Almost at the end of summer, Ukraine celebrates the professional holiday of beekeepers – Beekeeper’s Day of Ukraine. This event is celebrated on August 19, when beekeepers begin preparing their hives for winter. This day coincides with the Apple Savior (Transfiguration of the Lord). That is why honey and apples are sanctified in temples, and beekeepers sprinkle beehives with holy water so that insects tolerate the cold well.

Day of the beekeeper of Ukraine in history

The professional day of beekeepers in Ukraine is an official event. According to the Decree of President Leonid Kuchma, it is celebrated annually on August 19, since 1997. Honey in Ukraine is valued for its healing properties and excellent taste. On this day, honey fairs are held in many cities of Ukraine.

Interesting information about the apiary

• There are currently 48 types of bee families in the world. These tireless workers pollinate more than 170 plant species.
• To produce about half a kilogram of beeswax, a honey bee needs to eat 7-9 kg of honey.
• And during its entire life, a bee makes an average of 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey.
• In order to collect 100 g of the product, bees will have to fly as much as 46 thousand kilometers.
• In the total global volume of honey, the share of the Ukrainian product is a significant part – every seventh ton.
• Today, there are about 5 million bee families in Ukraine.
• The Prokopovych Beekeeping Institute operates in Kyiv. This institution has departments whose employees are engaged in the development of medical preparations for bees, selection, and standardization. It was here that the first collapsible frame beehive was developed. With its help, you can pump out honey without disturbing the combs and forced destruction of bees. And in Ukraine, there is a beekeepers’ union to maintain cooperation between beekeepers.