# Beekeeping in Romania



## BerkeyDavid (Jan 29, 2004)

I just returned from a visit to Romania for the wedding of an exchange student who had lived with us 10 years ago. While there I had the pleasure of meeting some beekeepers.

Even though we had quite a language barrier it was a wonderful experience. Beekeeping is very big, lots of honey for sale in the markets.

Along the road between Campina and Sinaia there were at least 6 roadside stands selling honey within a few kilometers. This is in the Prahova River Valley.

I took a few pictures which I wanted to share, showing the migratory bee wagons. They travel up and down the valley with their bees as the season progresses.
Romanian Migratory Bee Wagons 

In Bucharest I met a beekeeper at the farmer's market near our hotel. He let me taste samples of all of his various honeys. The one that really stood out was "forest honey". "Padura" It is from the pine trees (as best as I could understand). It is a dramatic, dark and sharp tasting honey. He insisted on giving me a jar of it, and refused any payment. I have been enjoying it in my tea.

The Romanian name for bee is "albine" pronounced albeenay. The word for honey is "miere", or "miere de albine" (honey of the bee).

I hope to return someday and spend more time with them, perhaps visiting their hives. Because of the rainy weather and short time schedule I was unable to inspect their hives in detail. But check out the wagon with the numbered and various colored hives! 

I was unable to communicate with them about mites. I used the word "Varroa" but they didnn't understand. So if anyone knows the Romanian word for mite please let me know! I hope they don't know the word because they don't have the problem!

But I do believe this is a country and people who have much to offer us!


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## chemistbert (Mar 4, 2004)

Are those leaf hives I see? Sounds like a fun trip.


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## BerkeyDavid (Jan 29, 2004)

Yes they are called leaf hives, not sure why, the beekeeper works the hives from inside the wagon.


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## power napper (Apr 2, 2005)

Thank you for sharing the pictures of your visit. Must have been a fascinating experience.


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## db_land (Aug 29, 2003)

That one trailor appears to have 84! hives on it. Do they overwinter on the trailor or is there a "home" base? Thanx for sharing the experimence.


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## notaclue (Jun 30, 2005)

Wow! Excellent pics! Thank you!

David


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## Robert Hawkins (May 27, 2005)

Anyone know why we don't do anything similar??

Hawk


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## Tim Vaughan (Jun 23, 2002)

I think mite is "acarian"?

But anyway, that was a great field trip report, thanks very much.


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## Walt McBride (Apr 4, 2004)

David, how would one service the bottom row of hives with the two hives above sitting on it in the picture with the multi color and numbers?
Are the frames slid out horizontally from the rear?


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## Robert Hawkins (May 27, 2005)

And is that living quarters inside the trailer?

Hawk


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## BerkeyDavid (Jan 29, 2004)

Hi all, Glad you are enjoying the pics.

All I could find out is they do service the hives from inside. It was raining and there was a dog tied up inside that was not very friendly so I decided to defer my inspection to a sunnier day!

I really don't know how they do service the hives from inside. It might be like a top bar hive, or a door that swings down (or up) at the back of the hive. But there is an aisle way that runs inside the wagon.

Yes there are living quarters in the back of one of the wagons. I asked them if they sleep with the bees and they just laughed and said no! I think they might use the living quarters when they are selling honey along the road.

There were no bees on the wagon. They told me the bees were "at home".

Yes there are lots more questions I would like to ask. I hope to get back there some day and get a full report.

very nice people.


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## Ojoc Mircea (Sep 26, 2016)

HI from a Romanian beekeper!i'm glad that you like our trailers. I'm interested how is beekeeping in uk! I'm in London for searching a beekeeper job...


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## Florin94 (Sep 27, 2016)

Hi.... Im born also in Romania and spent a lot of time in this country .... here I have my family. I can offer more information about beekeping in Romania. Many beekeper work here with 1/1 frame (dadant) 10-12 frame per hive and 1/2 frame for supper. Some beekepers know when you say ,, varoua,, but some are more familiar with,,acarian,, ; ,,paduchi,, or ,,paraziti,, . Season for making honey is about 3 months. Here is many beekeper and also a lot of hive. The honey production/hive is small if they dont move the hive from flower to flower.
In Romania are more sortiment of forest honey. What you eat in Romania we call ,,mana,, and its made sometimes from pine but also fir and oak. We also have here honey from lime forest and acacia forest( thats is the most important for beekepers) and also almost the most expensive equal at price with ,,mana,,. If you travel in Romania you can contact me and see my bee hives.... If you have any questions I like to answer. Sorry for my bad english .... Is not my native language.


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## Florin94 (Sep 27, 2016)

I cant see images with the vagon..... but most of us use some truck like this
https://www.google.ro/search?q=cami...ei=9o7qV5HRI8auU4C8pKAI#imgrc=4C64q4O19wwtPM:


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## johno (Dec 4, 2011)

Some of these hives are similar to the Slovenian AZ hive, northern folks are starting to use them in the USA. you can find more info on them on a facebook site called AZ hivers.
Johno


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## Stephenpbird (May 22, 2011)

BerkeyDavid said:


> In Bucharest I met a beekeeper at the farmer's market near our hotel. He let me taste samples of all of his various honeys. The one that really stood out was "forest honey". "Padura" It is from the pine trees (as best as I could understand). * It is a dramatic, dark and sharp tasting honey.* He insisted on giving me a jar of it, and refused any payment. I have been enjoying it in my tea.


That's most likely because it's honeydew mixed with a little floral honey. If it is nearly black in colour then its "pine" honeydew.


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## Sunday Farmer (Nov 13, 2013)

Nice post!


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## Florin94 (Sep 27, 2016)

Stephenpbird said:


> That's most likely because it's honeydew mixed with a little floral honey. If it is nearly black in colour then its "pine" honeydew.


Everyone love this honey and what is surprising..... is cheap
Colour for pine honey is nearly black....Problem with that honey is to not remain in hive for winter. I actualy hearvest all ,,mana,, honey from my hive and
replaced with sunflower honey.


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## cata_rebel (Jun 26, 2013)

BerkeyDavid said:


> I just returned from a visit to Romania for the wedding of an exchange student who had lived with us 10 years ago. While there I had the pleasure of meeting some beekeepers.
> 
> Even though we had quite a language barrier it was a wonderful experience. Beekeeping is very big, lots of honey for sale in the markets.
> 
> ...



David 
The word for mites " paduche" usually thei treat whit Amitraz


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## Florin94 (Sep 27, 2016)

Yes... They treat varroua with amitraz or taufluvalinat strips. Most of us .... use national products ,,varachet,, or ,, mavrirol,,


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## Tomas (Jun 10, 2005)

See this page of photos and descriptions of Romanian beekeeping from the website of Eric Tourneret, “The Bee Photographer.” 

http://thebeephotographer.photoshelter.com/gallery/Romanias-migrants-beekeepers/G0000o5gp6nvuzo4/

He has lots of other interesting beekeeping photos from all over the world.

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Tom


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## Florin94 (Sep 27, 2016)

Here are some photos for beekeping in Romania


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## rolftonbees (Jul 10, 2014)

Why do you not let the "mama" honey stay in hive?


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## VickyLynn (Jun 20, 2011)

I couldn't access your picture, but it sounded very much like the Slovenian hive trucks I saw last month. Slovenia prides itself in its varietal honey, so many beekeepers have hives on wheels that they take to the various honey flows. After three weeks in one area, say linden, they extract the honey (often on the truck), then move to the next bloom. The hives are worked from the back. They are generally two deeps high with a queen excluder between deeps. The frames are pulled out horizontally (no lifting, but more timely management needed). As frames are filled, they are replaced with empty frames.
In the picture, the hive on the end of the truck is on a scale. This truck houses ninety "families." Most of the beekeepers I talked with use oxalic acid vapor to treat mites.


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## VickyLynn (Jun 20, 2011)

Ooops. I clicked upload one two many times. ;~)


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## Florin94 (Sep 27, 2016)

Vicky....Yes thats is how they shiping hives but not so many beekeper use oxalic acid most use amitraz and taufluvalinat


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## Florin94 (Sep 27, 2016)

Here is a video from Romania..... In a similar truck with the truk was posted by vicky https://www.youtube.co/watch?v=5ZYVzAZRAEA 
You ca see interior and how they work in these trucks.


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## becsbeehive (Oct 29, 2016)

I want to make educational vids like that one day! It would go well with the courses and workshops I offer.


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

Your one day starts with today or right now. Plan it out on paper first and
then execute them one at a time. If not now when?


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