Beekeeping Archives - The Walrus and the Honey Bee

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…

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…

15 Oct 22 Walrus

Advice for beekeepers in their first years

Beekeeping Tips From A Walrus Wild comb made by a swarm (try to avoid this!) Just in case there are any fairly new or potential keepers of bees reading my blog, here is a quick run through of things to…

7 Oct 22 Walrus

Feeling Helpless About Surging Chronic Virus

Frightening Bee Virus Is Aptly Named A bee infected with CBPV (crown copyright - National Bee Unit) Recent Reader Poll Thank you to those kind readers who responded to my poll about the greatest challenges facing you as beekeepers. The…

27 Sep 22 Walrus

Installing Bees For The First Time

New cedar hives in a field Moving New Bees Into Their Hive My three previous articles have been for prospective and new beekeepers because this is the time of the year when beginner classes get going. If you are enrolled…

20 Sep 22 Walrus

Your First Honey Bees

Poly nucs in autumn. They move into hives next year. 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…

16 Sep 21 Walrus

It’s About People

My Parents in 1961 I gave a talk to South Clywd Beekeeping Association the other day. It was a presentation that I've done five or six times before, about my travels to meet and learn from beekeepers worldwide. My favourite…

20 May 21 Walrus

Elvis Method (My Way)

Walrus in a bee suit If beekeeping were an Olympic sport, I would not be on the podium receiving a gleaming gold medal whilst listening to 'God Save The Walrus' and trying to hold back tears of joy. Hopefully, I…

Photo of Management Guru Peter F Drucker

29 Dec 19 Walrus

If Peter Drucker kept Bees

Management Guru Peter F Drucker Peter Drucker The legendary management consultant, Peter Drucker, may well have kept bees; I don't know. He certainly made a vast contribution to twentieth-century management theory, and I'm sure his influence will stretch far into…

21 May 18 Walrus

Busy as a Beekeeper

Horse Chestnut Tree In Flower by Renoir Busy as a beekeeper: Here in my part of England, the weather is currently absolutely perfect, and we have shaken off the oppressive depressed state induced by a long cold Winter followed by…