If we hear the phrase mobile beekeeping we are likely to envision an 18-wheeler trucking bees around the western USA. Who would think of a converted bus?
Karlen Tchagharyan lives in Goris, Armenia. He has been a beekeeper for thirty years and has 120 hives. He loves his honeybees and describes them as loyal and hardworking creatures that give more than they receive.
In honor of his beloved bees, he converted and outfitted three Soviet-era tourist buses and turned them into mobile beehive centers. Each bus has 40 hives, and the set-up of “luxury rooms” is splendid for the bees. It sure beats being trucked around in 18-wheeler trucks. He even created a small living area for himself, so he is always there to monitor his bees.
Tchagharyan transports his beehives from one flowering area to the next, offering his bees an endless selection of nectar and pollen. This gives him an edge when dealing with changeable weather, which doesn't affect his work, rain or shine. He just drives elsewhere if necessary and says his bees see neither rain nor snow and they can come and go as they please.
This 1:37-minute video shows a man in the USA with a Bee Bus of his own:
Before installing the buses as mobile hives, Tchagharyan used to need 20 workers to load and unload the hives when he wanted to move his bees. Now he just needs a driver, and his life and work are easier and much more productive.
He says the honey his bees produce is the best around, and he collects about 1.5 tons of it every year. He invites people to try his honey, examine the quality. If they find sugar in it he will give them 100 kilos of free honey in compensation.
He is a jovial beekeeper and says people who work with bees are generally good-natured, not evil. He credits the bees for this trait, because they always want to share their honey with others.
Tchagharyan believes that beekeepers are immune from the coronavirus because of the honey they consume. He said his children have never been inside a hospital and have never been sick.
There are old buses all over the world, and many old school buses in the USA. This is a clever idea. Have you ever seen an old bus converted into a mobile bee bus? Let’s hope to see many more bee-bus conversions around the world. “Bee-mobile!”
If you'd like to see the original article and photos of Karlen Tchagharyan and his bee-mobiles click here.