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.
How do you get your first bees? The Intolerance of Humans Newcomers to beekeeping will soon discover that there are rival factions in our ranks. One might expect that we should all be friends, us lovers of honey bees. Sadly, humans are not always the most tolerant of creatures; we seem to be able to … Read more
First Time Purchases For New Beekeepers Once you have decided that you really do want to become a beekeeper, you have some buying choices to make. It can get very frustrating listening to the conflicting advice from different beekeepers. You will make decisions now that may determine the course of your whole journey with bees, … Read more
How Many Beekeepers? Look before you leap – beekeeping. The UK is home to thousands of beekeepers. Tracking down the exact number is impossible; not every beekeeper is registered on Bee Base nor are they all members of a beekeeping association or trade body. Based on the various sources I’ve seen there are probably around … Read more
Some Of My Beekeeping Mistakes Murphy’s Law – “If anything can go wrong, it will” – comes from a chap in the US Air Force in the 1940s. He was involved in testing new engineering designs. Perhaps he was always messing things up, or maybe he was super cautious and used the ‘law’ to try … Read more
Latest Walrus News I don’t know why, but this tickled me. A couple of enterprising chickens managed to hop onto the tree. They were furiously pecking at the green leaves, the only green things available at the time. These were raised from chicks at the farm and are nearly ready to go out into the … Read more
They Are Not Necessarily Queenless When I was a beginner beekeeper, I thought I knew most things about the noble art of ‘bee bothering’, but I was wrong. In my case, the beginner years were the first five. For those with just one or two hives, it could easily be longer, and for bee farmers, … Read more
Beekeepers invest a considerable amount of money in their equipment. Hives, frames, foundation, bee suits, smokers, extractors, warming cabinets, mating nucs and so on, ad nauseam, all add up to a big chunk of cash. As you grow from a couple of hives to ten, then fifty and beyond, you start to need storage facilities, … Read more
In the UK, we have something called a Master Beekeeper. It’s a qualification in apiculture that requires years of studying, passing exams and practical beekeeping assessments. There are divergent views on the merits of holding the Master Beekeeper title. For some, it’s for people who would rather read about bees than do actual beekeeping. For … Read more