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It’s widely believed that high varroa levels and the associated viruses (deformed wing virus and bee paralysis virus) are the main causes of winter colony loss. Some of the authorised chemical treatments for varroa are themselves harmful to bees and potentially to the beekeeper too. Sugar dusting has for sometime been recommended as part ofContinueContinue reading “Dusting bees with icing sugar”

A well populated nucleus, ready for transfer to a full-sized hive. There used to be a British Standard for nuclei. This is no longer in use but the requirements set out in that standard are still relevant today. A nucleus colony should: • have a young, good quality, laying queen. She may be marked and/orContinueContinue reading “The value of nuclei”

Whether you’re conducting a hive inspection or just sitting in front of your bees with a cup of tea, studying them carefully will tell you a lot about the health and well-being of your colony. This page aims to suggest what you might look out for. Inside the hive It’s best not to disturb yourContinueContinue reading “Reading your bees”

Whether you search online or look through a beekeeping catalogue there’s a bewildering array of feeders available in different shapes and sizes. Making sense of all this can be difficult. This page describes the different types of feeder and explains when and how to use them and also looks at the different feed mixes andContinueContinue reading “Feeders; the different types and their uses”

Spring is just around the corner with all the hope and promise that holds for our bees. So it’s worth taking time to plan our first hive inspections. The changeable British weather at this time of year means we need flexibility to practice our beekeeping activities as the weather allows. By early March, most healthyContinueContinue reading “The first Spring inspection”