The weather is doing its best to cheer up a bit, and it is a good idea to get your hives baited with some lemongrass or geranium essential oil to encourage a nearby colony to come and take a look. I have some detailed information on how I do this – and have been successful! – over on my Patreon, but there are lots of resources available. As I was looking for information on how bees choose a new nest site, I found this from the University of Sydney which was quite fun, and also this article which although a few years old, still highlights the array of complex communication that continues to fascinate me every time I look at my hive.
I have had a lot of interest in my chicken-keeping course but again, this now has a question mark over it because of self-isolation. I will be putting up a series of info sheets on the next tier of my Patreon for this. For anyone wanting to understand more about what makes hens tick, I thoroughly recommend this book (and this website which I should not be allowed on unchaperoned…). If you keep, or want to keep hens, and have enjoyed The Buzz about Bees – a book I always recommend on my bee courses – you will appreciate this.
Trying to stay connected when everything is so up in the air is difficult, and I am very aware people want/need to get started and if I wait until the curve has flattened sufficiently, it will be after the main swarm season and a bit late to be getting going, and the need for fresh eggs from the garden is currently quite pressing! I also want to provide a platform for treatment-free/sustainable beekeeping out in the wider world as it’s even more important than ever that we conserve our own resources and provide nature with the tools she needs to keep us well, well fed, and healthy.
Do please contact me if you need specific details, and I will continue to post here and on my social media in order to keep folk updated with what is happening.
Thank you for your words of encouragement and support – it’s great to be part of such a valuable community!
Wayward Bee 