The Bee Boles of Heligan

摘要

Bee boles are a fascinating insight into how our ancestors managed to keep bees before the adoption of removable frame hives. One can't help but wonder how they kept the skeps thriving from year to year when the only way to harvest the honey was to destroy the structure of the nest. Catching swarms must have been a necessity to ensure the next year's honey harvest. Foulbrood has been mentioned as far back as Aristotle so presumably they also had to contend with the consequences of disease wiping outthe colonies.