https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-walrus-and-the-honey-bee/id1788182933?i=1000706136759 There are plenty of bad things to say about losing swarms from honey production colonies, but I’m particularly interested in the big one – loss of honey crop. Many people cheer themselves up after losing swarms by reflecting on how a brood break will benefit the bees, and how it’s a wonderful natural phenomenon, … Read more
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 upcoming weeks. From a honey production as well as a ‘good neighbour’ perspective, swarming is something to be avoided. So … Read more
One of the best things about being the editor of a beekeeping magazine is that I travel the land meeting commercial beekeepers, recording our chats on my phone, and turn them into articles. I am just a fledgling, barely formed editor, and the number of such interviews is small, but I have already learned a … Read more
This is what I’ve been waiting for. Those long winter nights and short days are past, new life is bursting forth everywhere I look, and proper beekeeping is back. It all happens at once; adding space, dealing with swarm cells, raising queens and soon – harvesting the spring honey. It’s a good job I have … Read more
You could write a book on the subject of ‘how to handle swarm season’, and several people have. In the one thousand or so words allotted to this blog post, I shall therefore have to miss out quite a bit. Nevertheless, given the popularity of this subject and the time of year, I shall dive … Read more
This is a time when some large discrepancies show up between colonies. One of my apiaries was absolutely booming and nearly every hive bursting with bees. In other places, the picture is more varied. However, I did find my first charged queen cell today, so the season is well and truly underway for me. Swarming … 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
Some weird stuff is going on. There I was, getting on with my life and feeling great when the Gods decided to remind me of my insignificance. Admittedly I’m one of those who tend to see the negatives in things; it’s what allowed me to be good at my last job. When everyone is ‘high-fiving’ … Read more