Before I get all technical on the beekeeping front I must share with you that I have just started a dog poo (or poop as our North American friends would say) wormery in my back yard – I’m a backyard wormer! The idea is that I establish a colony of worms and then, once they … Read more
Now that the days are getting longer bees in healthy colonies will have swarming on their minds, except that they don’t have minds, but you know what I mean. Obviously they have to build up to it, so it isn’t going to happen tomorrow, but the preparations will be underway. Honey bees reproduce by swarming … Read more
All UV images are by Craig Burrows Karl von Frisch (November 20, 1886 – June 12, 1982) was a very clever man who received the Nobel Prize in 1973 for his work in the field of animal social behaviour. I suppose he is best known for the discovery of the “waggle dance” by bees, which … Read more
There is a saying which goes something like “ask 10 beekeepers the same question and you’ll get 11 different answers!” This makes things very difficult for anybody starting out as a beekeeper, which is why I would recommend taking some classes run by your local beekeeping association, normally run in the Winter, before getting bees … Read more
At this time of the year the issue of tax raises it’s grim visage, with online filing of returns having to be submitted by 31 January. I have just been sorting my tax return out, and to distract me from the pain I had a look at taxonomy, which is slightly less complex than tax, … Read more
One of the great pleasures that I derive from writing my book “Interviews with Beekeepers” is meeting the people that work with honey bees. Everybody that I have talked to on my travels so far clearly loves their work, and they are always willing to share their knowledge and experience with me. Bee workers must … Read more
In preparation for my latest interview with another legend of beekeeping I decided to have a hair cut. Samli’s is a gents hairdressing establishment run by an engaging 59 year old from North Africa who I have known for about 27 years. He always shakes his customers warmly by the hand, greeting each with an … Read more
I only have a small group of friends, most of whom really started out as my wife’s friends and I adopted them, but there is one chap who I found all by myself. He is the only person mad enough to have asked me to be the “best man” at his wedding many years ago … Read more