Around 7000 BC during the Mesolithic Age, primitive humans learned very early on to hunt honey from beehives in tree holes or crevices in rocks. Later, humans gave a little care and management to the bees found in tree holes or other places to ensure their survival the following year, thus beginning the primitive beekeeping industry. Subsequently, individual beehives were gradually adopted to replace the natural habitats of bees. When these beehives were gathered together, a bee farm was formed, and the beehives evolved from primitive tree segments to today's standard beehives.
A log honeycomb in North Carolina (1985). These tree trunks containing bee colonies were
cut from the multi-flowered purple tree.
A bee farm in Belgium that uses twigs to weave honeycombs (1960).
1 to 3 Hollow tree segments 4. Straw honeycomb weaving 5. Wicker honeycomb 6. Bamboo strip honeycomb 7. Straw rope honeycomb 8. Honeycomb in earthenware jars 9. Clay pipe honeycomb 10, 11. Wooden barrel honeycomb
Various containers used in ancient beekeeping
At present, the total number of bee colonies in the world has exceeded 50 million. China currently has about 6 to 8 million bee colonies, ranking first in the world. Before the 16th century, bees were only distributed in Europe, Asia and Africa. After Columbus discovered the New World, bees were brought to America, Oceania and Siberia by the colonists.
There are records about bees in China dating back 3,000 to 4,000 years. In the "Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica" written in the first and second centuries BC, "honey" was already listed as a superior medicine. The Chinese bee is a native species in China. Regarding its breeding experience and the establishment of bee farms, it has been popular for as long as 700 years.
At the beginning of the 20th century, China introduced Western bee species, live frame beehives and new beekeeping technologies. From 1928 to 1931, Western bees became a speculative commodity. In just a few years, approximately 300,000 colonies of Italian bees were imported from Japan. At that time, many bee farms did not aim to produce honey but instead fed a large number of sugar-producing bees and sold bee breeds. Due to the prevalence of bee diseases and the lagging beekeeping technology, the vast majority of bee farms went bankrupt. The surviving bee farms in various places have continued to focus on researching breeding techniques, exploring nectar sources, producing honey, and have accumulated some experience.
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