Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
The queen producer will omit the last part of this process, allowing the cells to be
capped. Otherwise, everything else is the same.
Removing royal jelly
The jelly is best removed with a small suction device available from beekeeping-supply
companies, although Chinese beekeepers (who produce the bulk of the world's supply)
use tiny wooden spoons to extract the jelly at an incredibly fast rate. Once extracted,
royal jelly must be frozen or at least kept in the fridge until it is sold or used.
Much royal jelly is freeze dried and sold in this form, but there is a discussion among
scientists about how much of the goodness is removed during this process. One piece
of research showed that feeding larvae on reconstituted freeze-dried jelly didn't work
- the larvae didn't prosper or simply died. Others say there is no difference and that
reconstituted royal jelly retains its properties. Clearly this is an aspect of royal jelly
production and sale that needs further research.
Nowadays, the availability of plastic cell inserts and small suction devices makes the
production of royal jelly an easier and more viable proposition for all beekeepers even if
they have just one or two hives.
The one thing that doesn't change in either queen rearing or royal jelly production,
however, is the need to adhere to a very strict timetable. Once you start the process,
each manipulation must be carried out on time - otherwise the cells will be capped
and you will be producing queens, or the larvae will eat too much jelly and it won't be
worthwhile extracting what is left. This is a technical business but one that can bring
in great rewards, not least that you will learn a huge amount about what goes on in the
hive and what goes on among your bees.
Before you start, however, obtain guidance and an outline plan of the proceedings so
that you will have something to follow that will increase your chances of success.
Collecting pollen
There is a large market for pollen, especially as a health-food product, and some people
regard it as the perfect food. Certainly there are beekeepers in some countries such as
