Forest tree beekeeping is an ancient forest-based practice, the initial form of cultural beekeeping. It is based on breeding and keeping forest bees (Baroūka) in artificial hollows (tree-hive). This practice has evolved from honey gathering from a wild bee, when a man accidentally, later intentionally (the hunt for honey) used forest bees for collecting honey.
As an independent forest craft, tree beekeeping passed three stages of development: the protection and care of wild bees found in the hollows; protection and care of living swarm in tree-hives made into living trees; breeding and keeping swarm within a specially made log-hive putet on the height of minimum 3 mt.
Forest tree beekeeping includes a wide-range of skills and practices which relate not only to the craft (care for bees and collecting honey). Forest tree beekeeping also is based on a great respect for natural environment, mantaining of the ecological ballance and practically sacral attitude to a bee associated with the God's.
Tree-beekeepers visit they hives only few times a year. The honey collecting is always in Autumn, traditionally after the Navity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (8th September), only small amount of honey can be collected, rest should stay for the bees. It’s also a believe that only a righteous and honest man could keep the bees
