Many people are interested in the question: beekeeping - what is it? This term refers to a special direction in beekeeping, which involves the artificial creation of housing for bees in the form of a hollow in a tree. Bort helps attract many wild forest bees. However, it can be difficult to obtain a large amount of honey this way. To do this, you need to understand all the nuances of this type of activity.
What it is?
By definition, beekeeping is a form of beekeeping in which a hive is created in a natural or artificially created hollow of a large tree. In this case, the housing for insects should be located at a height of 7-15 meters. In essence, the beehive is an alternative to the traditional beehive. In the middle of the hollow, bees create honeycombs and make honey.
Origin story
Beekeeping was known back in Ancient Rus'. This direction appeared before the seventeenth century and was considered one of the main activities of the Eastern Slavs. This method of beekeeping has become especially widespread in the forests of the Dnieper region and Voronezh. Beekeeping was also practiced on the banks of the Desna, Oka and other rivers bordering the steppes. Honey and wax were actively exported from Rus'. There is evidence of this even in the princely Pravda of Yaroslav.
Decline
In the nineteenth century, the technology for producing beet sugar was invented. Therefore, honey was gradually forced out of the market. In addition, beekeeping has been replaced by apiary beekeeping. This was due to the invention of the frame hive.
The new design brought more honey, and therefore began to be used much more actively in economic activities.
Modern beekeeping
Today, beekeeping is considered an almost forgotten art. People do not want to become beekeepers because this occupation is highly labor-intensive. In addition, building a home for bees on a tree brings less honey and wax than a regular apiary. Therefore, this direction is considered more of a tribute to history.
However, there are still places where people engage in such activities.
For example, in the Bashkir Shulgan-Tash nature reserve there are still bort trees in which Central Russian forest bees live.Also, this fishery remained in the Belarusian village of Kudrichi.
Varieties
Beekeepers by profession distinguish 2 varieties of this type of beekeeping - breeding a swarm in a cut log or raising bees directly in a living tree. In turn, decks are divided by design into the following types:
- vertical;
- inclined;
- collapsible multi-level type.
Vertical cylindrical structures are more reminiscent of ancient sides. They are a sawn thick tree trunk up to 2 meters in size. Moreover, the diameter of such a structure should be at least 50 centimeters. It is important that there is no middle inside the deck. In this case, the walls should be no thinner than 5-7 centimeters. The side is closed on both sides with wooden covers.
If you cannot find such a trunk, the deck can be made from boards of sufficient size. In this case, it will be possible to obtain a straight parallelepiped. Such sides are given a slope of up to 30 degrees.
You can also make sections and install them on top of each other. When the top element is filled with honey, it is replaced with a new one. However, it is not recommended to empty the lowest section. To get more honey, you can add frames to the structure.
Nuances of on-board beekeeping
People have been engaged in this type of beekeeping since ancient times. During this time they managed to establish several important features:
- This type of beekeeping is recommended to be practiced in large forest areas. There should be such honey plants as lingonberries, cranberries, and blueberries.
- This line of work is not suitable for beginner beekeepers.A person who is engaged in beekeeping must be familiar with the behavioral characteristics of bee colonies and adequately assess all risks.
- It is important to have the skills to use special equipment, clothing, and tools to maintain the proper appearance of the nest boxes.
Features of on-board honey
Borbor honey differs significantly from other varieties. Its unique properties are due to its environmental cleanliness. The product contains nothing but pollen and nectar. The composition does not contain synthetic sugars and antibiotics. This is due to minimal human intervention in the lives of bees. Insects are not additionally fed or treated.
Collecting honeycombs and pumping out bee nectar is done only once a year - in the fall. Thanks to this, excess moisture evaporates from the honey, it becomes thicker and acquires an intense aroma. Thanks to manual pressing, the product contains a lot of wax, propolis, and bee bread. Wild honey has a dark hue and a viscous texture. It is devoid of strong cloying and even contains a slight sourness. In this case, crystallization of honey takes a long period of time.
Making borti at home
To organize your own apiary for collecting wild honey, you need to independently make boards or logs for populating bee colonies. In this case, it is worth preparing the following:
- part of a tree trunk;
- sharp axe;
- hammer;
- chainsaw;
- fittings for fastening;
- fragment of roofing material;
- piece of iron;
- drill;
- clay.
To make your own deck, it is recommended to do the following:
- Cut out a block of wood. This can be done using a chainsaw.In this case, the dimensions of the workpiece must be such that when it is divided into 2 parts, the thickness of each die is at least 6 centimeters.
- Divide the sawn fragment into 2 equal parts.
- Using a chainsaw, make cuts in the transverse direction.
- Use a saw and an ax to remove the inner part of the wood so that the thickness of the walls of the future structure is at least 6-7 centimeters.
- Make a hole for the tap hole. It must be carefully cut through with the end of the saw. In this case, it is necessary to retreat 30 centimeters from the top of the side.
- Secure the arrival board.
Before the final collection of the beads, it is necessary to keep the workpiece in a well-ventilated place for 2 weeks. This must be done to dry the wood.
To assemble the structure, it is recommended to do the following:
- Fasten the parts on a flat surface. This must be done using nails and screws. Then you need to secure the top cover.
- When installing the bottom cover, keep in mind that it will need to be removed twice a year. This is necessary to remove honeycombs with honey and cleanse the space. That’s why this element is made removable.
- Nail a sheet of iron or roofing felt on top. This will help protect the wooden structure from precipitation.
- Seal the frame with moss or tow. It can also be sealed with clay.
- Start insulating the structure. To do this, retreat 70 millimeters from the top of the hollow and place a crosspiece for attaching the honeycombs. Cover the cross itself with burlap, and fill the remaining space with dry moss.
- Install the finished side at a height of 50 centimeters from the ground. In this case, the entrance hole should be directed to the southeast.
Beekeeping is a fairly old activity that is not considered very common today.However, some beekeepers prefer this method of breeding insects, since it allows them to obtain the most natural and high-quality honey.
