Photographs show life among the Gurung people and the techniques they use in gathering honey from cliffside hives

From the perspective of local scientists, this book provides insight into bees and bee management of Asia, with a special focus on honey bees. Asia is home to at least nine honey bee species, including the introduced European honey bee, Apis mellifera. Although A. mellifera and the native Asian honey bee, Apis cerana, are the most commonly employed species for commercial beekeeping, the remaining non-managed native honey bee species have important ecological and economic roles on the continent. Species distributions of most honey bee species overlap in Southeast Asia, thus promoting the potential for interspecies transmission of pests and parasites, as well as their spread to other parts of the world by human translocation. Losses of managed A. mellifera colonies is of great concern around the world, including in Asia. Such global colony losses are believed to be caused, in part, by pests and parasites originating from Asia such as the mite Varroa destructor, the microsporidian Nosema ceranae, and several bee viruses. Taking advantage of the experience of leading regional bee researchers, this book provides insight into the current situation of bees and bee management in Asia. Recent introductions of honey bee parasites of Asian origin to other parts of the world ensures that the contents of this book are broadly relevant to bee scientists, researchers, government offi cials, and the general public around the world.

They work hard, are devoted to family, love sex, and know the importance of a good piece of real estate. Honey bees, and the daily workings of their close-knit colonies, are one of nature's great miracles. And they produce one of nature's greatest edible bounties: honey. More than just a palate pleaser, honey was once an offering to the gods, a preservative, and a medicine whose sought-after curative powers were detailed in ancient texts . . . and are being rediscovered by modern medical science. In Letters from the Hive, Prof. Stephen Buchmann takes us into the hive--nursery, honey factory, queen's inner sanctum--and out to the world of backyard gardens, open fields, and deserts in full bloom, where the age-old sexual dance between flowers and bees makes life on earth as we know it possible. Hailed for their hard work, harmonious society, and, mistakenly, for their celibacy, bees have a link to our species that goes beyond biology. In Letters from the Hive, Buchmann explores the fascinating role of bees in human culture and mythology, following the "honey hunters" of native cultures in Malaysia, the Himalayas, and the Australian Outback as they risk life and limb to locate a treasure as valuable as any gold. To contemplate a world without bees is to imagine a desolate place, culturally and biologically, and Buchmann shows how with each acre of land sacrificed to plow, parking lot, or shopping mall, we inch closer to what could become a chilling reality. He also offers honey-based recipes, cooking tips, and home remedies--further evidence of the gifts these creatures have bestowed on us. Told with wit, wisdom, and affection, and rich with anecdote and science, Letters from the Hive is nature writing at its best. This is natural history to be treasured, a sweet tribute that buzzes with life.

Documents the lives of men practicing the harvesting of the Swiftlet's bird's nests, used in bird's-nest soup. Photographs of these Thai men are taken as they climb the clifts of Tiger Cave in southern Thailand hunting for the nests.

Beekeeping is the maintenance of honey bee colonies, commonly in hives, by humans. Bees are accommodated in artificial lives where they live comfortably within easy reach of the bee keeper for examination and extraction of surplus lovely, after keeping of sufficient lovely in the combs for the bees. Honey is a part of bees, which gather sugar containing nectars from flowers. Honey should be processed as soon as possible after removal from the hive. Honey processing is a sticky operation, in which time and patience are required to achieve the best results. Careful protection against contamination by ants and flying insects is needed at all stages of processing. Bee honey is natural, unrefined food consumed as much in fresh or canned state. It is readily assimilated and is more acceptable to the stomach, particularly in the case of ailing persons, than cane sugar. It is an antiseptic and is applied to wounds and burns with beneficial results. Honey collection and its marketing in India are still not fully organised. The main uses of honey are in cooking, baking, as a spread on breads and as an addition to various beverages such as tea and as a sweetener in commercial beverages. Honey is the main ingredient in the alcoholic beverages mead, which is also known as honey wine or honey bear, honey is also used in medicines. A number of small scale industries depend upon bees and bee products. Honey and bees products finds use in several industries which are under; pharmaceuticals, meat packing, bees wax in industries, bee venom, royal jelly, bee nurseries, bee equipments and hives etc. There is considerable demand for the honey and other products. Outside the thousands of homemade recipes in each cultural tradition, honey is largely used on a small scale as well as at an industrial level. Some of the fundamentals of the book are history of beekeeping in India present, all India co ordinate research project on honey bee research and training, future plan for development, the pattern of beekeeping today, development of beekeeping equipments, beekeeping industry and honeybee species, bee hive products, medicinal properties of honey, bees and agriculture, pesticidal poisoning to honeybees, handling bees, queen rearing and artificial queen, beekeeping and ancillary industries, honey based industries, honey in pharmaceuticals, honey in meat packing, beeswax in industries, bee stings precautions and treatment. The book contains the steps of bee keeping in proper manner and details of honey processing. This book is an invaluable resource for new entrepreneurs, technocrats and also for established enterprises.

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