We have just had the solstice here, although as often happens with the longest day, the cloud cover was so pronounced it wasn’t particularly obvious! There has been copious rainfall, but at least the ducks are happy. I keep ducks mainly because they are always so enthusiastic and contented with rain and mud, unlike the chickens who get themselves in to a profound sulk. They … Continue reading Moths and Ducks
It’s taken a while, but it’s lovely to have some proper summer weather. There haven’t been many swarm calls which has meant I’ve been able to focus on some other garden projects which I didn’t get round to last year despite going literally nowhere for 15 months…anyone else in that situation? My friend helped my tie in the roses (that’s to say he did it … Continue reading High Summer at Shawpits
Any of you who have been following me for a while will know that I am first and foremost a naturalist and nature-lover, and beekeeping gives me an excuse to indulge this longstanding interest of mine. It also requires and inspires me to think holistically about how I can help my honey bees and consequently the other insects (birds, mammals, plants etc etc) around them. … Continue reading Love your Aphids
A glorious day, and the daisies have popped up almost overnight! Great to see such a swathe of these: they are not only good pollinator plants but also provide some nice tall cover for mammals. The blackthorn has gone over now, as has much of the hawthorn but this late spring does mean the traditional “June Gap” that beekeepers dread – when the trees finish … Continue reading Themosolar Swarm Update
I went to check on the bees living in their dilapidated hives at the foot of the South Downs, and they are thriving. I have set up a hive nearby which I baited again with lemongrass oil, but I’m not sure that the bees have swarmed – certainly not recently. The owners take a keen interest in these inherited hives and had not heard any … Continue reading Selmeston Bee Check
Here is a little vid about the swarm I collected on Thursday, as well as looking at some beautiful red pollen going in to one of my other hives. Lots of drones too! This is a public-access Patreon post: https://www.patreon.com/posts/52139312 I tend to leave my swarms for at least 3 weeks before checking them, depending on whether they are a prime or cast, and the … Continue reading Swarm update
I was called out to a swarm (thanks Georgia!) at Arlington Reservoir yesterday evening: handy as I needed a swarm for the vacant Thermosolar hive about 500 yards away as the bee flies – in fact I did think there was a possibility that they could be a swarm from the occupied Thermosolar. The other possibility was that they were from a colony living in … Continue reading New colony in the Thermosolar Hive
Bees on comfrey. There are lots of big stands of this robust perennial growing in many places near me – right outside my front door for one! – and the bumblebees absolutely love it. They often chew a hole in the top of the flower to access the nectaries and I do find that these plants don’t have many viable seed. They are collecting pollen … Continue reading Comfrey
At last: some Spring-like weather! Lots of swarms around so I had planned my day to visit the Thermosolar bees remarkably well. They were looking bonny – here’s a slo-mo: I didn’t do a particularly invasive check as there were people on site and the bees aren’t the friendliest colony, so I checked the board and under the lid. They haven’t started building in the … Continue reading Spring Thermosolar Check
I have had a couple of swarm calls and a few bumble/solitary bee queries, but nature seems to be rather on hold at the moment. We’ve had strong winds and more wet, cold weather but the bees are foraging well when they do get the chance: lots of pale yellow pollen and at least the flowers have an abundance of nectar with all the rain. … Continue reading Darling Buds of May
