Because you liked the bee video I post a longer one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLOCsjCtyuM&list=PLN2dXF9c_sf_ZAp0uFs81hGLYjNDHGIxGI will be in Cambodia volunteering again in a few weeks time.This will be trip no 34 to this country.
In the past I have taken protective gear, a beebox, tools but as much as we tried, we have not been successful in making the bees stay in a box.I have never used any protective gear when we checked on the hives, the bees seem to be very calm if you work slowly.
On every trip we have come across a wild hive. The honey is quite nice. It is gold in Cambodia ( and most of Asia) and sells for around $ 30 US/kg!Remember that a rural worker earns about $ 5 to $ 6/day.I always take honey from home for my friends.
Sadly harvesting of the honey is often not done as gently as they show in the video. In many cases they will cut the whole comb down as the larvae is also valued as food - a delicacy.Most bees would be A. dorsata or A. cerana.I did visit a beekeeper ( a Professor at the University ) who kept European bees but the hives and the bees were in poor condition - the dry season is long and tough on bees and the wet season is also long and equally tough on the bees.
