*3.2.5 Isolation of apiary*

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 least 10 km from any culture farm.

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

*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*

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

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

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.

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

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,

fly 4–5 km in pursuit of water.

*a contrivance for easy water taking.*

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

the honeybees.

**Figure 4.**

*3.2.7 Filtration at apiary*

cryopreservation below 18°C.

*3.2.8 Processing plant*

**125**

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**).

#### **Figure 3.**

*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 away from a road.*
