Traditional migratory beekeeping in Greece, 18th – mid 20th century

In the Greek territory, the seasonal transfer of hives to new “pastures” was known already since antiquity. From the 18th until the 20th century, migratory beekeeping with traditional hives was practiced in many areas of the eastern Greek mainland and on several Aegean islands. This practice was carried out for the following reasons: a) to achieve greater production of bee products, especially honey; and b) for the bee colonies to spend the winter in regions where they would be able to offer a notable production in the following beekeeping season. The ordinary tools used in northern and central Greece as well as on the islands of the northern and central Aegean were upright hives, especially skeps. In the south, migratory beekeeping was mainly practiced with top-bar movable-comb hives and with several types of horizontal hives. Hive transportation took place in the night, usually on pack animals, carriages and boats; in many cases by the beekeeper himself. Migratory beekeeping was well developed on Thasos Island and in the Chalkidiki Peninsula, in both cases with exceptional results. Attica, Boeotia, Euboea, and western Crete were also areas of intense migratory beekeeping.