Sold at high prices, people in the mountainous region of Nghe An eagerly hunt for and peel off beehives
Huy Thu•July 12, 2023 10:53
(Baonghean.vn) - Because honeycombs are expensive, people in the mountainous areas of Nghe An brave the heat to go into the forest to hunt for bees. The buying and selling of bee pupae is bustling. Local authorities also warn that hunting honeycombs with fire can cause forest fires.
These days, many people in Thanh Chuong district flock to the forest to hunt bees. They go in groups, each group of 2-3 people. At around 5am, the bee hunting groups set off for the mountains, bringing with them food, water, knives, protective clothing to catch bees... Photo: Huy ThuThis year, people not only hunt for painted bee nests, honeybee nests..., like last year, but also for yellow bee nests (white bee nests). Yellow bees build nests quite low, mainly hanging under branches of acacia trees, shrubs such as sim mua, or rat. Yellow bee nests are quite easy to get, so many people hunt for them. Photo: Huy ThuEvery day, around 5-6 pm, the bee hunters return home with bags of beehives they have just found. Having traveled dozens of kilometers, searching across the mountains and hills in the hot sun, everyone seems tired, their faces scorched. Hunting from morning to late afternoon, each person can find 2-4 kg of various types of beehives. Photo: Huy ThuAfter collecting the nests, people often bring them to the purchasing points to sell immediately. In Hanh Lam commune (Thanh Chuong), there are 11-12 establishments purchasing beehives. The establishments that purchase the most buy about 40-50kg per day. The purchase price of bees depends on the type. Honeycombs with pupae are being purchased at 220,000 VND/kg. Photo: Huy ThuBeehive purchasing facilities often separate bee pupae for sale. Large purchasing facilities must hire 8-15 workers to separate bee pupae every day. Photo: Huy ThuThe work of peeling bee pupae takes place busily in the yard. People participating in peeling bee pupae include both old and young people. This activity lasts from late afternoon until 8-9 pm at night. Photo: Huy ThuMs. Doan Thi Chinh (63 years old) in Hamlet 4, Hanh Lam Commune (Thanh Chuong) said: Every day she often takes the time to peel bee pupae. The job of removing pupae is quite easy, but requires carefulness and meticulousness. Each working day, she can earn from 60,000 to 100,000 VND/person.To get the pupae out of the beehive, people often use tweezers to pick them up. They need to do it skillfully, ensuring the nest is not damaged and the pupae are not crushed. Photo: Huy ThuBee pupae, yellowtail bee pupae... can be processed into many delicious and nutritious dishes such as stir-fried bees with fat, stir-fried bees with lemon leaves, bee porridge, bee soup... Photo: Huy ThuFor easy preservation and transportation, bee pupae are packed in boxes and stored in the refrigerator. Currently, bee pupae are being purchased and sold by establishments for 250,000 - 300,000 VND/kg. Photo: Huy ThuShell beehives are imported by purchasing facilities at a price of 550,000 - 800,000 VND/kg. This is unprecedented. According to information from purchasing facilities, shell beehives are gathered to be transported to Lang Son, to China. The work of hunting and selling beehives and bee pupae also brings income to many people. In the middle of the hot season, the authorities of some localities also warn people when going to the forest to hunt bees, not to use fire or smoke to burn bees, to avoid causing forest fires. Photo: Huy Thu
Bustling scene of bee pupae being peeled off in Hanh Lam commune (Thanh Chuong). Video: Huy Thu
