Apiculture and commercial production of honey

(a) Indigenous methods of bee keeping

Many villagers make (i) wall or fixed types of hives in rectangular spaces in the walls with a small hole or (ii) movable types of hives in wooden boxes or earthen pitchers. The traditional beekeepers catch clustered swarms from trees, bushes, etc and transfer them to the above-mentioned spaces. After sometime when the honey is ready, the bees are driven away from the comb usually by smoking the hive. Then the comb is cut away and the honey is squeezed out through a piece of large – meshed cloth.

(b) Modern hives

The modern beehive is made up of a series of square or oblong boxes without tops or bottoms, set one above the other. This hive has the floor at the bottom, and a crown board at the top, and a roof over all.

Inside these boxes, wooden frames are vertically hung paralled to each other. The wooden frames are filled with sheets of wax foundation on which the combs are built by the bees. The only entrance to the hive is below the large bottom box (brood chamber). The queen is usually confined to the brood chamber. The boxes termed “supers” are used for storage of honey. The queen is prevented from going to the “supers” by the “queen excluder” that allows only the workers to move.

Uses of Honey

– Food : Honey is a nutritious food, rich in energy and vitamins.

– Medicines: It is used as a carrier in ayurvedic and unani medicines. It acts as a laxative and prevents cold,  cough and fever.

– It is used in religious ceremonies.

– It goes in the making of alcoholic drinks and beauty lotions. Another important use is in scientific research for making bacterial cultures.

– It is also utilised for making poison baits for certain insect pests.