In pictures and steps.. How do beekeepers work in northern Aleppo countryside
An apiary consists of a number of wooden beehives to isolate bees from temperature fluctuations of heat and cold.
The beekeeper wears a full protective bee suit to keep him from getting stung. This suit is made of white fabric to reflect the sun rays and avoid provoking bees.
The beekeeper also wears gloves and a cloth hat with a mesh veil to make it easy to see and breathe.
The beekeeper inspects the beehives in spring and summer to check the bees activity, while the inspection decreases in winter and varies from one region to another.
The beekeeper uses a special smoker filled with flammable materials such as (burlap or herbs) and directs it to the hive's entrance to bring smoke into the inside.
Bees sense the danger and immediately fill their stomach with honey, which causes them to cool, and thus the beekeeper can inspect the hive without causing damage.
When inspecting, the beekeeper stands behind the hive after smoking it, allowing the bees to stay out.
Then, the beekeeper sets a bowl with a solution of sugar and water to feed the bees.
The worker bees gather at the hive's entrance, some guard the hive while others either return from the pasture or head to it.
The beekeeper removes the wax plate after lifting the covers of the hives using a metal hive tool.
The hive tool helps the beekeeper in separating the frames attached due to wax and propolis.
After that, the beekeeper inspects the queen bee, the eggs, the larvae, the pupae, and the honey.
To check the beehive's safety against any diseases or parasites such as the bees "Varroa" mites. The beekeeper also checks on the bees' activity and needs.
The beekeeper carries an open-sided plastic capsule to raise a queen pupae in it.
The queen bee centers the worker bees that surround it completely, for they are responsible for its care and protection.
The queen bee and its guards move in a circle-shaped pattern so that it can lay eggs in the combs' holes.
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