proper beekeeping

Natural and simple beekeeping without smoke, frames and wires is possible.

Appropriate beekeeping is not finished, it is not a recipe or even beekeeping according to regulations. It follows an undogmatic inner model, which everyone can only work out by asking about the nature of the bee colony. In this way, beekeeping in keeping with its nature remains in development. Its principles can be implemented in various apiary and operating modes.

In the search for an optimal mode of operation and thus also the optimal prey, I more and more came up with the idea that a hollow tree trunk must be the ideal. Because that was once the natural habitation of bees. But such a tree trunk is difficult to organize and somehow difficult to harvest - or just with a lot of dead bees during the harvest.

Beekeeping and the beehives used are diverse - not only in Germany, but worldwide. The equipment of the boxes is usually dependent on the technical possibilities of the beekeeper - less on the needs of the bee, which can cope with almost all housing. Basically, you can keep beekeeping with all common beehives from natural to intensive. In the great outdoors you can find a wide variety of dimensions and materials. From the hole in the tree, to old and abandoned roofs, to cracks in the wall, etc.

Mellifera eV, the association for appropriate beekeeping, propagates beekeeping practices that do not aim for the maximum honey yield, but focus on beekeeping in harmony with the needs of the bees. The association refers to beekeeping experience, current scientific research and the anthroposophical teachings of Rudolf Steiner.

Nach diesem Verständnis ist wesensgemäße Bienenhaltung keine Imkerei nach festen Vorschriften, sondern folgt einem undogmatischen Leitbild und kann mit verschiedenen Bienenwohnungen und Betriebsweisen realisiert werden. Dennoch werden einige Grundsätze eingehalten:

The swarm instinct forms the basis of population reproduction and breeding. Artificial queen breeding and offshoot formation can therefore be dispensed with. The brood nest develops as a closed unit on large natural honeycombs. The brood combs are built as a mobile natural honeycomb structure without center walls. Each colony has as much drone brood and drones as it needs. The treatment of the varroa mite takes place exclusively with organic acids. The winter feed is enhanced with our own honey and herbal teas. Apiary houses are only made of wood and straw. The honey is neither spun nor warmed up for filling, but filled into sales containers before the first crystallization.

Every bee hive and every beekeeping method has its own advantages and disadvantages, risks and opportunities. You shouldn't distinguish between good and bad. However, it is important to understand which interferences with nature and which run against it. Which hives are more adapted to nature and which are more adapted to beekeeping comfort. A beekeeper must understand, assess and be responsible for the benefits and dangers of unnatural interventions.

The key is an all-encompassing balance. Do more bred or more natural and natural bee colonies dominate his region? What about the bee density in his region? Do his honey bees even crowd out wild bees in the area? Can he upgrade his honey beekeeping in parallel with natural or semi-natural colonies and make an ecological contribution to species conservation?

• Wenn Sie ganz unkonventionell ein Bienenvolk halten möchten, das für die Bestäubung in ihrem Hausgarten sorgt und nebenbei Honig für den Eigenbedarf liefert, und dabei möglichst wenig Kosten anfallen?
• Sie außerdem nur gelegentlich Zeit haben und sich auch keine Spezialkenntnisse in Sachen Imkerei aneignen wollen?
• Sie kaum Lagerplatz in Keller oder Garage für die Beuten haben?
• Dann ist das Imkern mit der Oberträgerbeute (Top-bar-hive) das Richtige für Sie.

A nice example of simple beekeeping is the "Top-Bar-Hive" (TBH), also known as the upper carrier hive. This hive is used in African beekeeping and consists of a wooden trough with sloping side walls. The TBH is closed with a removable cover and can be hung in trees as protection against predators (e.g. honey badger). The bees build their honeycombs on strips that are simply placed on the upper edge of the TBH. The sloping walls prevent the honeycombs from building up too much - similar to the Kirchhain mating box.

Diese Form der Imkerei benötigt kaum Material für die Honig-ernte, da Honigwaben abgeschnitten und über einem Seihtuch ausgepresst werden. Der geringe Material- und Kostenaufwand für die Honigernte und die Bewirtschaftung der TBH machen diese Form der Imkerei für Imker auch in Deutschland interessant, die Bienenvölker vor allem aus Interesse an der Natur halten möchten. Unverzichtbar ist natürlich auch bei der TBH eine gute Betreuung der Völker inklusive Varroa-behandlung. Die Kontrolle von Waben ist in der Top-Bar-Beute problemlos möglich – etwas Fingerspitzengefühl ist natürlich erforderlich, damit die Waben nicht abstürzen.

"A third of what we eat would not exist without bees" (Markus Immhof)

The honey bee is one of our most important natural and cultural animals. As humans, we are directly dependent on the pollination of bees for our food.

Und in der Natur tragen die Bienen maßgeblich zur Artenvielfalt bei.

Unchanged honey is particularly valuable for us humans in terms of both culinary and health. In order to promote the vitality of the bees and to obtain valuable bee products, we orient ourselves to the needs of the bees.

The term "essential beekeeping" is generally associated with a particularly natural, species-appropriate form of keeping bees as livestock. Correspondingly, the model of the natural beekeeping is the conditions of a free-living, unaffected by humans bee colony in a natural cave, classically in a hollow tree. This also includes the bees' habitat in the vicinity of the housing.

Der Lebensraum der Honigbienen ist jedoch stark durch die menschliche Nutzung (Siedlung, Verkehr, Landwirtschaft) geprägt und somit gegenüber der natürlichen Situation verändert. Da hier der imkerliche Einfluss nur sehr eingeschränkt ist, stellen die nachfolgenden Kriterien lediglich eine Orientierung dar. Durch Umweltbedingungen aber auch rechtliche Vorgaben können Eingriffe insbesondere zum Erhalt der Bienengesundheit und des Tierwohls erforderlich sein, die von den genannten Kriterien abweichen.

Von Maßnahmen, die sich unter den aktuellen Rahmenbedingungen negativ auf das betreute Bienenvolk aber auch auf die Bienenpopulation im Umfeld wird abgeraten. Eine Beurteilung ist hierzu im Einzelfall verantwortungsbewusst vorzunehmen. Die „Wesens gemäße Bienenhaltung“ stellt somit keine klar definierte Betriebsweise dar, sondern wird von den Imkern, die dies praktizieren, als betriebliche Leitlinie angesehen.

The basic characteristics and prerequisites for a proper beekeeping are:

a. Food supply

Sufficient availability of traditional costume for the self-sufficiency of the coloniesBee boxes made of natural materials (wood, clay, straw,) Pure natural honeycomb constructionNatural bee breedRegional origin of the bees

c. Apiary

• Kleine Völkerzahlen auf einem Standplatz (1-6)
• Abstand zwischen Bienenvölkern 5 - 10m
• Verteilte Aufstellung
• Völker mit unterschiedlichen Fluglochausrichtungen

d. People leadership

No interference with the brood nest, its integrity is preservedNo swarm preventionWeisel loose brood-free colony dissolvingResponsible honey removal, only the excess is removedWintering on your own honeyResponsible Varroa treatment using natural substances or biophysical processes

e. Bienenhalter/Imker

High level of animal and skill

The following cannot be reconciled with consistent beekeeping, among others:

Migration with colonies of bees for use of forageOne-sided nutrition through the use of mass costumesScroll formationSwarm preventionQueen breeding through larvaeArtificial inseminationBred selection

Bees are animals. Careless handling of bees leads to problems - especially with the health of your own bees, but also those around you. To put a "simple" one in the garden and leave the bees to their own devices would be irresponsible! So you should be sure and therefore know and check the requirements for your own bees.