swarm cells on a comb
23 Apr 24 Walrus

How to Navigate Swarm Season

Swarm cells Yes, I know. This is not a new subject. Everybody in the warmer parts of the UK will be thinking, reading, writing and talking about swarming, and how to navigate swarm season. This year, in my area, it…
Swarming
Dandelions in flower
10 Apr 24 Walrus

Spring 2024 Beekeeping Report

The dandelions are blooming (photo: Paul Horton) I have been able to do some actual beekeeping recently, which is a wonderful thing. Suddenly, the Mole (my son, Alex) and the Walrus are back in the game; we have been reversing…
Spring
Queen bee diagram showing area of wing to clip off
1 Apr 24 Walrus

Clipping Queens Is A Good Idea

Queen bee by ISLA Bousfield-Donohoe The temperatures here have been about normal, I reckon, but the rainfall seems worse than usual. Nevertheless, there will be strong colonies somewhere in my apiaries which will be getting into ‘swarming mode’ in the…
Honey Bee Queens
Walrus multifloral honey in labelled jars
21 Mar 24 Walrus

Proactive Beekeeping

Walrus multifloral honey Some beekeepers are always thinking ahead. They have a plan. They keep records, so they know what’s going on with their bees, and they take time to think about what they will be doing next, and then…
Beekeeping
Queen cages
27 Jan 24 Walrus

Imported Queens

Lots of queen cages A review of Healthy Bees, Heavy Hives that recently appeared in BeeCraft magazine got me thinking. It was generally a positive review, but towards the end there was some criticism for missing something out. In fact,…
Honey Bee Queens
2 plus 2 equals 5
11 Jan 24 Walrus

Cause and Effect

How do we learn the noble art of beekeeping? I suppose it’s a combination of practice and theory, bolstered by reading books, chatting to others, attending courses and so on. I doubt that I am the only beekeeper who occasionally…
Beekeeping
Christmas tree and presents
21 Dec 23 Walrus

Gifts for Beekeepers

Christmas Presents Hopefully, if you are reading this at around the time it was posted, you are having some time away from work and enjoying time with family and friends over the holiday season. I’m quite anti-social, not really a…
Beekeeping Equipment
Varroa Mite close up view
11 Dec 23 Walrus

The Non-Treatment Situation

Varroa Mite (https://aristabeeresearch.org/varroa/) There are a growing number of people who believe that treating honey bees to remove varroa mites is bad, whereas non-treatment is good. This is literally the opposite of what government funded experts in bee health say.…
Pests and Diseases