My best and worse colonies in 2020 I run between thirteen and twenty colonies, including Nucs, in five locations including my garden. Six locations if you count the New Forest where I take my largest and smallest colonies for heather honey (my favourite) or to fill the brood box with quality winter stores. In mostContinue reading "Louise"

Bees fly between 90,000 and 100,000 miles to make a pound of honey and they consume between 8lbs and 10lbs of honey to make a single pound of wax. Wax is therefore very precious and must not be wasted. It is important that rendering does not waste it or damage the quality. Wax must alwaysContinue reading "Processing wax"

Peter ClarkWest End, SO3007867 55796402038 1942220Simon ClarkWest End, SO3007977 090256Louise EvansBotley, SO3007434 952900Gemma HareHedge End07715 284186Richard ReadFair Oak, SO5007485 407963Lisa RookeShedfield07514 330624Peter TomlinHedge End, SO3007777 664641Simon FitzjohnSouthampton SO1407496 156157All collectors cover the whole of our South Hampshire area including Bishops Waltham, Botley, Hedge End, Swanmore, Titchfield and West End If you are reading this pageContinue reading "Swarm Collection / Collectors"

Swarming is the honey bees’ natural method of reproduction. It's their way of making two* families out of one. The swarm season generally takes place over a few weeks in late Spring but we do see early swarms and some take place later in Summer. * Not every colony will produce a swarm each yearContinue reading "Swarming"

If you think you have a swarm of honey bees, here’s what to do: 1.Don’t panic! You may have seen the bees arrive, swirling through the air accompanied by a deafening buzz, but they’re at their least defensive during a swarm and pose little or no threat to us. OK you’ve made your point! BeesContinue reading "Have you got a swarm?"