This post looks at how honey bee hives can be used for purposes beyond the obvious honey production, particularly with respect to farmers and growers using regenerative principles to help heal the land. We observe the natural behaviour of the bees in and around their hive and use this data to evaluate the landscape, and in the next few posts I will outline how this … Continue reading Regenerative Beekeeping: Pollen
This is the big, necessary and progressive brother of sustainable beekeeping, and to me, represents a crystallisation of what I have learned through observing both my own bees and other colonies in all manner of hives and situations. So, how can beekeeping *improve* the environment where we run our hives? Agriculture, development, and a myriad other human activities have depleted the landscape on which the … Continue reading Regenerative Beekeeping
Wow – what a difference a day (or two) makes. A few days ago my bees were flying, and I was even able to put together a video post for my patrons as I headed down to the apiary to check the entrances and inspection boards. Bees cluster up together to keep warm in the winter, and it’s important that they aren’t disturbed at this … Continue reading Bees in a Snowy Winter
We have had a lot of rain, stormy weather, and low temperatures here in the south east over the past couple of weeks so apart from strapping down the hives against Storm Bella, I’ve not been over to the apiary. It was cold and damp today, but I wanted to have a look at the inspection boards on the hives that have them to see … Continue reading Midwinter Apiary Visit
We are due some sporty weather over the net few days due to Storm Brendan passing through, and there is no sign yet of any spring forage, although I did notice the hazel catkins in the field opposite me, and the gorse shrubs – even though they are few and far between in my area – are still delivering with their yellow, sun lotion-scented flowers … Continue reading More inspection boards
If you have recently acquired some bees for your new hive, you might be wondering how and when to check them. The books will tell you various things, but the balance is about familiarising yourself with handling bees, and allowing the colony to settle and get on with the essential task of building wax and getting in provisions to feed the workforce. For the purposes … Continue reading Checking your new bees
