Table 14 - Bee Academy
We are at the Bee Academy, the last station of the educational path. Here, the beekeepers of the Seefeld region carry out their work, share their knowledge, and look after a good and plenty 1 million honeybees in their hives. So be especially careful and attentive, so the bees recognize you as a friend right away!
Here, many of the noble bee products, which can be found in the information offices and markets in the Seefeld region, are also created: honey, beeswax, propolis, cosmetics, and much more! The beekeepers also use some very special tools and instruments, which we would like to introduce to you a little more closely at this station. The tasks of modern and sustainable beekeeping also include the inspection and care of the hives, assistance in foraging, combating diseases, and other threats, as well as the rearing of young queens.
If you are further interested in the fascinating world of honeybees, or perhaps even want to become a beekeeper yourself, then feel free to visit the bee friends from the Seefeld Beekeepers Association! We – and the bees – are looking forward to seeing you!
Bee Conscious
Sustainable beekeeping – is that even possible?
"Yes, of course!", says our master beekeeper Ferdinand Schot. For the beekeeper and the Seefeld club beekeepers, nature, the bees, and pollination are much more important than the sale of honey products. As declared bee enthusiasts, they primarily see themselves as the guardians of the natural biodiversity on Tyrol's high plateau.
Bees captivated me at a young age. I care deeply about giving back to nature through my work, more than I take from it. This is primarily ensured by the pollination efforts of our nearly 25 million bees.
Master Beekeeper Ferdinand Schot
Beekeepers use a honey extractor to extract honey from the combs. Bees often produce more honey than they need! For this purpose, the honey-filled combs are first opened ("uncapped") and then placed in a kind of "washing machine" to easily spin out the honey using centrifugal force. In terms of honey, there is a distinction between flower honey (nectar) and forest honey (honeydew). To make creamed honey, slightly crystallized honey is stirred slowly so that the crystals break and a finely melting creamed honey is produced. Honey in a jar crystallizes over time and becomes solid; that's perfectly normal! If you want to make solid honey liquid again, simply warm it up gently!
Bee Association: The Real Honey Discovery Game!
Next time you find a bee product in stores, take a close look! Is it forest honey or real bee honey? Is it single-variety, mixed, or creamed? Were wax, propolis, and other products produced sustainably and naturally? Is it from a local beekeeping operation or an imported product? Always choose only the best products!
Peaceful Flyers
Bees are friendly and peaceful!
Beekeepers actually need their protective clothing only rarely. The best way to protect oneself is through calm and attentive behavior, which in turn keeps the bees calm. To soothe startled bees, the beekeeper sometimes uses a smoker: The smoke makes excited bees seek shelter in the hive, where they feel safe and comfortable. One of the most important tools in beekeeping is a soft hand broom: It is used to brush off the frames, gently "wipe away" curious bees, and keep the outside of the hive clean.
Breeding and Growth
In the Realm of Queens
One of the tasks of beekeeping is also the breeding of bee colonies and hives. When a bee colony is doing well, it grows. When it eventually becomes too large for the hive, it splits, flies out, and searches for a new home. As a beekeeper, one then prepares a new hive or divides the colony before the flight with the help of a new queen. These queens are bred at specially selected and protected locations prior to the entrance of foreign drones. We also have some so-called mating apiaries where beekeepers take their queens for mating. For the transport of a queen, beekeepers use a special small queen cage.