Apiculture Collection

Bees and beehive, 17th century artwork. Bees are social insects that form colonies around a queen bee. They gather nectar and pollen to feed their larvae, also producing honey

Beekeeping, 19th century
Beekeeping, 19th-century artwork. Beekeeper extracting honey from honeycombs obtained from a beehive. Bees collect nectar from a wide range of flowering plants

Beekeeping / Diderot
Various procedures of apiculture

Beekeeping (or apiculture, from Latin: apis bee ) is the maintenance of honey bee colonies, commonly in hives

Apiculture (bee keeping), 1775
3480655 Apiculture (bee keeping), 1775; (add.info.: Apiculture (bee keeping) from the 1775 edition of 'Oeconomie generale de la campagne, ou Nouvelle maison rustique', Paris, 1700

Metamorphosis of honey bees, honeycomb, queens, drones and chain of worker bees
FLO4573792 Metamorphosis of honey bees, honeycomb, queens, drones and chain of worker bees. Handcoloured copperplate engraving from Friedrich Johann Bertuch's " Bilderbuch fur Kinder"

A beekeeper
5307431 A beekeeper.; (add.info.: Engraving depicting a beekeeper. Top: a feeding bottle which would be filled with syrup to replenish stores after honey is extracted)

Apiculture (bee keeping), 1775
3480653 Apiculture (bee keeping), 1775; (add.info.: Apiculture (bee keeping) from the 1775 edition of 'Oeconomie generale de la campagne, ou Nouvelle maison rustique', Paris, 1700

Beekeepers capturing a swarm of bees, from Meyers Lexicon, pub. 1924 (print)
3473189 Beekeepers capturing a swarm of bees, from Meyers Lexicon, pub. 1924 (print) by German School, (20th century); (add.info.: Beekeepers capturing a swarm of bees)

Beekeeping showing beekeepers preparing to take a swarm. 18th century (copperplate engraving from Virgil Georgics which)
531493 Beekeeping showing beekeepers preparing to take a swarm. 18th century (copperplate engraving from Virgil Georgics which followed the agricultural traditions set down by Virgil in Roman times)

The production of honey page from "treaty on herbs" by Dioscorides, 15th century (miniature)
XOT361216 The production of honey page from "treaty on herbs" by Dioscorides, 15th century (miniature); Biblioteca Estense, Modena, Emilia-Romagna

Bees swarming around beehives in sunflower field on the Plateau de Valensole, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Provence-Alpes-CA'te-d Azur, France

Beehive in forest, near Norddorf, UNESCO, Amrum island, Nordfriesland, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

Beehives between lavender and sunflower fields on the Plateau de Valensole, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Provence-Alpes-Cote-d Azur, France

Bee Keeper Victorian period

Peasant of the Podlaskie province of Poland gathering honey, early 19th century (colour litho)
CHT224133 Peasant of the Podlaskie province of Poland gathering honey, early 19th century (colour litho) by Polish School, (19th century); Bibliotheque des Arts Decoratifs, Paris

The month of February: snow In the foreground, a farm with a sheepfold, agricultural work
JLJ4587417 The month of February: snow In the foreground, a farm with a sheepfold, agricultural work, tree felling - Miniature in " The very rich hours of the Duke of Berry" by Pol De

The healing and therapeutic uses of honey in Medicine, illustration from a German
CHT307403 The healing and therapeutic uses of honey in Medicine, illustration from a German treatise on medicines published in Strasbourg in 1573 (coloured woodcut) by German School

Honey bees (chromolitho)
2782772 Honey bees (chromolitho) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Honey bees. Liebig card, published in late 19th or early 20th century)

Amateur Bee-Keeping (engraving)
1046217 Amateur Bee-Keeping (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Amateur Bee-Keeping)

Bee Culture, illustration made in France intended for publication in Mexico, c
CHT224132 Bee Culture, illustration made in France intended for publication in Mexico, c. 1900 (colour litho) by French School, (20th century); Musee National de l Education, Rouen

Happy husbandsmen tending bees, illustration from the Georgics by Virgil
STC173854 Happy husbandsmen tending bees, illustration from the Georgics by Virgil, book IV, from Sebastian Brants (1457-1521) edition, published 1502 (woodcut) (b/w photo) by German School

Beekeeper, G Baitey, holding Smoker with heat shield and hook, Newcastle, 22nd July 1971

BIRTH OF APICULTURE
The birth of Apiculture: when heifers are sacrificed, bees swarm from them; a gift from the gods to the pious. Date: First published: 29 BC

Seattle, Washington State, USA. Two beekeepers checking the health of the honey in a frame. (MR, PR)

Close-up of frames of uncapped honey in a tub, waiting to be put into a honey extractor machine

Uncapped honeycomb. Close-up of honeycomb from a honey bee (Apis mellifera) colony. The individual cells contain honey

Rural Beekeeping In The Early Twentieth Century. From Windfalls By Alpha Of The Plough, Published 1921

Wooden beehive on grass, front view

Bees above wooden beehive

Brood comb with drone brood surrounded by worker bees -Apis mellifera var. carnica-

Honey bees -Apis mellifera var carnica-, worker bees and male drones on bright honeycomb

A Parson beekeeper showing off his hives. 1935

Bees and larvae inside beehive

Illustration of a man-made beehive with a single, magnified bee above it

Carnolian Honeybee -Apis mellifera var. carnica-, on comb with capped brood cells and pollen cells

Newly developed honeycomb with worker bees -Apis mellifera var. carnica-

Honeybees -Apis mellifera var. carnica-, on brood comb with freshly laid eggs in honeycomb cells

Brood comb with drone brood surrounded by worker bees -Apis mellifera var. carnica-

Newly-created wax comb of the honey bee -Apis mellifera var carnica- with larvae, worker bees, c. 5-7 days, in jelly

Honey bee -Apis mellifera var nica-, drone on drone brood, larvae shortly before pupation

Honey bee -Apis mellifera- nibbling on the open honey comb with leaking honey, after the wax lid was removed with the wax comb

Beekeeper collecting a new colony of Honey Bees -Apis mellifera- from the trunk of an apple tree

Honey Bees -Apis mellifera- on honeycomb with capped cells holding honey, winter bees, Bavaria, Germany

Demonstrating bee keeping, the Reverend D L Bryce. 1935

Bee keeping, Asian Honey Bee (Apis cerana) hives, Sundarbans, Ganges Delta, West Bengal, India, March

Beekeeping showing beekeepers preparing to take a swarm. At bottom of tree are straw beehives (skeps) used in the apiary. From 18th century edition of Virgil Georgics which followed the agricultural

Design for garden with bee shelter with bee skeps and pool framed by trees including weeping willow (Salix babylonica). From Repository of Arts, R. Ackermann, (London, 1820)

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"Exploring the Rich History and Challenges of Apiculture: From 17th Century Artwork to Modern Beekeeping" Discover the fascinating world of apiculture, where bees and beehives have captivated human imagination for centuries. In 17th-century artwork, intricate depictions of buzzing hives showcased the importance of these industrious creatures in our lives. Fast forward to the 19th century, when beekeeping became a popular practice. Visionaries like Diderot shed light on this ancient craft through their writings, emphasizing its significance in sustaining both nature and humanity. However, not all has been smooth sailing for beekeepers throughout history. The Varroa mite emerged as a formidable adversary in recent years, wreaking havoc on beehives worldwide. This parasite's proliferation is linked to climate change-induced milder winters, posing a grave threat to honeybees' survival. In Victorian times, dedicated beekeepers donned their protective gear and tended to their beloved colonies with care. Their commitment ensured that these tiny pollinators thrived amidst an ever-changing landscape. Venture into enchanting forests near Norddorf in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany or wander through sunflower fields on France's Plateau de Valensole; you'll witness firsthand how harmoniously bees coexist with nature within carefully placed beehives. Travel back even further to early 19th-century Poland as peasants from Podlaskie province gathered precious honey from wild hives—a testament to humans' age-old relationship with these remarkable insects. Today we stand at a crossroads—aware of both the historical significance and contemporary challenges facing apiculture. Let us cherish and protect our buzzing companions who diligently work alongside us in nurturing ecosystems worldwide. As February blankets landscapes with snow, let it serve as a reminder that agricultural work continues year-round—beekeepers tirelessly safeguarding their charges while ensuring bountiful harvests for generations yet to come.