Sustainable beekeeping, chickens, and cake
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 … Continue reading Selmeston Bee Check
We last went to visit the bees at the School Apiary on Langney Marsh in August, and we braved the breezy conditions today to go and see how they were getting on. The water was high in the lakes, and there were lots of birds on and around on the water. Swans, geese, ducks, and … Continue reading Spring Check of the West Rise Bees
I wrote a post back in January about a hive I had which contained the bees we rescued from a wall in a squash court in 2016. As it was free comb cut from the cavity in the brood box, I couldn't have access apart from 6 frames in the super above, from which I … Continue reading Hive autopsy, and spiders
At my introductory beekeeping courses, I always recommend using a British National hive, or its cousin the WBC, as they are readily available, and provide beginners with large boxes and robust, well-proportioned frames with which to handle the bees. Just because they are used commercially doesn't mean one has to manage one's bees in that … Continue reading Warré hive
