Making a smoker is simple as reading 1,2,3.....!
Spring, sew blade, leather, wood, tape measure, human, cylinder (metal)
and pins (in the shining white paper) for putting everything together
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| The first hive constructed by WBA members. |
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| This is a pure log hive. This hive has been used for the last 32 years by Mr. Muganga David. He only changes its location and he consider it to being one of the hives which have never disappointed him on honey. |
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| This is also a type of log hive. It is made from a palm tree. Its durability is poor as it is easily affected by weather. Too much rainfall make it rot and eventually break. Its hollow is much bigger than other log hives made from hard wood stems, therefore its yield is higher. |
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| Topbar being installed at the common farm. These are the most common hives today, which all members of WBA have acquired at their farms. |
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| One of the langstroth hives installed at the community farm for demonstration. These hives are expensive but considered to be more productive and easy to manage. Therefore WBA bought 3 for the start and demonstrate to its members. |
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| Own method. This is a multiplication site. Here, assume this hive is full of bees. What we do, we bring an empty topbar hive, remove 3-4 bars full of brood and honey with clings of bees into a new hive and we replace the old hive with empty bars. At that step, we move the old hive into a new location and leave behind the new hive on the old stand. By the following day, all bees will identify changes but they will instead copy up and resume their routine duties hence producing a second colony (hive) from already existing hive. The reason why we chose to build stands was that, moving a hive is easy, sudden shaking of hives which sometimes could destroy combs is also limited because here we don't need to remove hanging wires (support wires) first. | |
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| This is a newly constructed stand |
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| This stand is being constructed. Currently we have 6 stands at the community farm. |
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| This is the Warehouse for WBA. It is near the community farm site. We normally carry out our meetings just in that clear space under the tree. |
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| This is one of the oldest log hives at Mr. Kigozi's farm. The aluminum thing you see is a cover of the hollow in the log. We traditionally use aluminum because they last longer compared to crafted covers. Old saucepans are commonly used. This photo is showing you before harvesting honey. |
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| Here, he has come with a burning flame (Lit piece of wood). The use of this wood is to heat up wax like glue around the entrances which bonds the cover to the hive. It is also used to provide light during harvesting since harvesting is done at night. |
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| Here after he has removed the cover to access the honey combs. He has to blow the wood in order to give light and smoke. |
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| This is photo is showing him in action. The reason why he removed his shirt is to reduce chances of crashing bees in the shirt which increase chances of bees to sting him. |
Note: Today we no longer use that traditional method of harvesting honey because a lot of bees were burnt during harvesting since the fire is direct. Again it was difficult to learn about bees since it was done at night.
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| The bees in the truck (stem) above were transferred into the bee hive but after several trials and attempts. (look clearly above the leaves, you will see bees). This was our first project of moving bees from wild into a hive. |
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| Locally made smokers |
Isaac cutting the wood into measured parts. In the background are the wood that WBA bought for constructing hives and other wood work.
Isaac and Paul working together on the hive.
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| Some of the WBA members constructing their first own made topbar hive near Nakasongola Town. Here Isaac was taking measurements for making bars. |
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| This was the condition in which beehives were before WBA. Members were not caring about the hives. The pictures show Mr. Kaggwa's Topbar hive which he had put on the bear ground which is too risky here in Wampiti because termites and other insects can easily enter in the hive and disorganizes the bees. |
