Bee Keeping

[Zephyr]

Weeding is the mark of "civilization". To demarcate a space in which the naturally dominant powers are consistently removed in order to cultivate more rarified, possibly fragile-but-useful strains. Traits start to 'wander' from species to species as the bees cross polinate different forms... There is an overall geneological drift that can be directed through selection of proximate specimens, and no doubt also influenced by the specifics of the bee or wasp species. It would be interesting to raise bees as well as keep a lab-garden. I wonder if some are better cross-polinators than others.

-A-

 

[Awani]

Bees sounds like a cool idea.

Royal Jelly has always fascinated me!

Royal jelly has been reported as a possible immunomodulatory agent in Graves' disease. It has also been reported to stimulate the growth of glial cells and neural stem cells in the brain. To date, there is preliminary evidence that it may have some cholesterol-lowering, anti-inflammatory, wound-healing, and antibiotic effects, though the last three of these effects are unlikely to be realized if ingested (due to the destruction of the substances involved through digestion, or neutralization via changes in pH). There are also some preliminary experiments (on cells and lab animals) in which royal jelly may have some benefit regarding certain other diseases, though there is no solid evidence for those claims, and further experimentation and validation would be needed to prove any useful benefit. Royal jelly can also be found in some beauty products.

Royal jelly may cause allergic reactions in humans ranging from hives, asthma, to even fatal anaphylaxis.[The incidence of allergic side effect in people that consume royal jelly is unknown, however it has been suggested that the risk of having an allergy to royal jelly is higher in people who already have known allergies. - source

Bees and Masons go hand in hand as you know!

 

[Zephyr]

I am also wondering about how many hives I would need to keep (and I AM in a city), in order to produce enough honey to brew mead. I LOVE mead.
-A-

 

[theFool]

Bees sounds like a cool idea.

Royal Jelly has always fascinated me!

I think also that Royal Jelly is an elixir of life. It gives stamina and you can feel the effects right after the first dosage (as long as it is fresh). It is not some kind of placebo. Maybe that's why beekepers live long lives. It would be interesting as a material to work alchemically too.

 

[Awani]

Maybe that's why beekepers live long lives. It would be interesting as a material to work alchemically too.

How could you approach it from an alchemical perspective? How about the ash from Royal Jelly a la spagyrics?

 

[theFool]

How could you approach it from an alchemical perspective? How about the ash from Royal Jelly a la spagyrics?

Hmm, the first thing that comes in my mind (ok, don't laugh) is to see if it dissolves gold leaf and extracts a red tinge. I think this matter is perfect enough by itself. Some spagyrics performed on it may ruin it, and it is expensive.

 

[Zephyr]

Okay... I know nothing whatsoever about practical alchemy in the literal sense. You guys will have to give me a step-by-step "for dummied" primer.

I just thought of something... Imagine a MEAD brewed from royal jelly!
-A-

 

[Awani]

Practical Plant Alchemy

Imagine a MEAD brewed from royal jelly!

I don't know how the fuck this could be done, but sounds great!

Okay... I know nothing whatsoever about practical alchemy in the literal sense.

Neither do I and that is why I hang around here!

Check this out for some spagyrical gnosis:

Practical Plant Alchemy by Mark Stavish

• Part One
• Part Two
• Part Three

 

[Zephyr]

To make a mead, you would have to get a whole lot of honey, or royal jelly, dilute it into about 5 gallons of water in a big bucket or glass carboy, and introduce a yeast. Then you'd seal the bucket/carboy, while the yeast converts the sugar to alchohol and produces CO2 as a bi-product. Then you'd siphon the fermented honey into another bucket to filter any sludge out and let it sit for a while before bottling it. Mead is best after several years. I am not 100% sure of the details, i'd have to look them up, but this is how you'd do it. I personally would add fresh strawberry juice or somesuch to the mix, and would probably 'prime' the mead before bottling. The yeast has a cycle where after it consumes all the sugars it will go dormant, so if you add sugar, it will re-activate. This means that if you add sugar, and then bottle it, it will carbonate inside the bottles. Again, not sure exactly how to do a mead, but I suspect it would be like this.


-A-

 

[Awani]

Science: Bees Are the Most Important Species on Earth

Bees are the most important species, according to research that reveals how wild bee health impacts the environment more than colony collapse disorder.

www.livekindly.com

They are number one. I’m getting a hive at some point.

 

[Pilgrim]

Bees and Masons go hand in hand as you know!

Seeing is believing

Seeing is bee-leaving (the hive)

 

[elixirmixer]

If you are interested in getting just the one hive, then you definitely want "The Flow Hive"

There is a 3D printed lattice inside that allows the bee keeper to simply turn a knob and extract the honey without disrupting the bees.

Honey Straight From The Hive | Australian Made & Invented

Flow is a revolutionary beehive invention, allowing you to harvest honey without opening the hive and with minimal disturbance to the bees.

www.honeyflow.com.au

Also, in terms of Spagyrics, there is a specific "recipe" to work with honey in the "Art of Distillation"

THE QUINTESSENCE OF HONEY IS MADE THUS
Take of the purest honey two pounds, and of fountain water one pound. Boil these
together until the water be boiled away, taking off the scum that rises. Then take
the honey and put it into a glass, four parts of five being empty. Close it well and
set it in digestion a whole year and you shall have the essence of honey swimming
on the top in form of an oil, being of as fragrant smell as anything in the world.


There are a few different recipes in that book. This is my favourite.

 

[Kiorionis]

They are number one. I’m getting a hive at some point.

If you are interested in getting just the one hive, then you definitely want "The Flow Hive"

My sister's boyfriend is a Master Beekeeper, and he has told me many times that the Flow Hives are not good for the colony. There is no management in the honey extraction because it all flows out, and the bees are left with very little.

He would suggest using the standard Langstroth Hive if you want to have honey from them, but also preserve their colony.

If you're looking just to keep bees as pollinators, he would suggest some sort of Natural Hive built from an old tree trunk.

 

[Awani]

If you're looking just to keep bees as pollinators…

I want that liquid gold. Muhahaha…

 

[Christophorus]

Check this out.