Welcome to Beekeeping

Man is a very flexible being. He finds ways to adapt to the changes around his environment. He equips himself with information and uses it wisely for his own benefits. He has methods in interacting with other entities that may help him get the best quality of living. One very good example is the concept known as beekeeping.

Beekeeping which is technically termed as apiculture is identified as the maintenance of certain colonies that are comprised of honey bees. This is usually done by facilitating hives wherein the role of keeper is played by an individual called as apiarist. The apiarist or the beekeeper makes sure that the colony is kept stable so as to obtain honey and beeswax, pollinate crops, or even generate income out of their own bees via selling. The place in which the bees are situated is termed as apiary.

Lets tap into the pages of history and take a look at the development of this beekeeping method. It is said that the collection of honey from various species of wild bee has been part of the day-to-day activities of our ancient counterparts and up to this modern time natives from Asia, South America, Africa, and Australia are still actively practicing it. Rock paintings that is said to have existed around 13,000 BC are the earliest proofs of honey gathering. The crude way of forcing the bees to give up their sweet stuff is by smoking or breaking open a tree where a colony is found.

Honey bees were seen to have played an integral part in ancient Egypt. It was designated as the symbol of Upper Egypt after the momentous union of the north and south regions and was utilized as portion of the throne name of all Pharaohs. Laborers were shown engaging in efforts of blowing out bees with smoke in order to remove honeycombs. There were also certain records indicating that honey was poured in jars from cylinder-like hives. The grave goods of Pharaohs like Tutankhamen were filled with sealed honey pots.

There were also evidences linking a honey industry during the Ancient times of Israel. According to an archeologist by the name of Amihai Mazar, ruins from the city of Rehov included 30 hives that were kept intact. The beehives that were located were described as having been crafted out of unbaked clay and straw and were stacked in an organized manner. The method of beekeeping was part of the writings of Roman greats such as Virgil, Columella, and Varro. Aristotle also spent some time in studying lives of bees and the concepts of beekeeping.