Honey-hunting in Mindanao, Philippines

Mario, a honey hunter perched on a branch 40 feet up, directly above a gian t honey-bee nest, He waved a four foot-long bundle of smoking coconut leave s over the face of the comb to drive away the last of the adult bees, then called to his companions below to raise the honey pail. Deftly he cut away first the honey comb, then the remaining brood comb, and stacked them in th e pail. After lowering them to the ground, he descended quickly on the rope . We had just witnessed a traditional honey harvest on Mindanao.