What Does a Beekeeper Do?
- A Beekeeper is Called an Apiarist. The term applied to people who keep honey bees is apiarist. ...
- Common Beekeeper Tasks. Hobby beekeepers can enjoy a few hives in the backyard without a lot of disruption to their lives. ...
- Beekeepers are Farmers. ...
- Beekeeping is Not for Everyone. ...
- A Final Word of What Beekeepers Do. ...
What does a beekeeper do in a typical work day?
Worker Bee: A Day in the Life
- Morning. Most of Hexagonia gets up with the sun. ...
- Afternoon. Beetrice’s next few trips go by without much incident. ...
- Evening. Beetrice has had enough excitement for one day and decides to get a little domestic. ...
- Night. The rest of the foragers get back to Hexagonia as the sun goes down. ...
- See Also. ...
What does it take to be a beekeeper?
- If you don’t want to harvest the honey manually, you’ll also need to buy an extractor. ...
- A lot of these supplies are just one-time buys. You won’t need to keep buying bins and smokers over and over again once you’re all set up.
- There are beekeeping starter kits out there that come with a lot of the supplies you’ll need. ...
How do you become a beekeeper?
How to become a beekeeper professionally
- Selling honey. If you own hives, you should consider selling honey because it’s highly marketable and easy to sell.
- Propolis cultivation. One of the exciting materials that bees use regularly is propolis. ...
- Selling bulk wax and honey combs. ...
- Pollination. ...
- Breeding. ...
Can I really be a beekeeper?
You can become a beekeeper within a year, especially if you do plenty of research. Anyone can work with hives, as long as you have the right knowledge and equipment. The more you can learn from locals, the more successful you will “bee.” You can also expect to dedicate up to 30 hours maintaining one hive during your first year.
What do you call a master beekeeper?
Someone who keeps honey bees is called an “apiarist”. The word is derived from the Latin word “Apis” meaning bee. Traditionally, it was primarily a hobby for males only but today there are many female beekeepers too. The location where hives are located is called an “Apiary”, or often simply “bee-yard”.
Why is it called apiarist?
Apiarist is a fancy word for a beekeeper. An apiarist enjoys working with an unusual kind of pet, the honeybee. Because bees and other pollinators are so important to a healthy environment scientists encourage “bee-spotting” to improve fruits and vegetables.
What is a honey bee farm called?
Apiary - colonies, hives, and other equipment assembled in one location for beekeeping operations; also known as a bee yard. Apiculture - the science and art of raising honey bees.
What is a Hivery?
A Beehive is a purpose-built, man-made enclosure in which a colony of bees is kept by the beekeeper. One bee colony in one hive. Beekeeping. Beekeeping or Apiculture is the maintenance of Honey Bee colonies by a beekeeper. Bee Space.
What is another word for apiary?
In this page you can discover 6 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for apiary, like: , Kyera, aviary, beehive, hive and bee house.
What is a beekeeper called crossword?
Beekeeper Crossword ClueAnswerLettersAPIARY6Beekeeper with 8 LettersAPIARIST8APIARIAN831 more rows
What is an apiculturist?
a person who owns and takes care of bees synonym beekeeper.
Is an apiarist a beekeeper?
An apiarist is “one who keeps bees, specifically one who cares for and raises bees for commercial or agricultural purposes. Also called a beekeeper“.
What is a male bee called?
Male bees, or drones, don't do any work. They make up roughly ten percent of the colony's population, and they spend their whole lives eating honey and waiting for the opportunity to mate.
What is a swarm of bees called?
A group of bees is known as a colony or a swarm. A beehive is a structure constructed by bees in which they live in family groups and produce honey. Therefore, a colony of bees that live in a hive is also collectively known as a hive of bees.
What is a beekeeper?
A commercial beekeeper working in an apiary. A beekeeper is a person who keeps honey bees . Beekeepers are also called honey farmers, apiarists, or less commonly, apiculturists (both from the Latin apis, bee; cf. apiary ). The term beekeeper refers to a person who keeps honey bees in beehives, boxes, or other receptacles.
Who was the first beekeeper in the USA?
Moses Quinby was the first commercial beekeeper in the USA, with 1200 colonies by the 1840s. Later (1960s-1970s), Jim Powers of Idaho, USA, had 30,000 honey producing hives. Miel Carlota operated by partners Arturo Wulfrath and Juan Speck of Mexico operated at least 50,000 hives of honey bees from 1920 to 1960.
How much of the world's honey is produced by bees?
Worldwide, commercial beekeepers number about 5% of the individuals with bees but produce about 60% of the world's honey crop. Commercial beekeeping is on the rise, especially in high-value markets such as pollination in North America and honey production (especially Manuka honey) in New Zealand.
What are the commodities that beekeepers sell?
Commodity. Beekeepers may produce commodities (farm products) for sale. Honey is the most valuable commodity sold by beekeepers. Honey-producer beekeepers try to maintain maximum-strength colonies of bees in areas with dense nectar sources. They produce and sell liquified honey and sometimes honeycombs.
Why do beekeepers use honey?
Beekeepers also use honeybees to provide pollination services to fruit and vegetable growers. Many people keep bees as a hobby. Others do it for income either as a sideline to other work or as a commercial operator. These factors affect the number of colonies maintained by the beekeeper.
What do bees produce?
Honey bees produce commodities such as honey, beeswax, pollen, propolis, and royal jelly. Some beekeepers also raise queens and other bees to sell to other farmers, and to satisfy scientific curiosity. Beekeepers also use honeybees to provide pollination services to fruit and vegetable growers. Many people keep bees as a hobby. Others do it for income either as a sideline to other work or as a commercial operator. These factors affect the number of colonies maintained by the beekeeper.
How much honey does a sideline beekeeper produce?
Sideliners may operate up to 300 colonies of bees, producing 10–20 metric tons of honey worth tens of thousands of US dollars each year.
Who controlled beekeeping?
Beekeeping was considered a highly valued industry controlled by beekeeping overseers—owners of gold rings depicting apiculture scenes rather than religious ones as they have been reinterpreted recently, contra Sir Arthur Evans. Aspects of the lives of bees and beekeeping are discussed at length by Aristotle.
When was beekeeping first used?
Rural beekeeping in the 16th century. Early forms of honey collecting entailed the destruction of the entire colony when the honey was harvested. The wild hive was crudely broken into, using smoke to suppress the bees, the honeycombs were torn out and smashed up — along with the eggs, larvae and honey they contained.
Why do bees smoke?
Most beekeepers use a "smoker", which is a device designed to generate smoke from the incomplete combustion of various fuels. Although the exact mechanism is disputed, it is clear that smoke calms bees. Some claim it initiates a feeding response in anticipation of possible hive abandonment due to fire. It is also thought that smoke masks alarm pheromones released by guard bees or when bees are squashed in an inspection. The ensuing confusion creates an opportunity for the beekeeper to open the hive and work without triggering a defensive reaction. In addition, when a bee consumes honey the bee's abdomen distends, which is theorized to make it difficult to make the necessary flexes to sting, though this has not been tested scientifically.
How many hives does a beekeeper have?
A non-commercial beekeeper would typically keep less than 25 hives at one time. Commercial beekeeping companies are usually owned by a family and passed down to the next generation. Commercial beekeepers sell massive amounts of honey so their production output is categorized by state. The United States produced about 41.3 million pound of honey in 2016. In 2016, the top 5 production output states were North Dakota, Montana, South Dakota, Florida, and California. Honey is often imported to meet consumer demands. 410 million pounds of honey was consumed in 2010 and the demand for honey has continued to rise.
How long has honey been around?
Depictions of humans collecting honey from wild bees date to 10,000 years ago . Beekeeping in pottery vessels began about 9,000 years ago in North Africa. Domestication of bees is shown in Egyptian art from around 4,500 years ago. Simple hives and smoke were used and honey was stored in jars, some of which were found in the tombs of pharaohs such as Tutankhamun. It wasn't until the 18th century that European understanding of the colonies and biology of bees allowed the construction of the movable comb hive so that honey could be harvested without destroying the entire colony.
What are the castes of bees?
Bee castes refer to a social colonies of bees made up of individuals who look different depending on their specialized function. A colony of bees consists of three castes of bee: 1 a queen bee, which is normally the only breeding female in the colony; 2 a large number of female worker bees, typically 30,000–50,000 in number; 3 a number of male drones, ranging from thousands in a strong hive in spring to very few during dearth or cold season.
What is the name of the place where bees are kept?
A location where bees are kept is called an apiary or "bee yard".
Types of Apiaries (Beekeeping Businesses)
An apiary can be very small or very large. A small bee yard with a few hives is considered a hobby or small scale operation.
Honeybee Colony Life
Honey bees live together in a colony that has thousands of individuals. The queen honey bee’s job is to lay eggs for the colony.
Beekeeping is Farming
According to the USDA, beekeeping is farming. While managing a hive is much different than tending a vegetable garden or keeping cows, there are some similarities.
Modern Beekeeping Practices
Apiculture in the United States has changed greatly in the last 30-40 years. Beehives have always had some health issues to watch for including the deadly American Foul Brood.
What is the term for the science and art of raising honey bees?
Apiary - colonies, hives, and other equipment assembled in one location for beekeeping operations; also known as a bee yard. Apiculture - the science and art of raising honey bees. Apis mellifera - Genus and species of the Western honey bee originating in Europe and Africa and now located around the world.
What is the bottom board of a beehive?
Bottom board - the floor of a beehive that all the other components build upon. Brace comb - a small bit of wax built between two combs or frames to fasten them together. Brace comb is also built between a comb and adjacent wood, or between two wooden parts such as top bars.
What is comb honey?
Comb honey - honey produced and sold in the comb. It is produced either by cutting the comb from the frame or when the comb is built in special frames which allow for its easy removal. Creamed honey - honey which has crystallized under controlled conditions to produce a tiny crystal and a smooth texture .
What is a capped brood?
Capped brood - pupae whose cells have been sealed with a porous cover by mature bees to isolate them during their nonfeeding pupal period; also called sealed brood. Cappings - a thin layer of wax used to cover the full cells of honey. This layer of wax is sliced from the surface of a honey-filled comb.
What is the term for a box or receptacle with movable frames, used for housing
Beehive - a box or receptacle with movable frames, used for housing a colony of bees. Bee metamorphosis - the three stages through which a bee passes before reaching maturity: egg, larva, and pupa. During the pupal stage, large fat reserves are used to transform both the internal and external anatomy of the bee.
What is bee bread?
Bee bread - a fermented mixture of collected pollen and nectar or honey, deposited in the cells of a comb. Pollen is the primary pollen source for bees and is used especially by the nurse bees to produce royal jelly to feed the young larvae. Bee brush - a brush or whisk broom used to gently remove bees from combs.
What is the third region of the body of a bee?
Click on the letter that closely relates to the term you wish to understand. You will automatically drop down to that letter. Abdomen - the third region of the body of a bee enclosing the honey stomach, true stomach, intestine, sting, and reproductive organs.
What Does A Beekeeper do?
Common Beekeeper Tasks
- Most beekeepers manage hives to produce honey and provide pollination for gardensand orchards. A beekeeper – keeps bees – usually in man made hives. While there are several species of honey bees in the world, in the United States, our bees are the European Honey Bee – Apis mellifera. Being a keeper of honey bees means different things to different people. Your reason f…
Being An Apiarist Is Not For Everyone
- Managing honey bee colonies involve some hard work. Not everyone will have the time and energy to spend on this type of project. Even with protection and training, most every beekeeper gets stung at some point. Beekeeping is not for everyone and that’s okay. Those of you who are not able to have a hive can still support beekeeping by buying honey from small scale local beek…
Overview
A beekeeper is a person who keeps honey bees.
Beekeepers are also called honey farmers, apiarists, or less commonly, apiculturists (both from the Latin apis, bee; cf. apiary). The term beekeeper refers to a person who keeps honey bees in beehives, boxes, or other receptacles. The beekeeper does not control the creatures. The beekeeper owns the hives or bo…
Purposes of beekeeping
Honey bees produce commodities such as honey, beeswax, pollen, propolis, and royal jelly. Some beekeepers also raise queens and other bees to sell to other farmers, and to satisfy scientific curiosity. Beekeepers also use honeybees to provide pollination services to fruit and vegetable growers. Many people keep bees as a hobby. Others do it for income either as a sideline to other work or a…
Classifications of beekeepers
Most beekeepers are hobby beekeepers. These people typically work or own only a few hives. Their main attraction is an interest in ecology and natural science. Honey is a by-product of this hobby. As it typically requires a significant investment to establish a small apiary and dozens of hours of work with hives and honey equipment, hobby beekeeping is seldom profitable outside of Europ…
Notable beekeepers
Since Petro Prokopovych became the first major commercial beekeeper, there have been people along the way who have contributed to the success of keeping honey bees. From studying their genetics, to writing well-known novels, to constructing tools to assist in the industry, these beekeepers helped guide the profession.
In popular culture
Fashion
Beekeeper fashion includes a protective suit to try to prevent injuries while working with the hives. Covering beekeepers from head to toe, the material, gloves, and veil contribute to the protection of the beekeeper.
Fictional characters The profession of beekeeping has manifested itself into fictional character…
Fashion
Beekeeper fashion includes a protective suit to try to prevent injuries while working with the hives. Covering beekeepers from head to toe, the material, gloves, and veil contribute to the protection of the beekeeper.
Fictional characters The profession of beekeeping has manifested itself into fictional character…
See also
• Agriculture
• Beekeeping by country
• Gardening
• Organic farming
• Sustainable agriculture
External links
• Canadian Honey Council
• British Beekeepers Association
Overview
Beekeeping (or apiculture) is the maintenance of bee colonies, commonly in man-made hives, by humans. Most such bees are honey bees in the genus Apis, but other honey-producing bees such as Melipona stingless bees are also kept. A beekeeper (or apiarist) keeps bees in order to collect their honey and other products that the hive produce (including beeswax, propolis, flower pollen, bee p…
History
Depictions of humans collecting honey from wild bees date to 10,000 years ago. Beekeeping in pottery vessels began about 9,000 years ago in North Africa. Domestication of bees is shown in Egyptian art from around 4,500 years ago. Simple hives and smoke were used and honey was stored in jars, some of which were found in the tombs of pharaohs such as Tutankhamun. It was not until th…
Traditional beekeeping
A fixed comb hive is a hive in which the combs cannot be removed or manipulated for management or harvesting without permanently damaging the comb. Almost any hollow structure can be used for this purpose, such as a log gum, skep, wooden box, or a clay pot or tube. Fixed comb hives are no longer in common use in industrialized countries, and are illegal in places that require m…
Modern beekeeping
The initial costs and equipment requirements are typically much less than other hive designs; scrap wood can often be used to build a good hive including the top bars themselves. Horizontal hives do not require the beekeeper, as part of normal management, to lift super boxes; all usual checks and manipulation can be done while lifting only one comb at a time and with minimal bending. In are…
Bee colonies
There are more than 20,000 species of bees, many of which are solitary e.g., mason bees, leafcutter bees (Megachilidae), carpenter bees and other ground-nesting bees. Many others rear their young in burrows and small colonies e.g., bumblebees and stingless bees. Beekeeping is concerned with the practical management of the social species of honey bees, which live in large colonies …
Formation of new colonies
All colonies are totally dependent on their queen, who is the only egg-layer. Although queens have a 3–4 year adult lifespan, diminished longevity of queens (less than 1 year) is commonly and increasingly observed. She can choose whether or not to fertilize an egg as she lays it; if she does so, it develops into a female worker bee; if she lays an unfertilized egg it becomes a male drone. Sh…
Losses
The common agents of disease that affect adult honey bees include fungi, bacteria, protozoa, viruses, parasites, and poisons. The gross symptoms displayed by affected adult bees are very similar, whatever the cause, making it difficult for the apiarist to ascertain the causes of problems without microscopic identification of microorganisms or chemical analysis of poisons. Since 2006, colony losses from colony collapse disorder have been increasing across the world althoug…
World apiculture
According to U.N. FAO data, the world's beehive stock rose from around 50 million in 1961 to around 83 million in 2014, which comes to about 1.3% average annual growth. Average annual growth has accelerated to 1.9% since 2009.
• Denmark: beekeeping.com (1996)
• Arab countries: beekeeping.com (1997)