2009 Michigan Beekeepers Calendars

Michigan Beekeepers' Association 2009 Calendars

May 2009

FROM HONEY HUNTERS TO BEEKEEPERS

No one knows when the first humans became beekeepers. The transition from honey hunters to beekeepers has probably occurred many times in many places. The best early records came from the Middle East.

3000 year-old beehives found in Rehove Israel.

2600 - BC The Egyptians were using smoke on beehives by utilizing earthenware pipes like the one shown above.

340 BC - Aristotle discussed the following on bees: Floral fidelity, winter feeding, foulbrood disease, and age-related tasks of Bees.

25 BC - Virgil wrote about water supply and protecting hives from the wind.

7 BC - Varo discussed the profit opportunities of beekeeping.

60 AD - A smoker and hive tool similar to those used today is mentioned by the Roman Cornelia.

Making an Egyptian mud hive (above): (A) Spreading mud on a mat; (B and C) Rolling up and securing; (D) After drying and removing the mat, the hive is smoothed inside and out.

Middle Eastern hives were mostly of pottery or baked mud mixed with straw. The drawing to the left shows a pottery hive with openings for the bees to enter on one end. The other end was open allowing the beekeeper to remove honey comb.

June 2009

Click for larger image

THE SKEP AND LOG GUM ERA OF BEEKEEPING

1400 AD - Fragile pottery hives were finally replaced by straw skeps and log gums by the Anglo Saxons.

The cloamed wicker hive was perhaps the first of a skep design common in Greece and Italy. Cloam hardened into a ceramic material.

The common or single skep made of straw, was used to hive bees, catch swarms and promote swarming.

The depriving hive, a flat-topped skep with a hole on the top, allowed the bees to move up much like is done today with supers.

7-8 inch Nadirs and 3-4 inch Ekes made of straw were placed under a skep to increase capacity.

Beekeepers cut sections of bee trees and maintained these log gums in their home apiaries.

Skeps were of various sizes and designs depending upon the region and country. This skep was common in Holland.

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Our American Heritage

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And so, my fellow americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.

John F. Kennedy (1917 - 1963), Inaugural address, January 20, 1961

This is a collection of quotes and interesting facts about our American History.
Click here for all of them ...

Military Discount
click here for info ....

May 2009	Click for larger image
FROM HONEY HUNTERS TO BEEKEEPERS No one knows when the first humans became beekeepers. The transition from honey hunters to beekeepers has probably occurred many times in many places. The best early records came from the Middle East.


3000 year-old beehives found in Rehove Israel.	2600 - BC The Egyptians were using smoke on beehives by utilizing earthenware pipes like the one shown above.

	340 BC - Aristotle discussed the following on bees: Floral fidelity, winter feeding, foulbrood disease, and age-related tasks of Bees. 25 BC - Virgil wrote about water supply and protecting hives from the wind. 7 BC - Varo discussed the profit opportunities of beekeeping. 60 AD - A smoker and hive tool similar to those used today is mentioned by the Roman Cornelia.
Making an Egyptian mud hive (above): (A) Spreading mud on a mat; (B and C) Rolling up and securing; (D) After drying and removing the mat, the hive is smoothed inside and out.

	Middle Eastern hives were mostly of pottery or baked mud mixed with straw. The drawing to the left shows a pottery hive with openings for the bees to enter on one end. The other end was open allowing the beekeeper to remove honey comb.



June 2009	Click for larger image
THE SKEP AND LOG GUM ERA OF BEEKEEPING 1400 AD - Fragile pottery hives were finally replaced by straw skeps and log gums by the Anglo Saxons.


The cloamed wicker hive was perhaps the first of a skep design common in Greece and Italy. Cloam hardened into a ceramic material.	The common or single skep made of straw, was used to hive bees, catch swarms and promote swarming.


The depriving hive, a flat-topped skep with a hole on the top, allowed the bees to move up much like is done today with supers.	7-8 inch Nadirs and 3-4 inch Ekes made of straw were placed under a skep to increase capacity.


Beekeepers cut sections of bee trees and maintained these log gums in their home apiaries.	Skeps were of various sizes and designs depending upon the region and country. This skep was common in Holland.