In the heart of London’s financial district, the City of London, crowds of workers hustle through the streets. A few years ago, PAULIUS CHOCKEVIČIUS was a part of this fast-paced world, but he traded the towering skyscrapers and office buildings for the forests of Lithuania, in a botanical reserve near Kaunas. There, he still finds as much work and activity as in the city offices, supported by thousands of workers. The founder of BEE BALTIC is assisted by thriving bee colonies - the honey they collect from Lithuania's meadows and forests delights not only Lithuanians but also reaches the United Kingdom.

“The nature here is incredible and exceptionally clean,” says Paulius. “It’s full of pines, oaks, maples, linden trees, and a variety of forest and wild meadow flowers. Honey always absorbs the energy and healing properties of the plants.” In Bee Baltic’s online store, you can find a variety of honeys – linden, buckwheat, wildflower, and forest honey. They also offer bee bread, pollen, and natural beeswax candles, along with articles featuring honey recipes, interesting facts, and tips for beauty and health. 

Paulius is a strong advocate for sustainable beekeeping and cites Albert Einstein: “If the bees disappeared from the face of the Earth, man would have only four years left to live.” “70% of the food we eat is pollinated by bees, and currently, the number of bee colonies in the Western world is rapidly declining. Humans have dug their own grave: pollution, pesticides, intensive agriculture, forestry, urban sprawl, climate change, and other factors make it difficult for bees to survive without the help of beekeepers. In Lithuania, the situation is still good, and we can boast one of the highest bee overwintering rates in Europe. Sustainable beekeeping is what gives us hope. We should support sustainable beekeepers and avoid cheap, low-quality honey where bees are simply exploited.”

You worked in London’s financial district. Why did you decide to leave it behind for beekeeping?

Yes, I have a variety of experience in the finance sector. I worked as a senior accountant and financial analyst in both investment funds and asset management companies. Over the years, I gained a lot of life and business experience. The fact that I am well-versed in accounting is now helping me efficiently manage my company’s finances. However, during that time, I felt a strong desire to create and be closer to nature. I also noticed how distant people are from nature, and through honey, I want to help them find those brief moments of peace, filled with nature’s flavors. That’s how beekeeping came into my life.

Can beekeeping be learned, or is it passed down from generation to generation? How did it happen in your case?

Beekeeping can certainly be learned, with patience, determination, time, persistence, and motivation. It’s a school that you create for yourself, setting your own schedule. You must constantly observe and set new tasks for yourself.
In my case, it happened naturally. My grandfather was a beekeeper, and he passed the craft to my godfather Edmundas. I’m incredibly grateful to him for the foundational knowledge. Later, I intensively practiced with various beekeepers in Lithuania. Honestly, I was afraid of bees, perhaps because I had been frightened as a child. But I overcame that fear after just one experience when an 80-year-old beekeeper invited me to help with the hive. That’s when I let go of all my fears: I stood there in just a T-shirt, without a veil, holding a honeycomb full of bees. Now, I live fearlessly, with a smile, and full of positivity!
Currently, I am expanding my knowledge by attending various beekeeping courses and meeting beekeepers in other countries.

How can you tell good honey from bad honey?

Currently, there is a lot of pasteurized, heated, or otherwise processed honey on the market, and even fake honey. That’s why I always recommend checking the honey's origin first. If possible, try to understand the values of the beekeeper or company. I believe people should be more aware of what they are eating and know the source of their food.
Quality, or “pure,” honey will crystallize over time. This is the first sign of quality. Different types of honey crystallize at different rates and with varying crystal structures. Of course, certain types of honey, such as pine or acacia, don’t crystallize for a long time. In such cases, there are other ways to test the quality: the honey should flow smoothly from the spoon, and when dropped into a full glass of water, it should not dissolve immediately but rather gently sink to the bottom.
Through Bee Baltic, we aim to educate people about honey’s quality and benefits. In our online store, we share simple recipes that incorporate honey, as well as articles on the healing properties of various types of honey.

Beekeeping is your business – what challenges do you face? The competition is strong, but the demand for honey is growing as eco-friendly lifestyles become more popular?

As with any business, there are definitely many challenges. During the summer, I often have to sacrifice time with friends in favor of time with the bees. Beekeeping comes with a great deal of responsibility. When I started this craft, experienced beekeepers warned me that there would be days when I would have to forgo trips to lakes with family. Sometimes, everything is planned, but the bees know better and always surprise you. Sometimes they suddenly bring in honey, and this spring, the colonies grew unexpectedly, so what I had planned to do in two weeks had to be done much sooner. There were times when I was on my way to meet friends and received a call about bees swarming, so I turned around and went straight to the bees. But that’s exactly what I love – you can improve your decision-making skills. Often, important decisions must be made in an instant, which can determine the future of a bee colony. From a business perspective, one challenge is the large amount of imported, low-quality honey. A more amusing fact is that more Manuka honey is sold globally than bees can actually collect.

What is the most rewarding part of this business?

The most rewarding moments are when the decisions you make turn out to be correct. When you see your colonies growing stronger every day after spring. And when you realize how much you’ve learned.

There are many legends about the benefits of honey. What are the main beneficial properties of honey that you would highlight?

Honey truly possesses powerful healing properties. Working with Bee Baltic, I noticed that not everyone is familiar with honey’s basic properties, such as its antibacterial qualities. Honey’s properties also depend on its type. Buckwheat honey has more antioxidants and iron, which help detoxify the body, combat anemia, and serve as an excellent food supplement for non-meat eaters. Honey can be used not only for eating but also as a face or hair mask. Although it’s sticky, the results are amazing.

Does the culture of honey consumption and beekeeping differ between Lithuania and the UK?

I believe the differences stem from our culture and history. Lithuanians tend to use honey more as a health supplement, while in the UK, it’s used as a daily food ingredient or as a sugar substitute. The terminology used by beekeepers also differs; in Lithuania, they use “bee family” and “queen bee,” whereas in the UK, they use “bee colony” and “queen.”

The world of bees is fascinating – in hives, there is real life, hierarchy, and every bee has its duties and responsibilities. Bees are considered highly intelligent. Could you tell us about the life of bees?

There is a lot to learn from bees. In their world, there is a system where, if danger arises, every bee can sacrifice itself for the welfare of the queen and the entire colony. Bees don’t know the word ‘laziness.’ They work continuously! Newly born worker bees spend their first two weeks caring for unhatched bees and maintaining cleanliness in the hive. Later, they begin flying out to explore the territory, discover nectar sources, and start bringing in honey. They also build combs, guard the hive, and use bee resin to seal cracks or disinfect parts of the hive. The queen is the most important; she is responsible for laying eggs and reproduction. Drones’ primary role is to mate with the queen. In winter, the bees expel all drones from the hive because they serve no purpose other than consuming food. Their days are numbered.

I’ve heard it’s impossible to force bees into a hive; they choose their own homes. Is that true?

I believe that even a conscious person cannot force bees into other homes. When swarming, bees choose their own new homes. However, in beekeeping, there are instances where you perform a forced swarming or expand the apiary by splitting colonies. During this time, the beekeeper selects the new hive and creates a family. It may also be necessary to merge colonies if one is too weak. In that case, the beekeeper decides which bees will share homes with others.

Do bees recognize their owner, in this case, you?

Among beekeepers, it is said that bees recognize their owner, but scientifically, you’d have to ask researchers. Bees are sensitive to every human emotion, intention, and mood. A person who is stressed, angry, or afraid sweats more, and their heart and energy field become more active, which bees can sense and respond to quickly. Bees also dislike strong or pungent smells. That’s why you shouldn’t approach bees after consuming alcohol, wearing perfume, or using strong scents. When working with bees, you should be calm, clear-minded, and sober in your words and actions.

I’ve read PETA’s information about bees. The honey industry is described unfavorably, even urging people not to consume honey and bee products because bees are disappearing from the Earth. How would you advise people to consume and do business responsibly, as you do?

I will answer from the perspective of a sustainable beekeeper: this is indeed a sensitive issue. I am a beekeeper myself and promote healthy, sustainable, and organic beekeeping. I believe people know many claims about this issue but don’t understand the current situation and the life of bees.
Yes, bees are declining sharply in America and Western Europe, but according to statistics, their numbers are growing in Lithuania. We need to consider the reasons behind their decline, which stem from human actions harming the ecosystem. Humans have destroyed ecosystems, not because beekeeping started. Fields and forests are being sprayed, and forests are being cut down. The demand for farmers to expand is increasing due to rising consumerism. All of these factors deprive bees of homes and food. Bees are weakened by sprayed fields and no longer have safe places to live or overwinter, as there are fewer and fewer natural cavities for them. In nature, bees would live from swarm to swarm. That’s why sustainable beekeepers create a safe, natural environment for bees to thrive year after year. As for honey harvesting, it depends on the beekeeper’s values. Bees are instinctively driven to collect honey in large quantities; they will continue to gather honey as long as there is nectar, even if they have enough. Therefore, we shouldn’t criticize beekeepers who harvest the excess honey.

Another issue is that many people consider honey to be an animal product, although it is actually flower nectar gathered by bees. A bee does not produce honey like a cow; it collects nectar, stores it in cells, and matures it. Bees also produce pollen, wax, and royal jelly. The most important point is that without bees, 70% of food for omnivores – and an even larger percentage for vegans – would not exist. And without ethical, sustainable beekeepers, there would be no bees. Unless humanity radically changes and restores the natural ecosystem, the situation will not improve, given the growing consumerism, materialism, and capitalism. There are instances where, as a beekeeper, I feel uncomfortable with some actions of other beekeepers. For example, the native European black bee, which was once common in Lithuania, was considered extinct there because beekeepers started importing different bee breeds for convenience. However, recent studies show that the 'Apis mellifera mellifera' bee still exists in Lithuania’s deep forests. I am a sustainable beekeeper, and I don’t keep bees for the quantity of honey. However, my colonies simply thrive and grow exponentially.

To learn more about Bee Baltic’s activities, follow the news, and purchase products, visit www.beebaltic.com.

Lithuanian Business Link. This project is partially funded by the Lithuanian Media Support Fund.