Pine honey stars in Greek honey production, as almost 65% comes from this gifted tree that covers large parts of our country's fertile land. The beginning of each production is the honey secretions of Mahalina Hellenica, an insect that has lived in Greek forests since at least the 18th century. In fact, it was classified in 1883 with the characteristic genus name (hellenica), while the "pine worker" - as the most important honey-bearing insect in Greek beekeeping is also called - is further differentiated into four parasitic species: Pinus brutia (trachea), Pinus halepenesis parasites, Pinus silvestris and Pinus Pine. ,
Unlike other honeydew insects that feed by sucking sap from leaves, young shoots and fruits, Machalina hellenica - like insects that feed on fir trees - pierces the hard bark of the trunk. ,
The insect begins to secrete honeydew, which is 90-95% sugars such as sucrose, fructose, etc., from mid-August to spring of the following year. Then, from August to October, the bees collect the honey secretions, enrich them, process them and produce the special honey that Greek beekeeping can be proud of. The value of honeydew also depends on the stage the honeybee insect is in when it produces it, as well as the weather conditions. ,
Special properties of pine honey Nutritional value of pine honey Thanks to the large number of minerals and trace elements it contains in high concentrations - calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, copper, potassium and sodium - pine honey is a honey with high nutritional value. Because when the honeydew passes through the pine worker's body, it is enriched not only with sugar but also with vitamins, nitrogenous substances, proteins and amino acids, in higher concentrations than in nectar.