![]() ![]() It remains moist and comprised of organic nutrients, decaying wood and living organisms. ![]() Bees in tree hollows do not normally construct their parallel combs to the bottom of the cavity so a debris area exists at the base of the hollow. Tree hollows selected by bees for their home are typically smaller with thicker walls than a standard beehive, and as such, better able to handle the extremes of heat and cold. With Reverend Langstroth’s development of the movable comb hive and comb foundation by German beekeeper Johannes Mehring, it became easier to keep honey bees at the convenience to the beekeeper. Most farmers kept other livestock and grew crops and keeping bees was only part of their husbandry/agriculture. When exactly humans sought to locate their bees closer to their residences in man-made hives at more convenient locations is not known. Photo shows 2 bee trees in a Museum in Lithuania.įor centuries, bees were often “kept” where they were found and maintained in their selected cavities. There are several interesting bee Museums in Eastern Europe that show a wide variety of tree hollows to house bees. It already has the status of a historical and cultural value in Belarus where the ancient tradition of keeping bees in tree hollows placed high in the trees, going back to 5th-6th centuries, survives until today. Forest beekeeping and keeping bee trees in Poland and Belarus has been nominated for listing as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Some human cultures continue such traditions today. For centuries beekeepers have managed bees in trees, in the actual original tree hollows. There is another meaning however when we say bees in trees. Despite our best efforts, capturing swarms from trees remains part of spring bee activity. Beekeepers are familiar with the saying ‘keep the bees out of the trees’? Today we say this referring to keeping bees in hive boxes in the spring, avoiding them swarming to end up in a nearby tree. ![]()
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