Bee Skep
A bee skep was a popular type of manmade beehive used to harvest honey and beeswax. These bottomless dome-shaped baskets were handmade by skeppers. Using cane, they would bind bunches of dried grass or straw into thick rope. As it was made, the rope was coiled into a basket.
The bee skep was a basic structure that was empty on the inside. Its walls provided limited protection for the bees. Usually, one opening was left towards the bottom of the dome to allow bees to enter and exit.
The bee skep relates to the fictional story of Kirsten Larson in “The Bee Tree” (Kirsten Saves the Day) who found bees in the woods. Her father taught her to make a skep, smoke bees, and move the bees to their farm.
The additional images show an illustration of a bee skep on an outdoor table with an opening where bees could enter and exit. Alternatively, a bee skep could be hung and bees would enter from the open base. The bees would build combs from one side of the skep to the other.
