Here we have interesting photo report from Nepal, Annapurna mountain area in the main Himalayan range, where the locals skillfully extract the honey of wild Himalayan bees every spring. Look at their honey extraction equipment.
This is a village. It is a main square, which probably is 200-250 square meters.
Romance is everywhere.
In the morning the whole village comes out on the streets. People start gathering.
Even the military. But the production – it is the prerogative of the elder men.
The group has all that is needed for rocks – braided ropes and cables and carved wood ladders. They put rope in the water and it will be turned into a ladder.
They soak the rope for about an hour.
Nepalis insert wooden sticks in the wet rope – these are steps of a ladder. Then they firmly connect them with makeshift ropes, made of plants.
Making these ropes.
When the ladder is ready, it is carried to the place under the wild hive. They have already begun to kindle the fires, the smoke of which drives away the bees.
Above the hive they tie a rope and throw it down, then it is tied to a ladder and so it is in the right place.
Once they start smoking, furious bees fly around and bite. But then they become weaker and people can more or less safely work. Nepalese developed immunity to bee stings. If you look closely, you can see a lot of small black spots at the top on a white background.
Then they give poles, with which two people work. And also they give the cart with the ropes.
Two people basically work. First they have to tear off the dry cell, and then one has a basket, another scrapes the cells from stones.
Honeycombs without honey they do not throw, but also take home.
This is how they collect honey.
This basket is full of honey, which will spread out on houses.
The boys carry the cells with larvae.
And in the evening they celebrate.
Hello. Thank you for sharing. Who is the photographer of these photos. When were these photos taken? Thanks in advance.
Brian of Ethnobeeology