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.
Every year, about now in my part of the world, a new intake of future beekeepers starts evening classes run by their local beekeeping association. These courses are generally excellent from what I’ve seen. Beginner classes are the right way to go for somebody with little knowledge of what’s involved. You need to understand honey … Read more
Countless beekeepers are offering their thoughts and opinions on all manner of things (I’m one of them). There are books galore, not to mention Facebook and YouTube. Hence, as with so much modern life, the challenge is information overload and echo chambers, not a lack of resources. The spectacular popularity of beekeeping means that there … Read more
I may have discovered some laws of physics hitherto hidden from me. The obvious one that I have suspected for some time is that the weather will always turn rubbish when lime trees flower. It’s pretty safe to say that the weather will mostly be rubbish anyway. This is why R.O.B Manley (my hero) states, in … Read more
Video clips showing how to use Randy Oliver’s varroa model and making hive floors. If a picture is worth 1000 words, what about a video?
This summer I was going to be staying with Mike & Lesley Palmer in Vermont, followed by a road trip to Toronto via Niagra Falls. Alas COVID intervened. Instead, we bundled into the car (farting beagle too) and drove up to Tighnabruaich, on the Kyles of Bute, Scotland. It’s a regular place for us to … Read more
I am coming to the end of my ninth beekeeping season. I started with two hives, and now I have nearly forty, including nucs. My journey has just begun, but at least I’m through the beginner phase. Here are some things that I have learned, which seem to apply to my beekeeping and probably nobody … Read more
Even though I live in a densely populated country, there are plenty of rural places to escape to, and these are the places that I keep my bees. I’m not keen on the idea of having bees in my garden. I don’t happen to have a four-acre garden, sadly. I have neighbours with kids, a … Read more
Somebody asked me yesterday, “what makes a good beekeeper?” I don’t know if I’m qualified to answer that, but what I said was, “If you can keep your bees alive from year to year, you’re doing pretty well.” That’s probably not the best answer, but experienced beekeepers who keep on top of disease and nutrition … Read more