Basic Beekeeping Manual - English

English
Third edition March 2011
Basic Beekeeping
Manual 1
This manual is dedicated to tomorrow’s beekeepers. With thanks to all the

African Beekeepers who helped to make this manual possible, especially
those at Nkhata-bay Honey Producers Cooperative, Malawi.
Author Pam Gregory
Manual sponsored by
Editorial assistance provided by Gay Marris, UK National Bee Unit (fera)
How to Use this Manual
It is now well accepted that beekeeping can offer people in rural

villages a way of generating additional income. However,
beekeeping is not always easy. The bees can sting and are often
unpredictable. The honey harvest depends on many factors,
including the weather and on having a good market. High value
honey must be of good quality. Beeswax is also a useful product,
which is often wasted.
This field manual is designed for use by field-based trainers in sub

Saharan Africa. It is based on colour pictures with few words. The
manual covers basic techniques needed to start a beekeeping
business. It also offers some new ideas to help beekeepers to
become independent by making their own equipment from local
materials. I hope that this will help people to start beekeeping at an
affordable cost, and maybe to experiment with new materials.
The pictures show some of the many different ways that people keep
bees. This is intended to promote discussion and shared experiences
to help people to solve problems locally. The manual concentrates on
top bar hive beekeeping but many of the techniques and ideas can
also be used by traditional and frame hive beekeepers.
It is expected that trainers will be able to translate the ideas into

local languages. Thanks to the support of the Waterloo Foundation,
another illustrated manual will be available in 2010. This will cover
advanced management techniques and problem solving. A text-
based trainers manual is also available, on request from Pam
Gregory, that explains the ‘Why’ as well as the ‘How’. Please email:
pamgregory@phonecoop.coop
Pam Gregory has kept bees since 1974. She Happy Beekeeping
worked for the UK National Bee Unit from 1976- Pam Gregory June 2009
2003. She holds the UK National Diploma in
Beekeeping and an MSc in Overseas Rural
Development. She has spent the last 12 years
working with beekeepers in sub Saharan Africa.
1
The Life of the Bee
A honey bee visiting blossom
Additional images provided by Margaret Cowley, Ged Marshall,

Adrian Waring, Claire Waring and Max Westby
Basic Beekeeping Manual 1: The Life of the Bee (© Author Pam Gregory, who offers this as her gift to beekeepers
in developing countries)
2
Honey bees are social insects. By working together the survival

of all members of the colony are improved. There are three
different sorts of bee in one colony each with their own work.
This is the queen

bee. There is only
one queen bee in
a colony. She is
the mother of the
hive. Her work is
to lay eggs that
will develop into
new bees. She can
lay 1000 eggs
every day at some
times of year.
This is the male

bee or drone. His
only job is to
mate with a
young queen.
There are about
500 drones in a
hive when there
is plenty of food.
They are driven
out during the
dearth period.
This is a worker
bee. She is a
female but
cannot lay eggs.
She does all the
work in the hive.
There may be as
many as 40,000
workers in the
main honey
gathering
season.
3
Workers make
wax from their
body to build
honeycomb.
The queen lays an

egg in each
honeycomb cell.
The eggs hatch

and turn into
larvae.
4
The
larvae
are
sealed
into the
cells to
pupate.
A new worker
bee emerges
from the cell.
Worker bees leave the

hive to visit flowers,
collecting pollen and
nectar to make honey.
This worker bee is
collecting nectar from
Eucalyptus.
5
Bees improve
the crops
from mango,
coffee, citrus,
guava, and
many other
fruits.
This worker
has collected
pollen and
nectar. One
of the bees at
the hive
entrance has
its tongue
out to test
the quality of
the nectar.
Bee’s
tongue
Workers store
pollen and nectar
in the
honeycombs.
Flowers can have

different coloured
pollen.
6
Bees fan their

wings to
remove water
from the nectar
and to spread
scent
messages.
This worker bee

is exposing a
scent gland,
which calls
other bees to
join it.
These worker
bees are
sharing food
and
pheromones.
The workers are

dancing to
communicate the
quality and
direction of the
nectar source.
7
The worker bees

have capped this
honey perfectly.
It is quality honey
ready for
harvesting.
These workers
are bringing
propolis into the
hive. It is a
sticky resin that
they collect from
trees. Propolis is
used to seal
cracks and to
keep the hive
clean.
Only workers sting. If

they do they will die.
Bees do not sting
This worker is guarding the without cause.
entrance. Worker bees sting to
defend their home. They die after
they sting so they are reluctant to
do this.
8
Can you identify the things on this comb?
Look for:
worker bees
sealed worker brood
larvae in unsealed cells
empty cells
a few cells with fresh nectar
cells containing pollen
1
How to Keep Safe when

Beekeeping
Salome from Kenya, wearing a homemade bee suit
Additional images provided by Paul Latham
Basic Beekeeping Manual 1: How to keep safe when Beekeeping (© Author Pam Gregory, who offers this as her
gift to beekeepers in developing countries)
2
Bee stings
Bees can sting and stings can be dangerous. Treat bees gently
and with respect at all times.
REMEMBER
Each of these worker

bees has a sting
Every sting gives off a

smell that warns other
bees of danger
The smell attracts other

bees to sting in the same
place
Cover the sting with

smoke to hide the smell
from other bees
Scratch out sting from

your skin as quickly as
possible
Protective clothing
Always wear good protective clothing that covers your whole
body. These bee suits are made from inexpensive local
materials:
veil
arms
and legs
are
completely rubber gloves
covered
plastic bags
over the shoes,
tied at the
ankles
This bee suit is made
from maize sacks
3
If you cannot
These bee suits are make a bee
made from flour bags suit, make a
simple veil,
like the one
shown in the
next section.
rubber
gloves
Wear very
thick clothes.
thick
trousers Keep
beekeeping
sturdy clothes clean
shoes so the smell
of any stings
is washed
away.
Subduing the bees
Smoke is essential to subdue the bees. There are many ways of

smoking and there are many sorts of smokers:
Be safe.
Use
plenty of This is a closed
smoke to smoker
subdue
the bees.
4
This simple
smoker is made
from a tin can
Do not work alone
Always go to the bees with another person. Be sure all your

equipment is prepared.
REMEMBER
Do not open a hive without a

good reason
Be gentle when opening the

hives
Work quickly and quietly
Use plenty of smoke
Only open hives when the

temperature is cool
This will usually be in the early

morning or the evening
Opening in the evening allows

the whole night for bees to
settle again
Bee safe
1
How to Make a Simple Bee

Veil
Beekeepers from Kisoro, Uganda, have made their own veils
Additional images provided by Dan Ngirabakuzi
Basic Beekeeping Manual 1: How to make a simple Bee Veil (© Author Pam Gregory, who offers this as her gift to
beekeepers in developing countries)
2
HOW TO MAKE A SIMPLE BEE VEIL
It is easy to make a simple veil to protect the face and head

from bee stings. Maize flour sack material is tough and cheap.
Dan Ngirabakuzi
and Robert
Kajobe
Cut the sack in half along its length. Then cut each half into
three pieces. Each piece will make the hat part of one bee veil.
It is possible to make six bee veils from one flour sack if it is cut
carefully.
3
This material frays (tears) easily so the edges must be turned

over and stitched to protect them.
Notice frayed
edges of material
Stitch each piece to make a corner.
Next a panel of mesh is put in. Mosquito netting is good.
4
It should look like this.
Add a square of cheaper material and stitch to the front and

back of the hat to give protection for the chest and back. Add
some string to tie the sides together.
The
completed
veil
When you are getting
dressed for beekeeping,
the veil must be put on
first, and then well secured
inside thick clothing. If
you do not have a bee suit,
wear a coat over the top to
complete the outfit.
1
How to Make a Moveable

Comb Top Bar Beehive
The women of the Nessuit Project (Rift Valley, Kenya), lining a

hive with cow dung and mud
Additional images provided by Roy Dyche and Paul Latham
Basic Beekeeping Manual 1: How to make a Moveable Comb Top Bar Beehive (© Author Pam Gregory, who offers
this as her gift to beekeepers in developing countries)
2
The plan shows the size to make the hive. Standard sizes allow
a beekeeper to move comb from one hive to another. This
allows bees to be more easily managed and makes honey
harvesting easier.
A – gable end
B – side panel
C – entrance (no more than 8
mm high)
D – floor (& optional landing
board no bigger than 2 cm)
E - top bar
F – roof
(all measurements are internal
to allow for variation in
thickness of construction
materials)
Top Bars are usually wedge-shaped. It is essential that the top

bars are exactly 3.2 cm wide:
END VIEW OF TOP BAR
3.2 cm
SIDE VIEW OF TOP BAR
48 cm
3.2 cm
44 cm
3
1. MAKING A HIVE FROM PLANKS
Cut selected timber to size. These are the side panels.
The wood may need to be planed to give a neat fit.
4
Two shorter pieces are nailed together make the gable ends
(front and back). Cut the ends off two nails (or hammer flat
with a stone) to give a nail with two sharp ends. Hammer the
sharp end of the nails into the planks to join the wood.
Note sharp
tip of nail
protruding
from the
edge of this
piece of
wood
The joined wood makes the rough gable shapes (front and
back).
5
Saw the rough gable shapes Use a standard template to make

into the correct shape and measuring easier. This is made
size. of cardboard. Measuring from
the middle ensures accurate
angles.
Cut a slot or a row of „V‟ shapes or drill holes (no bigger than
the diameter of a biro pen) in one gable end for the entrance.
The entrances must not be more than 8mm high to prevent
pests entering the hive.
GABLE END
(FRONT)
slot entrance
landing board, no
more than 2cm
6
Once the pieces are cut the hive is ready to put together. Here
the sides are being nailed to the gable ends. Then add the floor.
gable end
(front)
side
gable
end
(back)
Constructing the hive body.
Adding the floor
7
Some people make hives with the gable ends a little higher than
the sides to accommodate the top bars.
The top
bars fit
neatly
because
of higher
gable
ends
Other people put a runner inside the hive so the top bars fit
neatly with the sides.
runner
top bars fit level

with the sides
8
2. MAKING A HIVE FROM CHEAPER LOCAL MATERIALS
Hives do not have to be made of expensive wood. Many easily

available local materials can be used successfully. This is raphia
palm wood.
You can make the shaped gable ends of scrap timber, and the
sides and floor of local materials. This hive is made of straight
sticks.
straight
sticks
gable end
made of
scrap
wood
9
This “Grande Ruche” top bar hive from the Congo is cleverly
made using no nails or plank wood at all. The soft material is
pinned together with sharp sticks.
The gaps in this bamboo hive must be filled carefully with

suitable material to keep pests out.
10
This Ugandan hive is made This strong Ugandan hive is

of stalks. It is mudded with woven from wicker.
a mixture of mud, wood ash
and cow dung.
The floor and sides of these hives need to be mudded to keep

them dark and to prevent ants and other pests getting in.
11
The roof doesn‟t have to be made of expensive materials, as

long as it protects the hive from the rain. This roof is covered
with plastic.
This roof is made of a wooden frame with two pieces of bamboo

matting placed on top of each other. There is layer of waste
plastic in between, to help make it waterproof. The top is also
covered in plastic.
12
This roof is thatched like the local houses. It has solid ends so
snakes or other pests cannot enter, and handles so it is easy to
lift off.
A hive roof can be made of split bamboo – like the roof of this
local building in Kenya.
13
The bamboo is split in half and then laid together like this –the
same way as corrugated tin. Cover the bamboo with polythene
for extra protection.
A very simple roof can be made of a large polythene bag with

two poles inserted at the sides. Their weight holds the
polythene down.
4. cover over 3. polythene

with banana bag with poles
leaves or other to hold down
vegetation sides
1. sheet of
2. bamboo polythene over
support over top bars
polythene
sheet, so
water will run
off sloping
roof
14
If it is not possible to make a fitted roof this thatched cover may

help to protect the beehives from the sun and rain.
Palm thatch roof over

hive stand
Bamboo support
Hive placed
undercover
This completed stick hive is put into a wooden carrier made of

lashed together sticks, to which wires are attached. This makes
the hives easier to hang and protects the more fragile local
materials from damage. The hives can be moved by lifting
them from the carrier, making colony division easier.
Wires to
suspend
hive
Wooden
carrier
made
from
sticks
that
have
been
lashed
together
to form a
frame
15
3. MAKING THE TOP BAR
Cutting top bars is the most difficult and expensive part of hive
building. It is essential they are 32 or 33 mm (3.2 or 3.3 cm)
wide. The width of the top bars can be measured using a bottle
top or a used 9 volt battery (the only square shaped battery).
Cut
along
32 mm
this
line
Most top bars are wedge shaped in cross section. However,

many people have success with simpler top bars made of local
materials that are easier to cut than best timber. This top bar is
made of raphia palm.
16
This top bar is not wedge shaped. It is cut flat.
flat top bar
wax starter strip
Sticks, bamboo, or other suitable materials can be carefully cut

to size.
17
The wax starter strip can be easily made with a beeswax candle.
Have a look at this picture. You can discuss it with other

beekeepers. These top bars are made of bamboo filled with
wax, which is a good idea to try. However, the beekeeper will
have trouble getting the bees to build one comb on one top bar
because the bars are not accurately cut.
Inaccurately cut bars will cause crossing combs (cross combing)
These gaps
will allow
pests into
the hive.
18
Badly cut top bars are the cause of most problems that can
happen when using top bar hives.
If the top bars are cut correctly and waxed well, bees will build
one comb on one top bar. This allows the beekeeper to harvest
easily and move combs between hives to manage bees in a
similar way to frame hives.
1
How to Set up a Good

Apiary
A good bush apiary in Malawi
Basic Beekeeping Manual 1: How to set up a good Apiary (© Author Pam Gregory, who offers this as her gift to
2
Good honey starts with a good apiary. An apiary is a place

where small groups of beehives are kept.
These steps are needed to start a good apiary:
1. Choose a site:
That is easy to go to;

Away from people and noise, and safe from thieves;
Near a place where bees can find water;
Near flowers, and trees that produce flowers;
Protected from strong sun and winds;
It can be a place that is not useful for other activities such as
crop farming.
plenty of trees
for shade and
for hanging
hives
acacia trees
are good bee
plants
poor soil is not

good for other
uses
3
2. Prepare the apiary site by:
Clearing obstacles and vegetation around hives to allow easy

movement;
Protecting against unwanted visitors such as thieves and
large animals;
Planting nectar-producing plants to provide forage.
The SBDARA Clearing

trainers clearing an the
apiary site ground
will also
help to
remove
pests,
such as
beetles,
toads and
lizards.
3. Place the hives:
So that they are level;

Some people use stands. Others hang hives using wires;
Stands should be at least one metre high;
They must be made of strong wood, so they will last;
Live stands will not rot - use types of wood that will grow
easily into new plants when stuck in the ground;
The legs of stands must be covered with grease or put in tins
of oil so ants cannot climb into the hive.
Stand
1 m off
the
ground –
notice it
is as
high as
the
man’s
elbow
4
A simple hive stand:
use straight
wood cut
from local
trees
fix together 1m
with rope or
string
put stand
feet into
tins of oil
to stop
ants from
climbing up
Use hanging wires if honey badgers are a danger;

The hanging wires must allow the hive to tip easily to prevent
raiding animals;
The wires need to be well greased to keep ants away;
Hang hives at least 1 metre from the ground.
Notice how the

wires are twisted
to make a single
strand to defend
the hive against
honey badgers.
5
Leave enough space between hives to make it easy to work

without disturbing bees in other hives;
Make sure the hive entrances face away from footpaths;
Limit the number of hives in an apiary to 10.
This apiary is too crowded. Working here will easily

disturb the bees.
4. To attract bees into the hives, a “bait” is used:
The hives need to be clean and to contain a good bait to

attract honeybees to live there;
Use plenty of bees wax around the inside of the hive and at
the entrance;
A top bar with a fresh bees wax starter strip is excellent for
attracting bees. Bees also like comb containing brood very
much;
The bees like some leaves, especially if they smell of lemon
and these are sometimes used as extra baits. Other baits
that sometimes succeed are local wine or beer, cassava or
maize flour, or banana skins.
Top bar with fresh wax starter strip
6
5. Inspect hives regularly to check if bees have moved into

them:
If there are no bees check hives are clean and dry and that
no pests, such as ants, rats and spiders, have moved in;
Add more wax bait if needed;
The best time to colonise hives is when bees are swarming or
migrating;
Discuss with experienced local beekeepers when the best
colonising times will be.
6. Keep the apiary clean and protected by:
Clearing grass and other vegetation away from the hives;

If possible, plant live fences of good bee plants around the
apiary.
Neat well cared for apiary
This apiary has failed because there are no trees to give shade
or food for the bees. None of the beehives were colonised. No
trees, no bees – no honey, no money.
Failed apiary
1
How to Manage the Bees
Beekeepers in Nigeria inspect a top bar hive
Additional images provided by Mike Brown, Brian Durk and Claire

Waring
Basic Beekeeping Manual 1: How to Manage the Bees (© Author Pam Gregory, who offers this as her gift to
2
PLANNING THE WORK
Visit the apiary often. Only do one thing on each visit, and have
a work plan that is relevant to the time of year. These are
examples of work plans:
1. Clean around the hives and check that they are colonised and
safe.
2. Inspect inside the hives to see if:
The bees are building combs correctly (one comb on one top
bar);
The queen is doing her work correctly;
There are any leakages of water;
There are intruders like ants, beetles or spiders;
There are diseases harming the bees.
3. Harvest honey:
Harvest only ripe honey;

Do not harvest brood;
Do not kill the bees;
Leave some honey in the hive as food for the bees.
4. After harvesting:
Take out old, empty combs;

Rearrange the remaining combs so there are no gaps
between combs;
Leave some honey for the bees;
Feed the bees if possible or necessary.
5. If bees have absconded:
Harvest all the combs to reclaim the wax;

Clean dirt and debris out of the hives;
Carefully sterilise inside the hives to kill any pests and
diseases by using fire;
Rewax the top bars and replace them inside the clean hive.
3
THIS SECTION WILL HELP YOU TO INSPECT A HIVE

SAFELY AND UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU SEE
1. Wear protective clothing.
veil
bee suit top
gloves
bee suit
trousers
use rain
boots or
plastic bags
on feet, tied
around
ankles
2. Make sure you have all your tools ready. It is good to have a
friend to help.
Honey bucket
Plastic gloves
Knife, cutlass and hive tool

Smoker and smoker fuel
4
3. Light the smoker so there is plenty of cool smoke. Maize

husks, dry grass and rotten wood all make good smoker fuels.
An inexpensive smoker can be

made from a tin can with holes
punched in the bottom.
4. Smoke the entrance well and wait for the bees to become
calm.
5. Smoke under the roof well and then remove the roof.
5
6. Check where the bees are by tapping the top bars. A hollow
sound indicates the empty part of the nest.
Do not tap hard or the bees will become angry
7. Gently remove the first empty top bar.
Notice the very small piece of

new comb on the top bar
8. Gently ease the next comb so it is free and easy to remove.
6
9. Lift each comb out carefully to inspect it.
Here the beekeepers

are inspecting the
activity of the worker
bees and the queen
to make sure that the
colony is building up
correctly.
10. Only move one comb at a time.
11. Notice how the natural shape of the comb in this wild colony
is similar to the shape of a comb in a top bar hive.
7
12. These worker bees are storing honey and pollen.
pollen
sealed
honey
worker
bees unsealed
honey
13. These worker bees are building new wax honeycomb.
wax
making
bees
14. This hive is very crowded and needs harvesting.
8
15. These worker bees are looking after brood (the young bee
larvae before they hatch). Can you identify the sealed brood,
unsealed brood, worker bees and pollen in this picture?
Unsealed brood
Sealed brood
Pollen
Worker bees
16. These bees have bad disease and should be destroyed by

burning the comb.
dark,
Crown Copyright, Courtesy of CSL
sunken
cell
capping
uneven
brood
pattern
bees have
uncapped
diseased cells
1
How to Harvest Quality

Honey
Additional images provided by Len Dixon and the National Bee

Unit (fera)
Basic Beekeeping Manual 1: How to Harvest Quality Honey (© Author Pam Gregory, who offers this as her gift to
2
A good honey harvest is important. Good quality honey keeps

well and gets the best price. It may be possible to take several
honey harvests in one year. Honey harvesting time will vary
from place to place. Local beekeepers are the best people to ask
for this information.
Crown Copyright, Courtesy of CSL
This hive is full of honey and needs harvesting. However, the

top bars are the wrong size here so the honeycomb is cross
combing, and will take more time to harvest. “Cross combing”
makes a top bar hive into an expensive traditional style hive.
Top bar too wide
Cross combing
makes
harvesting
difficult
3
One comb on one top bar makes honey harvesting easy
a good
comb
For safe and easy harvesting work with a friend
You will need these tools for harvesting honey.
Honey bucket
Plastic gloves,
knife, cutlass
and hive tool
Smoker and smoker fuel
4
Give smoke to calm the bees. Honey is usually stored as far as

possible from the hive entrance. Here the entrance is in the
front gable end so most of the honey will be stored at the back
of the hive.
Check where the bees are and open the hive gently.
5
Gently brush the bees covering the honeycomb back into the
hive. You can use a brush made of chicken feathers or a brush
made of grass.
carefully
brush
these
bees back
into the
hive
Only select honeycomb with well sealed honey for harvesting.

It is best to harvest honey in the cool of the evening, so
disturbed bees have the night to settle down again. Harvesting
honey at night makes it hard to see if the honey being harvested
is good quality.
well sealed
honey
Harvesting just after the rain will increase the moisture content
of honey and reduce its quality.
6
Cut the honeycomb from the top bar into a clean bucket. To
keep bees out, the bucket lid must be replaced as soon as the
comb is cut off the top bar.
hive tool
top bar
bucket
A clean bucket with a good lid is needed to keep the bees away
from the honey, and this also keeps the moisture content of the
honey down.
7
Harvest each comb in turn until you reach the combs with
brood. Leave a starter strip for the bees to build a new comb.
Some honey should be left for the bees own food or the colony
may abscond or die.
starter strip
unsealed honey
and empty comb
left for the bees
to use
If you wish to protect the life of the colony, brood combs should
not be harvested.
brood comb
1
How to Extract Quality

Honey
Brighton Chitenje delivers honey to NHPC in Nkhata Bay Honey

Coop. Below, a selection of Ugandan honeys.
Additional images provided by the National Bee Unit (Fera)
Basic Beekeeping Manual 1: How to Extract Quality Honey (© Author Pam Gregory, who offers this as her gift to
2
You need two buckets, a clean straining cloth and a place safe
from the bees when removing the honey from the comb.
straining cloth
Everything, especially hands,

must be kept very clean.
The honey will

be strained
through a clean
straining cloth.
The wax will be
left behind in
the cloth.
wax
3
The honeycomb is cut up into small pieces to release the honey.
Then strained through a clean mesh cloth into a second bucket.
The bucket is covered and left to drain until most of the honey
has run out. The very last drops of honey can be squeezed out
of the cloth using clean hands. Different trees produce
different colours and flavours of honey. Different grades of
honey should be kept separate.
4
People with many hives can extract honey using a honey press.
A much cheaper alternative can be made in this way.
presser handle bag containing

honeycomb for
central presser pressing is put
made from a into here,
circle of wood under the
presser
empty bucket
is put here to straight-sided
collect honey metal bucket
with holes in
the bottom
The straight-sided metal bucket has holes in the bottom. A

bucket is put underneath to collect the honey. There is a central
presser made from a circle of wood. The honeycomb for pressing
is put into a mesh cloth or bag and is pressed by putting it under
the presser. The handle is used to apply pressure to the
honeycomb bag to squeeze out the honey.
1
How to Harvest Beeswax
Refined beeswax from Malawi Ugandan beeswax

products, provided by
Hives Save Lives Africa
Basic Beekeeping Manual 1: How to Harvest Beeswax (© Author Pam Gregory, who offers this as her gift to
2
Beeswax is a valuable commodity that can be used to make a

variety of products. It should not be thrown away.
1 1 2 2
6 7
3
5
4
1. Hard body cream

2. Soft body cream
3. Clean wax Beeswax
4. Emergency candle in tin products
5. Candle
6. Furniture cream from
7. Shoe polish Cameroon
Keep wax from comb harvested for honey separate from the
dark or old combs that have contained bee brood (the young
bee larvae before they hatch).
Comb that has

Clean been used
comb for brood
Clean comb from harvested honey makes the best wax.
3
Wash the crushed honeycombs in water until they are free of

dirt and honey. Put them into a suitable cloth sack and tie with
string. Heat a good quantity of water in an old cooking pot. Put
in the sack of honeycomb and push it down under the water.
push the sack

under the water
cloth sack
cooking pot
containing hot
water
Keep heating the water gently. It should not boil. Keep pressing
the bag until all the comb has melted. The melted wax will run
through the mesh and rise to the surface of the water.
squeeze
the sack
to remove
the wax
the wax
runs out of
the sack
into the
water
Squeeze the last wax out of the bag between two sticks with a
rolling movement. Take care, the bag is hot. The wax will go
solid on the surface of the water as it cools.
4
The solid wax should be processed again to remove remaining

dirt:
dirty wax
containing debris
Break the dirty wax into small pieces.
5
Melt the wax in a pan placed inside a second pan of boiling

water.
outer pan fire inner pan boiling water melting wax

containing containing
water wax
Heat until all the wax is melted. You can see the dirt from the
wax on the bottom of the pan in this picture.
debris
in
bottom
of pan
6
Pour the melted wax through straining material to remove the

dirt. Clean tee shirt material is ideal.
A plastic mould will make a pleasing or useful shape. Smear the

mould with soap to stop the wax sticking as it hardens.
smearing
the inside
of the
mould
with soap
prevents
wax
sticking
7
The wax cools in the mould and can be removed when it is solid.
The dirt is left behind on the cloth. The cloth can be cleaned and
used again.
cooling dirty
wax cloth
can be
cleaned
and re-
used
solid
wax
Clean everything Wax for sale in ½ and 1kg blocks.

afterwards (refined by NHPC, Malawi)
8
OTHER METHODS OF COLLECTING WAX
1. Solar wax extractor: The heat of the sun can be used to

melt wax. The wax is put into a filtering bag and placed on a
metal tray in an insulated box under a glass cover and set in
the sun. A metal lip directs the melting wax into a container.
Care has to be taken not to allow the wax to overheat and
blacken or burn.
wooden box
made of scrap
materials
tin sheet to
collect heat
glass or
polythene
cover to
increase
sun’s heat
cloth filtering
bag
containing
wax
metal lip
directs
melting wax
into container
wax
collecting in
container
9
2. Steam wax extractor: Wax can also be cleaned using steam. A sack of wax cappings or comb is hung
above a metal container floating on boiling water. Melting wax drips from the bag to collect in the
container. Take care the water does not boil dry.
LID OFF LID ON

rod for
hanging
pot of
sack of
boiling
comb
water
sack
of
comb
extra
over
water
bowl
for
topping
up pot
metal
bowl
to
heat
collect source
wax
Basic Beekeeping Manual 1: How to Harvest Beeswax (© Author Pam Gregory, who offers this as her gift to beekeepers in developing countries)
10
Beekeeping manual 1: How to Harvest Beeswax (© Pam Gregory 2007)

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English

Third edition March 2011

This manual is dedicated to tomorrow’s beekeepers. With thanks to all the

Author Pam Gregory

It is now well accepted that beekeeping can offer people in rural

This field manual is designed for use by field-based trainers in sub

It is expected that trainers will be able to translate the ideas into

The Life of the Bee

A honey bee visiting blossom

Additional images provided by Margaret Cowley, Ged Marshall,

Honey bees are social insects. By working together the survival

This is the queen

This is the male

The queen lays an

The eggs hatch

Worker bees leave the

Flowers can have

Bees fan their

This worker bee

The workers are

The worker bees

Only workers sting. If

Can you identify the things on this comb?

sealed worker brood

larvae in unsealed cells

a few cells with fresh nectar

cells containing pollen

How to Keep Safe when

Salome from Kenya, wearing a homemade bee suit

Additional images provided by Paul Latham

Each of these worker

Every sting gives off a

The smell attracts other

Cover the sting with

Scratch out sting from

Subduing the bees

Smoke is essential to subdue the bees. There are many ways of

Do not work alone

Always go to the bees with another person. Be sure all your

Do not open a hive without a

Be gentle when opening the

Work quickly and quietly

Use plenty of smoke

Only open hives when the

This will usually be in the early

Opening in the evening allows

How to Make a Simple Bee

Beekeepers from Kisoro, Uganda, have made their own veils

Additional images provided by Dan Ngirabakuzi

HOW TO MAKE A SIMPLE BEE VEIL

It is easy to make a simple veil to protect the face and head

This material frays (tears) easily so the edges must be turned

Stitch each piece to make a corner.

Next a panel of mesh is put in. Mosquito netting is good.

It should look like this.

Add a square of cheaper material and stitch to the front and

How to Make a Moveable

The women of the Nessuit Project (Rift Valley, Kenya), lining a

Additional images provided by Roy Dyche and Paul Latham

Top Bars are usually wedge-shaped. It is essential that the top