Translation from Bulgarian

BULGARIA – UNIQUE GREENERY AND TYPES OF HONEY

The beekeeping in Bulgaria has thousands years of history. The traditions are well preserved till nowadays and up to now the development of this sector goes hastily. But for beekeeping to exist there shall be appropriate greenery. On this basis our country is unique with its diversity.

HONEY AREAS OF BULGARIA

The regions for bee honey and honey products extraction in Bulgaria are determined depending on the prevailing basic greenery relevant for bees.
Over 1500 plant species in Bulgaria give nectar and pollen. 250 types of them substantial for bees. Depending on the time of blossom they are divided into early spring, spring, summer and autumn. The honey plants may be forest, grassland and shrubs.
Forests are the best protected and most widespread type of natural greenery. In Bulgaria there are deciduous and coniferous forest types.
Of the deciduous types most widespread are the beech and oak. Beech forests there are in Western and Middle Stara Planina, Sredna gora and Strandzha – between 1000 and 1500 m altitude. Oak forests there are in the plains and mountains of up to 1000 m altitude. Characteristic deciduous forest greenery in Bulgaria are the dense forests, spread in the lower reaches of the Black Sea rivers (Batova, Kamchiya, Ropotamo, Veleka). In Belasitsa, Berkovska Stara Planina, Slavyanka, Ograzhden are the best chestnut forests.
Coniferous forests there are between 1000 and 2100 m altitude in Rila, Northern Pirin, Western Rhodope, Western and Middle Stara planina. Widespread coniferous species in our country are pine, spruce and fir.
Shrubs greenery in Bulgaria is represented by hips, hawthorn, blackthorn, thorn, lilac, sumac, holly, juniper etc.
Grass greenery is mostly spread in southern Dobrudzha, Danube Valley and the upper parts of the mountains.
Major significance for the country have herbs which may be assigned to the lavishness of Bulgaria.
For preservation of natural proliferation of the country created are many reserves, national parks and protected areas.
From the perspective of the beekeeping development in Republic of Bulgaria and the spread honey greenery identified may be certain regions having specific characteristics and in which certain types of honey is extracted.
In the following brochure presented are the basic areas in the country where produced are the quantities of honey and honey products. These are:
Danube Valley;
Region of Stara planina;
Strandzha Region;
Thracian Region;
Rila – Rhodope Region.

Danube Valley

The Danube Valley is the most northern part of the physical-geographic area of Bulgaria. It is between Danube River on north and Fore-Balkan on south. On west reaches River of Timok, east – Black Sea. Most of the valley is used for agriculture.
Soil types and specific climatic conditions determine the transition of deciduous forest greenery on west to more dry-preferring grass greenery with step character on east. The natural greenery takes limited spaces (in the areas, not suitable for agriculture). Today the natural greenery is preserved in the Danube islands and the non-used agricultural parts of near river valleys where the level of underwater is high. Of the tree species most widespread are some types of oak species (tser and blagun), acacia, elm, hornbeam, lime, hazel etc. of the step types most spread are the step grasses such as the sadist, esparto, iris and others.
Of the honey greenery with most importance are the plantings of acacia, lime, rape and sunflower. In the region located are big areas with acacia and lime forests, representing more than 50% of all such plantings in Bulgaria. In the region developed is the fruit-growing. Produced are apricots, apples etc. the biggest area in the country is of rapeseed and sunflower are namely here.
In this wide area located are about 60% of the bee families and produced is 62% of the bee honey in Bulgaria.
Produced are acacia, lime and sunflower honey as well as rapeseed honey.

Strandzha Region

Strandzha is a mountain, situated in South-Eastern Bulgaria between Black Sea and Upper Thracian Valley. The overall area of the mountain is about 10 thousand sq. km.
On its territory is located Strandzha Natural Park (named park in 1995 with 116 136, 2 ha – it is the largest protected area in Bulgaria).
The specific climate of Strandzha is the reason for the unique greenery. Strandzha’s flora is a complex conglomerate of different in origin, biological peculiarities and level of evolution plant species with nature protective value. Prevailing are oak and eastern beech forests which cover about 80% of the park territory. Large part of them are old, natural and with preserved initial composition and diversity. The overall amount of the plant species in Strandzha is about 1665 species – over 47% of the higher plants of Bulgaria.
Strandzha is the lowest populated area of Bulgaria – merely 10 people per square km.
With regards to development of beekeeping in Strandzha interest raise oak forests of which produced is manna honey. In the region produced is about 70% of the oak manna honey in Bulgaria.

Region of Stara planina
Stara planina or Balkan (in ancient times in Greek Αίμος; Hemos; in Latin Heamus, Hemus) is a mountain range in Europe, located on the Balkan Peninsula which gave the name of the peninsula. It is located west of Eastern Serbia (the mouth of Timok River) to Black Sea on east (nose Emine) as the larger part is situated on the territory of Bulgaria. Stara planina is located all over the length of Bulgaria and separates the country conditionally to Northern and Southern Bulgaria.
The highest peak is Botev (2376 m). In its territory formed are many parks, protected areas and national park. Similarly to the soils as in the vegetation noticed is well developed vertical zoning. Up to 800 meters altitude prevailing are the deciduous species, namely breech forming the upper border of the forest. Above the breech forests at certain places seen could be nice spruce forests, some places mixed with fir (Berkovska and Karlovska Mountains).
Present are also limited areas of fields of white fir (Region of Teteven) and black pine. On the northern slopes of Berkovska Stara planina there are natural forests of the relic plain chestnut. In Central Stara planina on the carstic terrains present is the edelweiss (Region of Kozyata stena and Mazalat peak). In the upper parts there are pastures and meadows. From the shrub species common are briar, hawthorn, blackberry, dogwood, hazel, juniper, blueberry, vrashnyak, blackthorn, thorns, sumac, lilac etc. At certain places in Middle and Western Stara planina preserved are shrubs of squat. In the region of Aytos present is the endemic aytoska sgrabiche and in the central parts of the mountain there is the endemic Balkan primose. Western of Sliven is the most northern location of the Mediterranean species kukuch. Substantial is the diversity of grass species – fescue, meadow-grass, clover, svetlika, sedge, bracken, kartal, bent, etc.
This is a weak region for honey production. The average qualities, produced by a bee family are 5-7 kg. This is a polyflower honey extracted from many plants with unique taste and aroma.

Thracian Region

Thrace (in Greek: Θράκη, Tourkish: Trakya, Trakia, Latin: Thracia, Tratsia) is a historical – geographic area in the South-Eastern Europe which today includes Southern Bulgaria, North-Eastern Greece and the European part of Turkey. The Bulgarian part of Thrace is known as Northern Thrace, the Turkish – as the Adrianople or Eastern Thrace, the Greek – as White Sea or Western Thrace. Citizens of the area in the ancient times were the Thracian who gave its name, the current citizens – the Bulgarian, Turkish and Greek, in the name of the geographic regions they live in are sometimes called Thracians.
An intensive beekeeping region. Predominant is the agricultural production but preserved are some natural areas in Sredna gora and the river valleys. Produced is acacia, sunflower, lavender, menthol and polyflower honey are well as honey by rapeseed and coriander. Here extracted is 25% of the honey produced in Bulgaria. The most intensive region of honey pollen and royal jelly production.

Rila – Rhodope Region

Oldest undulating massive of the Balkan Peninsula. Spread is between river of Maritsa on east, Dinnar Mountain and Sharsko – Pindska Chain on west and Carpathian – Balkan Mountains on north-east.
The Rhodope Mountain includes Rila, Pirin and Rhodope. They are rich in flora and fauna. Above 1800-2000 m altitude there are meadows.
The climate and soil diversity suggests various plants diversity. On the territory of the mountain encountered could be over 2000 types of plant species, 90 of which are Balkan endemic species and are almost extinct. In the lower parts of the Eastern Rhodope forests give way to sub-Mediterranean species – vergil oak, brekinya, hornbeam, wild pear, thorns, red juniper etc.
On height of 800 m there are mostly forests of plain oak, Moesian beech, hornbeam, maple, shestil and others. In the coniferous belt, developed mostly in the Western Rhodope present is plain spruce, white pine, black pine as well as oak. At a greater height there are mostly shrubs and alpine meadows. The vegetation is vertically zoned in three belts – forest, sub-alpine and alpine. The forest belt is covered mostly with coniferous trees white and black pine, fir, plain spruce and reaches approximately 2000 m. To 2500 m height is the sub-alpine belt where prevail the shrubs squat and juniper which sizes decrease with the increase of height. Lastly there is the alpine belt covered with grasses, mosses and lichens and on the border of the two there is lavishness of blackberry. More peculiar is the greenery near the water sources where most commonly may be seen representatives of the sedge family.
Very poor beekeeping area. Low average production per bee family. Impossibility to develop industrial beekeeping due to the rough climate conditions, bad infrastructure and bear attacks.
Here produced are large amounts of diverse pollen as well as propolis and royal jelly. The only region for coniferous manna honey production. It is being extracted for the fir and spruce above 1000 m altitude. The polyflower bee honey of this region has unique taste qualities and consistency.

TYPES OF BEE HONEY

ACACIA BEA HONEY
Organoleptic characteristics. Non – crystallizing (due to large contents of fructose). Bright in color and specific light aroma.
Pollen characteristics –low overall quantity of pollen grains (average 9200 grains/10g, minimum 1000 and maximum 19000). The percentage contents of acacia pollen of the overall pollen is also comparatively low (average 28,1%, minimum 7,0% and maximum 59,5%).
Physical and chemical characteristics. The bright color, conductivity, acidity, the contents of enzyme, proline and glucose content and also the content of fructose and sucrose is higher.
Physical and chemical indicators of the Bulgarian acacia honey
Color – 12,7 mm, Water – 17,9%, рН – 4,51, Total acidity – 14,3 mEquiv./kg, Diastase – 10,3 diastase number, Fructose/glucose – 1,61, Sucrose – 7,09%, Pollen – 28%.
ORGANOLEPTIC INDICATORS
- Color – light yellow;
- Aroma – not very strong;
- Taste – sweet; 
- Consistency – liquid mass.
Medicinal use – The acacia honey has moderate volatile and non-volatile antimicrobial substances. It is applicable as a good general supportive and neurotone substance. It is recommended when treating gastrointestinal, liver and kidney diseases. It has a slight expectoric effect, per doctor’s prescription causes anti diabetic effect.

MANNA BEE HONEY

Manna is produced by a large number of sucking insects on different coniferous and deciduous tree species.

Organoleptic characteristics. The color is dark to very dark with intensive green shadow, the aroma is specific, moderately sweet, high acidity, slow crystallization, consistency is thick due to low water contents.

Microscopic characteristics. Manna honey characterizes with the presence of the so called manna elements (hyphae, spores, algae, fungi) and pollen of non-honey producing plants. The rate of manna elements/ pollen grains is averagely 1,5 with border values 0,30 and 0,40 the overall quantity of plant elements is average 151,90 and border values 35,30 and 373,00.

Physical – chemical characteristics. Manna honey is unique with its high values of the indicators color, conductivity and pH, positive optical activity and low values of fructose, glucose, the amount of glucose and fructose, the rate glucose/water.

Physical – chemical indicators of Bulgarian Manna Honey
Color - 86 mm, Water – 16,1%, рН – 5,1, Total acidity – 28,4 mEquiv./kg, Diastase – 22,6 Diastase number, Fructose/glucose – 1,25, Sucrose – 0,8%, Conductivity – 1,20 mS/cm.
Organoleptic indicators:
- Color – light yellow to dark brown;
- Aroma – characteristic;
- Taste – sweet, sometimes slightly sour or bitter.
- Consistency – thick liquid semi-crystallized or crystallized mass
Medicinal use – Due to the high content of microelements manna honey is suitable for diseased, suffering anemic. Used is for treatment of the upper respiratory tract – cough, bronchitis. Manna honey is a great anti-anemic measure, strengthens the heart muscle, reinforces the immune system, protects against bleeding in the brain and the eye retina.

LIME BEE HONEY

Organoleptic characteristic. Color is light to averagely intensive. Aroma is strong and specific. Acidity is low. Slow crystallization. Sweetness is average.

Pollen characteristic. Small amount of pollen. The total amount of pollen grains is averagely 15800/10 g with border of variation 3000 and 35200. The percentage contents of lime pollen is average 22,9% (1 to 55,9%).

Physical – chemical characteristics. Lime honey has conductivity higher than the values, characteristic for the nectar honey because of the manna honey impurities.

Physical-chemical indicators of Bulgarian lime honey
Color – 33,3 mm, Water – 16,9%, рН – 4,4, Total acidity – 23,5 mEquiv./kgг, Diastase – 16,8 Diastase number, Fructose/glucose – 1,18, Sucrose – 1,2%, Pollen – 28,3%.

Organoleptic indicators:
- Color – light;
- Aroma – reminds of the aroma of lime blossom;
- Taste – sweet, slightly bitter;
- Consistency – thick liquid semi-crystallized or crystallized mass

Medicinal use – Antimicrobial action of the lime honey is strong according to Gram-positive and gram-negative microorganisms and is anti-protozoal – according to infusoria, amebas and trichomonad. It has good antifungal properties. Causes expectoric, bronchodilator, anti-infectious, cardio tonic and laxative effects. It is effective for wounds and burns as well as when treating some gynecological diseases.

POLYFLOWER BEE HONEY (BOUQUET)
Organoleptic characteristics. Color is moderately intensive. The aroma is strong. Crystallization is slower or faster depending of its composition. Moderate sweetness.

Pollen characteristics. Large amounts of various pollen.

Physical – chemical indicators of the polyflower honey
Color - 34-45 mm, Water – to 20%, рН – 4, Total acidity - to 50 mEquiv./kg, Diastase activity – positive, Sucrose – to 5%, Pollen – various %. 

Organoleptic indicators:
- Color -  from light yellow to brown-red;
- Aroma – pleasant;
- Taste – sweet;
- Consistency – thick liquid semi-crystallized or crystallized mass.

Medicinal use – Divine elixir, miracle of nature – these definitions may be given for honey and merely cannot be put in only two words all the advantages of one really magical food. In Ancient East they used honey not only for its nutrition qualities but as a universal cure. Today scientists all agree on the exceptional healing qualities of the unique bee products: honey, pollen, propolis. Powerful stimulator of the immune system, they protect the human organism from virus diseases, improve the brain activity, regulate the blood pressure, prevent leukemia. Except of vitamins, ferments, minerals those products consist of priceless amino acids which exceed five times those consisting in meat, eggs and cheese.
Our country is a unique place for beekeeping development. The pure nectar Bulgarian honey has many vitamins and the multicolor honey has very good chemical analysis. The presence of these herbs, growing only on slopes of Bulgaria make it one of the most priceless products in the world.