Buzzing trees and sweet treats: beekeeping in pre-modern times

Beekeepers have not been keeping bees in the square hives used today for very long. In the past, bees were kept in straw baskets, woven wicker hives or hollowed-out tree trunks. A very special form of beekeeping was known as ‘Zeidlerei’. In this form of forest beekeeping, the bees were kept in specially prepared trees.
The latest research findings from the ‘History of Bees’ project take you on a journey through beekeeping in times gone by. ‘Zeidlerei’ is featured, as is the development of European beekeeping from the ancient Egyptians right up to the present day. For children, there’s a puzzle to solve, with a little surprise waiting for those who get it right.