27 de setembre 2012

HISTÒRIA DE L'APICULTURA

L'apicultura primitiva ens mostra una artesania molt creativa, amb arnes fetes de ceràmica, palla i vímet, però també era una disciplina molt dura, que requeria col·locar les arnes en indrets perillosos. L'home primitiu tenia un coneixament molt bàsic de les abelles, però tenia molt clar que la mel era un aliment molt preuat, i que juntament amb la llet, podien ser essencials per a la supervivència dels menuts de la família.

Algunes dates interessants de la història apícola són:


  • El registre més antic és d'aproximadament 15.000 abans de Crist.
  • Existeixen informacions que parlen d'apicultura transhumant per les vores del riu Nil a 3.000 abans de Crist
  •  Èxode 3:8 indica Cannan com la terra de llet i mel.
  • Al voltant de l'any 900 abans de Crist, el rei Salomó parla de la mel i la bresca en molts passatges. Proverbis 24:13 "El meu fill menja mel perquè és bona, i la bresca que és dolça al teu paladar".
  • El 384 abans de Crist, Aristòtil va fer molta investigació sobre l'apicultura. És dels primers en escriure sobre les malalties de les abelles i de la fidelitat floral de les abelles. 
  • El 70-19 abans de Crist, el romà Virgili poeta i apicultor, recomana tallar les ales de les abelles reines i de que cal protegir-les del vent.
  • Les abelles (800-900 després de Crist) arriben a Amèrica portades per irlandesos i noruecs.
  • Entre el 1500-1850 es produeixen molts descobriments sobre les abelles i l'apicultura, però sense èxit en la producció d'arnes amb quadres mòbils.
  • La costa oest d'Amèrica no rep les abelles fins el 1850 
  • El 1851 l'abella ja havia colonitzat tot el món. Lorenzo Langstroth, el pare de l'apicultura moderna, va desenvolupar el bastidor mòbil.
Versió en anglès

Primitive beekeeping was a crude art. Hives consisted of pottery, baskets and holes in rocky cliffs. Beekeepers knew very little about the bees and many times bees were killed after the season was over to harvest the honey. Early man did however understand the importance of honey as a food source. It was recognized that milk and honey were essential for baby formulas even in Biblical days.

There is much historical data that indicates that beekeeping is an ancient art. Below is a list of some important dates in recorded history of beekeeping. For more information on the history of beekeeping, check out the book "The Hive and the Honey Bee" from Dadant Publishing.
  • The oldest record is approximately 15000 BC.
  • 3000 BC we have written records on migratory beekeeping up and down the Nile river in  ancient Egypt.
  • Exodus 3:8 indicates that Cannan as the land of milk and honey.
  •  Around 900 BC King Solomon speaks of honey and honeycomb in many passages. Proverbs 24:13 "My son eat thou honey, because it is good, and the honeycomb which is sweet to thy taste".
  • 384 BC, Aristotle the greek teacher, did much research on beekeeping. His writing indicates foulbrood, enemies of bees, and apparently the first to notice that honeybee's don't visit flowers of different kinds on one flight, but remain constant to one species.
  • 70-19 BC Virgil Roman a poet and beekeeper, recommended clipping the wings of queen bees and speaks of shad and wind protecting.
  •   800-900 AD Bees were probably brought to America by the Irish and Norwegians.
  •   1500-1850 Many discoveries about bees and beekeeping but unsuccessful in producing movable frames. Bee's were not native to the Americas, Australia and New Zealand.
  •   West coast bee's were not introduced till 1850's when they landed in California and by wagon to Oregon.
  •   1851 bee's had colonized all over the world. Lorenzo Langstroth (The father of modern beekeeping) developed the moveable frame. Lorenzo was from the US and his work spread from here to England, Europe and finally world wide. His creation of the Langstroth hive is still the standard to this day.

Font: http://beekeeping.glorybee.com/blogs/lesson-1-history-beekeeping