Bee Venom Production

Bee venom (apitoxin) is a defensive secretion produced in the venom gland attached to the worker bee's sting apparatus and delivered through the sting; in production, bees are induced by an electric collector to sting a glass surface, releasing venom without losing their stings. The venom dries on the glass and is scraped off. This is one of the riskiest jobs in beekeeping: the colony becomes very defensive, and dry venom dust can cause severe reactions when inhaled, so it requires experience, full protective equipment and planning.

What is bee venom and how is it produced?

Bee venom is produced in the venom gland at the tip of the worker bee's abdomen and stored in the venom sac. Fresh venom is a colourless, clear and bitter liquid; on contact with air it dries quickly into a whitish to pale yellow powder. The bee venom sold as a product is this dried venom.

About half of the venom's dry weight is a peptide called melittin. It also contains enzymes such as phospholipase A2 and hyaluronidase, small peptides such as apamin, and amines such as histamine. The quality of the venom depends largely on the proportions of these components and on how cleanly the product is collected.

• Worker bee: The caste that produces venom and stings. The amount of venom increases as the bee ages, reaching its peak in bees at the guarding and foraging stage.
• Queen: She has a sting but uses it inside the hive against rival queens; she plays no part in venom production.
• Drone (male bee): Has no sting and no venom gland, and cannot sting.

Why does a bee die when it stings, but not when venom is collected?

The worker bee's sting is barbed, with backward-pointing teeth. When a bee stings elastic tissue such as human or mammal skin, the barbs catch; as the bee pulls away, the sting tears out of its abdomen together with the venom sac and muscles, and the bee soon dies.

In a venom collector, however, the bee stings a hard, flat surface (glass or a thin plastic membrane). Because the barbs do not catch in this surface, the sting can be withdrawn; the bee releases its venom and returns to the hive alive. With a correctly set-up device, bee losses are very low.

How is bee venom collected?

The method used today is collection with an electric venom collector (electro-stimulator). The device basically consists of three parts:

• Wire grid: Conductive wires stretched parallel and spaced apart on a frame.
• Collection surface: A glass plate or thin plastic membrane lying just below the wires; the bee stings into this.
• Stimulator unit: A battery-powered unit that sends a low-intensity pulsed current through the wires at short intervals. On most devices the on and off times can be adjusted.

A bee stepping on the wires receives a mild electric stimulus, perceives it as an attack and stings the surface below. The droplets of venom released dry on the surface. The alarm pheromone released during stinging alerts the surrounding bees as well, so within a short time many bees deposit venom on the surface.

Where is the collector placed?

• At the hive entrance: Placed in front of the landing board or at the entrance; bees going in and out touch the wires.
• Inside the hive: The lid is lifted and the collector is laid flat on top of the frames; young bees inside the hive are stimulated too.

Whichever position you choose, the device must be stable and level, kept out of the rain, and the collection surface must be completely clean and dry before use.

Step-by-step procedure

1. Preparation: Choose strong, healthy colonies; put on full protective clothing, a dust mask and goggles.
2. Placement: Quietly place the collector at the entrance or on top of the frames; don't jolt the hive.
3. Operation: Run the device for a short time. Keep the duration limited according to the colony's response and the manufacturer's recommendations.
4. Removal: Switch the device off, wait for the bees to calm down, then take the collector out of the hive.
5. Drying: Leave the glass plates in the shade, in a dust-free, enclosed place until the venom is completely dry.
6. Scraping: Scrape the dry venom with a sharp scraper or razor blade into a clean, dark container without raising dust.

When and from which colonies should bee venom be collected?

Venom should only be collected from strong colonies. In a colony with few bees, not only is the yield low, but the colony also struggles to recover afterwards.

• Season: The active season, when the colony is populous, has brood and is well kept, is suitable. Don't collect during a dearth, as the risk of robbing rises.
• Weather: Work in calm, dry weather. In extreme heat the colony is already tense; in rain the collection surface gets wet and the product is spoiled.
• Swarming and requeening: Don't collect from a colony preparing to swarm, a queenless colony or one that has just been given a new queen.
• Rest: Don't collect from the same colony at short intervals; don't start again until the colony's behaviour has returned to normal.
• Expected yield: The venom released by a single bee is tiny; one gram of dry venom takes tens of thousands of stings. Venom production is small in volume and labour-intensive.

Safety in bee venom production

Venom collection is one of the riskiest operations in beekeeping. The danger comes not only from stings but also from the dust of dried venom.

• Defensiveness: Large amounts of alarm pheromone are released during collection; the colony and neighbouring hives become aggressive. The effect persists for some time afterwards; people and animals around the apiary are at risk.
• Full protective equipment: A bee suit, gloves and a sealed veil are essential. The bees become unusually persistent.
• Dust mask and goggles: Dry venom dust raised during scraping strongly irritates the nose, eyes and airways and can trigger serious allergic reactions in sensitive people. Use a respirator that filters dust and closed goggles; work in a still, enclosed space.
• Allergy status: Anyone allergic to bee venom must not do this work. The allergy status of workers should be known, what to do in an emergency should be planned in advance, and a doctor should be consulted.
• Location: Collection should not be done near homes, roads, animal housing or neighbouring apiaries.

Bee venom quality and storage

Buyers, especially the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries, assess bee venom by its purity and composition. Laboratories measure the proportions of the main components, such as melittin and phospholipase, and the amount of foreign matter.

• Clean collection surface: Dust, pollen, wax fragments, bee faeces and bee parts contaminate the product. Clean and dry the surface before every collection.
• Complete drying: Venom that stays damp deteriorates; wait until it is completely dry before scraping.
• Protection from light: Store venom in a dark glass container, away from light.
• Protection from moisture: The container must close tightly and keep out moisture.
• Cool conditions: For long-term storage a refrigerator or freezer is preferred.
• Labelling and records: Record the collection date, apiary and colony for every batch.

How venom collection affects the colony

Even though the bees don't lose their stings, the process is a serious source of stress for the colony. Frequent and long sessions can reduce foraging activity, lower the honey crop and keep the colony defensive for a long time.

Expecting high yields of honey, pollen and venom from the same colony in the same period is unrealistic. If you intend to produce venom, the best approach is to set aside separate colonies for it and to keep up their care, feeding and varroa control.

What is bee venom used for? Regulations

Purified bee venom is the raw material for preparations used under medical supervision in desensitisation therapy for people allergic to bee venom. It is also used in research laboratories and in some cosmetic products.

In traditional practices known as apitherapy, bee venom is claimed to help with various ailments; however, reliable studies in humans are limited. Practices such as deliberate stinging with live bees carry a risk of severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) and must not be carried out without medical supervision.

The collection, sale and especially the use of bee venom as a health product are subject to separate regulations in many countries. Before starting production, find out the registration, licensing and labelling rules in your country from the local agriculture authority; do not make therapeutic claims when promoting the product.