*3.2.6 Securement of water source*

Colonies need large quantities of water in order to constantly maintain the intrahive temperature in the range of 35–37°C and the intra-hive relative humidity in the range of 76–80%. Throughout their long history, honeybees have evolved as an insect that is capable of adjusting the temperature. Even when the outside temperature rises to nearly 40°C, the intra-hive temperature is maintained in the range of 35–37°C all the time. This is achieved as follows. The foraging bees collect water, spit the water as small drops into the hive, bring wind into the hive by fanning with *Kikuji Yamaguchi Principles of Natural Beekeeping: A Novel Bio-Method of Natural Beekeeping… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.89647*

#### **Figure 4.**

using natural fertilizers or home-made organic fertilizers without the use of chemical fertilizers. For the time being, in order to avoid this problem, we should

Antibiotics are used in large amounts on pig farms, chicken farms and fish farms, and the pooled water and waste are possibly contaminated with antibiotics. When an apiary is located near such farm, the honeybees flying for water may carry into the beehive water that is contaminated with antibiotics resulting in possible contamination of apicultural products with antibiotics. (**Figure 3, Left**) In the Natural Beekeeping, such risk is avoided by locating the apiary at a distance of at

Roads have been improved in recent years, and asphalt roads are constructed even in the depth of mountainous regions. Some beekeepers set their beehives beside roads giving priority to convenience in their living activities. When beehives are allocated next to roads, the apicultural products may possibly become contaminated with exhaust gas, asphalt dust and especially heavy metals. (**Figure 3, Right**).

Colonies need large quantities of water in order to constantly maintain the intrahive temperature in the range of 35–37°C and the intra-hive relative humidity in the range of 76–80%. Throughout their long history, honeybees have evolved as an insect that is capable of adjusting the temperature. Even when the outside temperature rises to nearly 40°C, the intra-hive temperature is maintained in the range of 35–37°C all the time. This is achieved as follows. The foraging bees collect water, spit the water as small drops into the hive, bring wind into the hive by fanning with

*Location of apiary. Left: The apiary should be located from far away, approximately 10 km, from pig farm, cow farm, and/or chicken farm. Right: When bee hives are set beside a road, the apicultural products may possibly be contaminated with exhaust gas, asphalt dust, and heavy metals. Thus, bee hives should be placed far*

the author in 1993 in an un-contaminated (agrochemical-free and chemical fertilizer-free) area of Chinese highland 3200–3500 m above sea level (Qing Hai, Menyuan). The honeybees used in this area are of the Occidental species, but the harvested RJ is satisfactory in both quality and quantity. In particular, the 10-HDA value is as high as 2.8% when harvested after 48 h, and no contamination with antibiotics has been detected at all. Such organic areas remain more prevalent in China than in Japan. Beekeeping in un-contaminated bee forages is absolutely necessary for production of high-quality apicultural products (**Figures 1** and **2**).

The author's group started RJ production by the natural beekeeping proposed by

consider beekeeping in areas that remain un-contaminated.

*Modern Beekeeping - Bases for Sustainable Production*

*3.2.5 Isolation of apiary*

least 10 km from any culture farm.

*3.2.6 Securement of water source*

**Figure 3.**

**124**

*away from a road.*

*Water supply for honeybees. Stainless-steel tray is settled around the hive. The tray is 1 m in length, 1 m in width and 10 cm in depth. Clean water is filled in the tray, and grass is laid therein as footholds for honeybees as a contrivance for easy water taking.*

their wings and lower the intra-hive temperature by deprivation of vaporization heat. Water is essential for honeybees to adjust the temperature. Each worker bee carries water weighing approximately the same as its own body weight. They may fly 4–5 km in pursuit of water.

Therefore, a place where morning fog is seen is suitable for beekeeping. A foothold is surely necessary for honeybees to take water. At a brook or babbling stream, honeybees may drown when their wings are caught by water before they manage to take any water back to the hive. Therefore, steaming water is inappropriate as a water source. If there are no appropriate water-taking environments, it is necessary to contrive to assure free water-taking by setting pallets in the apiary yard and around the hive and lying green grass in the pallets so as to secure footholds for the honeybees.

My group usually places a stainless-steel tray around the hive (**Figure 4**). The tray is 1 m in length, 1 m in width and 10 cm in depth. The tray is filled with clean water and grass is laid therein as footholds for honeybees in order to facilitate easy watertaking. These arrangements are made so that honeybees can take water nearby the hive without using excessive amount of energy for flying to a distant place.

#### *3.2.7 Filtration at apiary*

I recommend filtering the harvested highly-active RJ immediately at the apiary and storing at 2°C under complete protection from sunlight. When RJ comes into contact with oxygen or carbon dioxide in the air or is exposed to ultraviolet light, it quickly becomes less active. Therefore, in the Natural Beekeeping, the harvested RJ is immediately filtered under a tent avoiding direct sunlight so as to remove foreign matter such as dead bees, hive scum and dust (**Figure 5**). Although denaturation occurs immediately when left at ordinary temperature, it is known that RJ can remain active for a fairly long time when stored at 2°C. The author recommends filtering the harvested RJ on each harvest occasion so as to remove impurities, followed by temporary storage at 2°C under protection from direct light and final cryopreservation below 18°C.

#### *3.2.8 Processing plant*

In the Natural Beekeeping, the harvested RJ and honey are filtered immediately at the apiary, so filtration at a processing plant is not necessary at all. However,

The influence on RJ production of timing of larva transfer to queen cups was studied extensively to find that it is preferable to transfer second-instar worker bee larvae (early second-instar, larva size: about 1 mm). First-instar larvae are too small and too soft making the larva-transferring operations difficult. The larvae grow

*Kikuji Yamaguchi Principles of Natural Beekeeping: A Novel Bio-Method of Natural Beekeeping…*

In the case of early second-instar larvae, the amount of RJ ingested after larva transfer is not so great, and RJ rich in effective components can be harvested. Also, the larva transfer must be performed in a tent to protect it as much as possible from ultraviolet light. The larvae are quickly transferred into the artificial queen cell cups using a transferring tool called a "larva-transferring needle" while taking care not to

It is well known that RJ is stored in the queen cell cups where queen bees are reared. In ordinal beekeeping, the number of artificial queen cell cups used is approximately 200–250. On the other hand in the Natural Beekeeping

(KYAMENABEE), the maximum number of artificial queen cell cups is limited to 100. It is well known that RJ is secreted by young worker bees (aged 3–12 days after becoming mature insects). However, the number of such worker bees is limited accounting for about 20% of the entire colony. Large amounts of pollen and honey are necessary for the worker bees to secrete RJ. Young worker bees eat these and secrete RJ at full power into queen bees in the artificial queen cell cups for the larvae growing. Not a few beekeepers who cherish honeybees hate the production of RJ because it impairs honeybees and reduces the size of colony. Young worker bees will soon become foraging bees to collect flower nectar and pollen and complete their lifespan lasting 1 month. However, when they overworked to secrete too much RJ, they die within 21–30 days. The colony is gradually weakened if the number of such worker

*Transferring of larvae. The larvae are quickly transferred into the artificial queen cell cups using a transferring tool called "larva-transferring needle" paying attention not to hurt the larvae, but this operation needs*

quickly, and a surprising increase of body size is achieved in only 1 day.

hurt the larvae (**Figure 6**).

bees increases.

**Figure 6.**

**127**

*considerable mastery.*

*3.3.2 Number of artificial queen cell cups*

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.89647*

**Figure 5.**

*Filtration of harvested RJ at apiary. The harvested fresh RJ is immediately filtered under a tent avoiding direct sunlight to remove foreign matters such as dead bees, hive scum and dust.*

when the apiary is located in a mountain area, apicultural products are generally collected at a processing plant located in an urban area for filtration and packaging. It is problematic to leave the unfiltered apicultural products for a long time. In the meantime, the products become less active due to the impurities contained therein. Honey may be fermented when the Brix degree is low, while RJ shows signs of denaturation.

The apicultural products carried into the processing plant are once frozen, thawed for filtration and mixing performed in turn and then frozen again. The repeated freeze/thaw procedures cause quality to deteriorate.
