. BEEKEEPİNG

Beekeeping

There are different kinds of bee, but the European honey bee makes the most honey. They make more honey than they can possibly use, so humans are able to take the extra honey they make. These are the bees that are kept by beekeepers.


A beekeeper is called an apiarist (say ape-ee-uh-rist).

Apiarists keep bees in hives with rows of frames inside. The bees build comb inside each frame and fill it with honey.

The frames are easily lifted out and the honey-filled comb is removed and the empty frame replaced. The bees build more comb and fill it with nectar.



Some apiarists put their hives in places where there is plenty of one kind of flower, such as lavendar or eucalypts, so that the bees collect nectar from only those plants. Honey made from nectar of certain plants has a particular taste. Some honey sold in shops is from a mixture of flowers.


An apiarist wears protective clothing, including netting that covers the face and neck, and fills the hive with smoke so the bees get sleepy. This makes it safer to open the hive.



The apiarist on the left is holding the smoker which puffs smoke into the hive.





The combs put into a container that spins around to remove the honey, leaving empty wax combs which can be used for making furniture polish or candles. Honey is taken from the container and put in jars.