s story towards success and the importance of ventures for the development of the area.
In childhood, he liked the taste of honey. This is how everything started, – Gjolaj tells the youngsters, – then you have to follow your dream.
“Alpine Bee” produces honey, pollen, propolis, and royal jelly. In the coming months, Gjolaj will organize apitherapy groups, which help people suffering from asthma, adding another benefit to society from bees./ (August 12)