Queen excluders: are they needed for successful beekeeping?

Framed wire queen excluder Answer: it depends. That is always the answer for every beekeeping question, or so it seems. Actually, there is one which is always ‘yes’ – see end of this article. When I had kept bees for…

20 Mar 23 Walrus

Equalisation is great, but be careful

A Buckfast out-apiary in the 1960s Just as I was about to launch into a list of beekeeping tasks to carry out in spring, I felt a metaphorical tap on my shoulder. Taking the excess out of booming hives and…

13 Mar 23 Walrus

The ever popular Demaree method revisited

George Demaree One of my most-read articles concerns a form of swarm prevention that first saw light 131 years ago in the American Bee Journal. I’m not convinced that mine is even a good article, but anything to do with…

Mike Palmer's Cell Builder Apiary in Vermont

6 Mar 23 Walrus

Two Colonies In One: A Proven Way To Increase Honey Production

Big Colonies There are many ways to skin a cat, apparently, and the same is true of beekeeping (many ways to do it). I don't understand why anyone would want to skin a cat. It seems harsh, even if cats…

Kasia Jolanta and Alex at the beekeeping show

27 Feb 23 Walrus

The Greatest Show of 2023

Kasia, Jolanta and Alex at the beekeeping show It’s not that difficult to be the greatest show of 2023 when we are still in February. I’m talking about ‘The Beekeeping Show’ last Saturday in Telford, a trade show for beekeepers,…

20 Feb 23 Walrus

Spring Fever: Beekeeping Activities for the New Season

Fondant applied to the tops of frames I’m writing this on 19th February and my bees are based in Cheshire, UK, just south of Manchester. We have a mild climate, without extremes of cold in winter nor extremes of heat…

13 Feb 23 Walrus

Honey Bee Polyandry: The Secret to Their Success

Chromosomes Honey Bee Polyandry: The Secret to Their Success. Yep, a nice catchy headline, but for most beekeepers the polyandrous nature of honey bees is not much of a secret at all. When a virgin honey bee queen takes her…

6 Feb 23 Walrus

New Beekeeping Show At Telford

Telford International Centre If you are a beekeeper in the UK, you will probably have heard about The Beekeeping Show in Telford, Shropshire on 25th February 2023. It’s a new trade show that has been set up by three bee…

30 Jan 23 Walrus

Pollen is Vital to Honey Bee Health and Survival

Grains of pollen I have returned to Manchester from three days ‘down South’ in London and Surrey, having had my eye surgery, which was a great success. The surgeon said something like “Stephen’s perfect” when describing the state of my…

23 Jan 23 Walrus

In Praise Of The Great C.L. Farrar

C.L. Farrar, Department of Economics University of Wisconsin I have a soft spot for certain wise personalities from the past, such as R.O.B Manley. It’s with this in mind that I wanted to write something in praise of the great…

Murray McGregor with some hives at a winter site

16 Jan 23 Walrus

The Big Picture: Successful Beekeeping

Murray McGregor with some hives at a winter site Beekeeping, eh? What’s it all about? I’m sure there are many answers to that question, but I’m going to talk about myself, as that way, hopefully, I can’t annoy too many…

9 Jan 23 Walrus

Discovering Extraordinary New Honey

Artisan honey from Apidae Honey People often tell me all sorts of extraordinary things about my honey, and honey in general. Some customers buy it because it’s delicious, or they want to support local producers; others have, shall we say,…

The Walrus and the Honey Bee