Menicean Beekeeping

My cousin Erstin wanted to try out beekeeping, but with Twirlings. Yeah, he's back at sweeping the inn's floor now.

Beekeeping is a vital activity to the Menicean society. It provides raw materials for artisans to make many of the useful tools used in Gérouns everyday life.

Process

Capturing a swarm in a hive is the first and most difficult part. Beehive owners often try to scout out wild swarms and will place several empty apiaries in the surrounding area and will try to seal any hole they find on trees. By doing so, they simply reduce the chances of the bees to settle within a tree cavity rather than a proper hive.
Once the swarm is caught, beekeepers will carefully wait for the night and try to relocate the apiary closer to their house to avoid stealing. Then, they will simply let it live on until autumn where bees cease their activities. The hive will then be sealed, leaving the bees to starve and getting the hive ready for harvest.
After all the bees are dead, the hive can be opened, and the cones will be removed and melted into usable wax.

Usages

The main reason for the popularity of beekeeping is the many uses of bee wax. Harvesting honey is very rare, if not nearly inexistent and reserved to the wealthiest.
The broadest way of making use of bee wax is making candles, as these are the primary source of light in Menicea. It is also used as a weapon and tool lubricant or to strengthen tents impermeability, especially in Sandside. Bee wax also makes fancy jar corks, and many doctors use it to make ointments.

Hives

Hives are made of osier, weaved into a forty centimeters-high spiral for bees to find shelter in. Only one small entrance is made so it can be easily sealed when bees stop their activities during winter.
Hives are kept away from any house or city; Beekeepers are more accurately called Hive owners as they mostly leave the insects alone until the harvest.
Each hive can only be used one time, as they are torn open to collect the wax in early spring after the colony was killed.