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A Harvest of Sweet Gold - Siberia’s Nomadic Apiary

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A Russian beekeeper from Novosibirsk has been roaming across Southern Siberia with his apiary for the past few years. 18.08.2013, Sputnik International

2013-08-18T11:27+0000

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A Harvest of Sweet Gold - Siberia’s Nomadic Apiary

11:27 GMT 18.08.2013

A Russian beekeeper from Novosibirsk has been roaming across Southern Siberia with his apiary for the past few years.

A Harvest of Sweet Gold - Siberia’s Nomadic Apiary - Sputnik International

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A Russian beekeeper from Novosibirsk has been roaming across Southern Siberia with his apiary for the past few years.

© RIA Novosti . Pavel KomarovAt the moment his apiary spans several fields in the Altai Territory’s Pervomaysk Region. Here, 150 bee families pollinate flowers and collect honey across several dozen hectares of arable land and meadows.

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At the moment his apiary spans several fields in the Altai Territory’s Pervomaysk Region. Here, 150 bee families pollinate flowers and collect honey across several dozen hectares of arable land and meadows.

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This wandering beekeeper is pretty self-sufficient: he has a tractor to transport the beehives, an insulated trailer to live in and a gas stove.

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He says that the bee hierarchy is quite simple: a classic matriarchy. The whole family accepts the queen-bee as dominant.

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Beekeepers paint their beehives different colors to help the queen-bees know which one is theirs.

© RIA Novosti . Pavel KomarovThey use a special “smoker” to calm angry bees down and keep them away from the hive while their golden treasure is harvested. In Russia a tree fungus, chaga, is added to the mixture to help it give more smoke and burn longer.

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They use a special “smoker” to calm angry bees down and keep them away from the hive while their golden treasure is harvested. In Russia a tree fungus, chaga, is added to the mixture to help it give more smoke and burn longer.

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This year honey is being harvested a month later than last year because of the cold summer.

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This beekeeper looks after about 150 bee families in 150 beehives mounted on four trailers.

© RIA Novosti . Pavel KomarovBees plan ahead. They make wax “caps” on some of the honey cells in their beehive as they stockpile for winter. The beekeeper uses a special knife to cut off these caps and then the honey can be poured out.

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Bees plan ahead. They make wax “caps” on some of the honey cells in their beehive as they stockpile for winter. The beekeeper uses a special knife to cut off these caps and then the honey can be poured out.

© RIA Novosti . Pavel KomarovBees make excellent weather forecasters. If it starts raining and they don’t buzz back to their hives, then you can be sure the clouds will soon clear. Propolis is used to help water-proof and draft-proof beehives.

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Bees make excellent weather forecasters. If it starts raining and they don’t buzz back to their hives, then you can be sure the clouds will soon clear. Propolis is used to help water-proof and draft-proof beehives.