According to the sages, the buzzing of bees was used by the Lord in the creation of the world. And the supporting idea of creation is the image of the honeycomb, the links between people and their interaction with nature. One of the most adaptable structures found in nature for building – the honeycomb structure. Man has borrowed this form from the bee world. The harmonious and orderly life of bees could become a role model for every human being. The hive works like a clock – says Vytautas GIMŽAUSKAS, the chairman of the Ignalina Beekeepers' Association „Austėja“, talking about the activities and current affairs of the beekeepers' association in the district. According to him, last year was an average year for beekeepers – not bad in terms of honey yields, but not in all areas.

„Where there are more flowering meadows, the bees have collected a lot of honey. This year nature did not produce honeydew honey, so the yield is relatively lower. For several years now, maybe 5 years, my friends have been experiencing a honey price crisis. Everything is getting more expensive, but the prices of bee products are still the same and honey is even getting cheaper. That is why in beekeeping, the true beekeepers, whose soul is driven by the love of bees, remain, and those who value and cherish the contact with nature.

Our Society's aim is to mobilise beekeepers for the cultural and modern development of beekeeping, to encourage the spread of beekeeping businesses, to involve the population in the Society, to teach beekeeping, to promote their work and to accumulate good experiences

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There are about 100 registered beekeepers in the Society. We communicate, share observations and try to solve problems. Beekeeping requires significant investment, so the Society applies for various grants. Bees, like people, get sick. The most common is varroasis – an ercoparasitic disease of bees. This year we have applied to the Paying Agency for partial reimbursement of the cost of the medicines bees need. We received €8000, which we distributed to beekeepers.

This year we implemented the project „Know nature through the bee – take pictures“, funded by the municipality, with €700. The authors of the best works participating in the project were selected and awarded, and 20 photo works were created. After counting the votes, three photographers were awarded the prize: 3rd place went to Tomas Červinskij, 2nd place to Miglė Grušnienė, and first place to Anton Finožonok.

Modern beekeepers have to be very receptive to innovation. The demands of society are high and the equipment for modern apiaries – expensive, trying to survive by ingenuity. This is why beekeeping is linked to tourism, with educational tours where visitors can see how honey is made and how to extract the necessary quantities themselves. Bee therapy is being developed. 

Beekeepers are working to adopt an ecological approach to the extraction and storage of bee products. Of course, the harm of plastic is clear, so I already pack honey in jars as far as possible on my personal bee farm," said beekeeper Vytautas Gimžauskas, who focuses on quality rather than quantity and sells not only honey, but also pollen and bee bread. Today, his apiary has around 100 bee colonies.

„During the working season, you are in the apiary from dawn to dusk. The bee remains an unread book. Every year nature dictates different conditions and situations for their life, requiring active thinking and intense activity on the part of the beekeeper.

We humans certainly have a lot to learn from this work of God, from the life of the hive. It is an example of harmony, cleanliness and order. With the bees – order and discipline, a healthy hierarchy. It would be great if we could take a proper example from the bees, know how to live harmoniously and unitedly in our own country, be disciplined and united in protecting it, celebrate the results of our activities and create a harmonious environment in a friendly manner," said V. Gimžauskas, Chairman of the Beekeepers' Association, on the occasion of the upcoming Christmas season.