Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Oct 29: Honeybee farming is considered to be a profitable venture in coastal Karnataka. Now, for the first time in Karnataka, Prajwal Shettigar from Kinnigoli in the taluk has successfully created a machine that extracts honey poison through the Serena breed of the honeybee.

Prajwal is a disc jockey. When he was looking for an alternative employment, production of honey attracted his attention. During this period he came to know about collecting honey poison. As machinery was not available to collect poison from Serena honey bee breeds, which are commonly found in coast and Malnad regions, he began research and successfully invented bee venom extractor.

There are no honeybee poison collectors on the coast. Prajwal Shettigar, for the last one month, engaged in collection of poison from different areas, observing activities of the bees, and the method of preserving in a refrigerator. He has succeeded in his effort and has invented five kinds of bee venom extractors. He drew support from Yugendra, assistant horticulture officer Mangaluru, Honey facilitator, Praveen, honeybee farmer, Naveen Mangaluru, Vivek of Sullia Padpu Farms, and Likhit Kodtuguli.

The plate in which the poison is planned to be collected is kept in front of the bee boxes at the point where the bees enter and exit. A small voltage of power is passed through the plate. When the bees sit on the place, because of the vibrations, they sting the glass plate when the poison gets accumulated there. This bee poison is used in the manufacture of medicines. Therefore it is in good demand internationally. This poison is collected more in Pune, Delhi and Maharashtra but Karnataka farmers do not have enough information about it.

When bees sting a human being, their stingers remain embedded in the human skin. In the case of bee venom extractor, the bees are not affected in any way. Bee poison is produced just like blood in human beings. Collecting and preserving the venom that is in powder form, is a big challenge as even a little carelessness can turn all efforts into wasteful exercise.