Video: Demonstration of Romanian Bee Venom Collector

The collector frame is made from wood or plastic and holds a wire grid (electrodes). Underneath the wires is a glass sheet which is covered with a rubber material named Plutex to avoid contamination of the venom. During collection, bees come in contact with the wire grid and receive a mild and adequate electric shock. They sting the surface of the collector sheet as they see this to be the source of danger, an intruder. The venom is then deposited between the glass and the protective material where it dries and is later gathered.

Does venom collection kill bees?

Bee venom is collected without killing bees. At the beginning, in1990s venom collectors used a thick rubber sheet to collect bee stingers. The bees stung into the rubber sheet after receiving an electric shock kill more than 10 bees per hive, who losed their stingers.This loss is not significant to the population of the bee hive and does not effect the life span of the colony.

The newer collector devices and methods are safe and do not harm bees. During 30 minutes of collection, with a well adjusted programm collector device will not die more than 3 bees/day…