The basics are not always as basic as they seem. This category covers the foundational knowledge that underpins everything else in beekeeping — colony biology, bee behaviour, the role of the queen, how bees communicate, and why colonies do what they do at different times of year. It is also where you will find posts that examine what “good practice” actually means and where the received wisdom of UK beekeeping holds up under scrutiny and where it does not.
These posts are written for beekeepers who want to understand what is happening in the hive, not just follow a checklist. That said, beginners who are serious about learning the biology alongside the practice will find plenty here. A beekeeper who understands why a colony behaves in a particular way is a better beekeeper than one who has simply memorised the right response. Understanding the fundamentals is how you develop judgement, and judgement is what beekeeping actually runs on.
For those who start beekeeping, probably as a hobby, or to save the world, some will become obsessed for the rest of their lives, and many will give up within three years. When reality crashes into idealism, there are casualties. That’s actually a good thing; it makes sense to keep looking until you find your … Read more
It really is quite incredible how a supposedly intelligent creature such as myself, with years of experience – I am in my early sixties after all – can continue to have an endless supply of Walrus wobbles. Yet, this is the case. Some of my calamities stem from idiocy or carelessness, but others appear to … Read more
Beekeeping attracts practitioners with different backgrounds and motivations, different levels of expertise and experience, and even some people who prefer things like honey shows and committee meetings to actual beekeeping. There’s room for all of us. However, the special combination of factors required for success; a grasp of biology, hard facts, and something more tenuous … Read more
Sometimes unexpected things happen in beekeeping. What seems weird to me, or peculiar, or interesting, may not chime with you, but here are a few cases that caused a raised eyebrow or two. Welcome to my beekeeping twilight zone. Her Majesty Returns Recently, the Mole and I were inspecting a colony that had clearly swarmed. … Read more
Listen instead of read: https://share.descript.com/view/iXbI3vkK9PH I went and bought “Genetic Priorities for Conservation of Native Honey Bees” by Dorian Pritchard, one of the “big voices” in an area of beekeeping that is foreign to me. It seems well produced and has some interesting ideas, but I find the logic a little confused. But maybe it’s … Read more
We will be going through some of the subject material in our book Healthy Bees, Heavy Hives (published by Northern Bee Books) and look forward to lots of questions (assuming anybody turns up!). Spread the word! Tickets are FREE and available here: https://www.cbka.org.uk/events-talks/ It’s at 7pm GMT on Wednesday 6th November 2024
Audio (Podcast) Version: Click here When you start to look at the history of life on Earth, it quickly becomes apparent that humans have only been around for a relative blink of an eye. For bees, it’s a different story. Here is one version of the story of the evolution of honey bees and humans. … Read more
Audio Version is on Podcast page I may be accused of being a bit of a grumpy old git, but I don’t like Christmas very much. In fact, I hate winter, at least in my part of the world, and Christmas happens to be in the middle of it. I’ll go further; I don’t like … Read more