Content
Bortevoy beekeeping implies the artificial creation of a dwelling for bees in the form of a hollow on a tree. Borte is capable of attracting a huge number of wild forest bees. To seriously engage in the extraction of onboard honey, you need to familiarize yourself with the peculiarities and nuances of beekeeping. It requires a good understanding of the trees that are best suited for attracting a swarm of bees. Knowing the peculiarities of beekeeping, it is possible to make the life of bees in artificially created hollows much more comfortable than in hives.
What is "beekeeping"
Borting is a form of beekeeping in which the hive is arranged in a natural or hollowed out hollow of a large tree. For this, trees are used, the hollows of which are located at a height of 7 to 15 m. A bead is a replacement for a traditional beehive, it can be hollowed out artificially or you can use the one formed on an old tree. In the middle of the hive, bees form honeycombs, for which special reinforcements are used - snaps.
The collection of honey from the hive in the side is carried out by using narrow sticks with small holes. Such a device is called beekeepers beekeepers.
Bee-keeping in itself is a fun and not too time-consuming process. The only difficulty with this type of beekeeping is the collection of honey from the hive. Due to the fact that the hives are located at a decent height, it is required to climb a tree.
The origins of onboard beekeeping
Based on the history of beekeeping, they liked to do this occupation in Russia and Bashkortostan. This form of beekeeping was especially popular from the 15th to the 18th century.
Beekeeping developed especially well in dense forest plantations near the Desna, Oka, Dnieper and Voronezh regions. However, soon such extraction of honey began to decline. The felling of trees in the forests and the liberation of green areas did not make it possible for this branch of agriculture to develop. At the end of the 15th century, almost all plantings were cut down around the Moskva River and beekeeping stopped.
In the Republic of Bashkortostan, the content of the bee hive in the board developed much faster than in Russia; today, beekeeping has survived in the Shulgan-Tash protected area.
The Republic of Bashkortostan is famous for its numerous linden and maple tree plantations, and these trees are among the best for creating hives in the side.
During the period of nomadism of the tribes of Bashkortostan, there was practically no deforestation, bees actively multiplied and took root well in wooden hives. For this type of beekeeping, exclusively dark forest bees were used.
Life of bees in a hollow
If we compare the content of bees in hollows and ordinary hives, preference should be given to the former. Beekeeping in artificially constructed hives is often detrimental to bees, especially in the summer.
There is practically no ventilation in ordinary hives. There are ventilation openings, however, they are not sufficient for good air circulation. For this reason, the bees in the hive are divided into two groups: some drive the superheated air, others - fresh inside the hive. This process requires a lot of effort, and due to the increased activity of insects, they need more food, therefore, the productivity of honey decreases. In the summer period, some of the bees die from the intense heat in artificial hives.
Bees that have settled in the bee hives do not lose energy for ventilation, which is why they do not require additional nutrition, as in the hive.When the air in the hollow becomes heavy, it exits through the main hole. Thus, bees do not expend a lot of energy, they produce more honey. Insects practically do not get sick, they produce a high-quality bee product.
When bees are kept in a hollow, a strong and healthy swarm develops, which is not afraid of the most dangerous disease - varroatosis. Forest dark bees, unlike those found in ordinary hives, have good immunity against ticks and other microorganisms.
How to make a do-it-yourself board for bees
To independently build a hive on a tree, a middle-aged tree is chosen. It should be strong, preference is given to maple or linden. Cutting the beehive board should be at a height of 5-15 m from the ground. The depth of the hollow should be 30 cm, length - 1 m.
Next, you need to follow the instructions:
- Cut out a window (I will cut it), corresponding to the height of the cut-out hollow, and with a width of 10 to 20 cm. This hole will be the place for collecting the bee product.
- After the construction of the dojo, it is covered with wooden lids. It is better to fix them with wooden nails located at different heights.
Nails are made from maple. Other trees are not suitable for making nails. The thickness of each dove should be equal to the width of the window.
A small hole is made in the hollow, which will serve as a tap hole. It must be done at right angles to the main hole. The small window is placed slightly above the middle of the main one. It is enough to raise it by 2-3 cm.
After the bead is made, you need to take care of the maintenance of the main hole. In winter, humidity rises in the hollow, the main trunk can rot, which is why the productivity of bees will decline. To avoid hassle, it is necessary to build a ventilation duct with a plug in the side. This is done in parallel with the cutting of a small window.
Ventilation is easy enough. For this, small holes are made in the hollow.
Correctly executed construction of the ventilation system in the side helps:
- preservation of the habitat of bees in good condition for a long period;
- improving honey production.
Keeping bees in nest boxes
Before making a hive in a hollow tree, you need to take care of the size of the new housing. Bees that produce a lot of honey may abandon a site if it doesn't fit. If the bees' board fits, the swarm of insects populates and settles in the hollow. If there are cracks or holes inside the hive, insects close them up with propolis, work begins on the construction of honeycombs, and then on the production of honey.
The honey that forms in the upper part of the hive should not be touched, the lower one is a product for collection. It is very important not to overdo it with harvesting, and not to go deep into the border, otherwise you can harm the brood. In the second year after the colonization of the bees, active filling of the honeycomb begins, therefore, at the beginning, the process of collecting the bee product will be quite laborious.
It should be remembered that forest bees are aggressive in nature, therefore protective clothing must be worn when harvesting.
Technique for collecting honey product from the board:
- It is necessary to wait for the bees to leave the field.
- Smoke out the remaining insects with smoke and tapping on the hollow.
- Collect the bee product from the hive using a bee keeper. It is recommended to collect the honey located below.
What are the qualities of bead honey?
The honey produced by the forest bees living in the tree hive is more useful and refined. The whole process of unsealing the honeycomb is carried out by human hands, without the use of mechanical machines.Due to the fact that the nectar does not pass through mechanical pumping, all the beneficial properties and enzymes are preserved. Thus, vital substances are not lost from royal jelly, wax and propolis. The price of honey from wild bees is much higher than that obtained from a regular hive.
Conclusion
The board is the best place to create a bee hive. Thanks to the correct placement of the hollow and the timely collection of the bee product, you can collect a good harvest of honey. For a year from one hive, you can get from 8 to 10 kg of environmentally friendly bee product. The main advantage of creating a hive in the side is that there are no special costs. Keeping the hive in a natural hollow reduces the risk of death by several times.
