The History of Beekeeping Henderson County Beekeepers Assoc

The History of Beekeeping Henderson County Beekeepers Assoc. January 14, 2019

Prehistoric Bees • 100 million years ago, first known bee, Melittosphex Burmensis: Northern Burma, 2006. • 14 million years ago, honey bees in North America, Apis Nearctica, Nevada, 2009. • 1 million years ago, first evidence of Apis Mellifera. Melittosphex Burmensis

“Bee” C • 13, 000 B. C. – Cave drawings indicate human interaction with bees. • 5, 000 B. C. – Cave drawings evidence human “honey hunters” in Eastern Spain. • 2, 400 B. C. – Egypt, earliest evidence of bees being “kept. ” • Chinese, Greeks, Mayans, etc.

Medieval Beekeeping • In the Middle Ages many farms and monasteries kept bees. “If there is a need to move (the hive), it must be done gently and during the night; the hives should be wrapped in skins; they should be set in place before dawn. When it is done in this way the combs will not be damaged and the creatures will not be injured. ” Geoponika, circa. 1000 A. D.

Moving to the New World • 1622 – Honey bee colonies shipped from England to Virginia. • By the mid 1700’s honey bees were found throughout the East and Southeast. • By the 1850’s honey bees made it to the West coast.

The Honey Harvest – Pre 1850 • Hives were kept in hollow logs or skeps. • If the colony outgrew the skep, an extra chamber called an eke would be added to the bottom. • At harvest time the skeps were broken open to collect honey and wax. The bees were destroyed.

The Father of Modern Beekeeping • Rev. Lorenzo Langstroth, (1810 -1895). • Invented “bee space? ” • Developed the modern movable comb hive. Reverend Lorenzo L. Langstroth, Philadelphia, PA, circa 1858.

Langstroth beehive advertisement, circa 1858.

Advantages of the Langstroth Hive • Allows easy hive inspection without enraging the bees. • Weak colonies can be strengthened. • Space can be added to strong colonies. • Queens can be easily found and replaced. • Diseases, pests and parasites quickly identified and remedied. • Honey can be extracted without destroying the comb and killing the hive.

The Modern Hive

Beekeeping Today – The Keepers • 1, 400 commercial beekeepers in the United States. • Over 200, 000 “hobbyists. ” • 13, 000 in North Carolina with over 100, 000 hives.

Beekeeping Today – The Products • Pollination. • Wax. • Honey. • Propolis, and others.

Beekeeping Today – The Stuff • Protective clothing. • Smokers. • Hive tools. • Pest and parasite control. • Extractors. • Epi Pens.

The Future of Beekeeping? Harvard scientists have a vision: to build a tiny robot that can fly, work together in groups, and even pollinate flowers like a honeybee. Science Friday

HAPPY BEEKEEPING!!!