Temporary notice: The varroa calculator is currently not available on the new Beebase website. Meridian has asked asked the National Bee Unit to migrate it over as soon as possible as it’s one of the most useful tools on the site. In the meantime, we can use the graphs available in this document which canContinue reading "Counting varroa"

Heather honey Each year, at the summer’s end, some Meridian beekeepers take their strongest hives to the New Forest. Ling heather growing there begins flowering in late July and continues until September. Colonies taken to the heather must be in peak condition, having a well-laying queen and plenty of bees. As ever with beekeeping, goodContinue reading "Taking bees to the heather"

Richard describes Meridian’s first, very productive meeting of 2023 where plenty of fun was had by all. First meeting of 2023. Louise reflects on the highs and lows of her beekeeping in 2022 and in the process, explains some useful manipulations. Louise: reflections on 2022. Richard Skinner describes collecting and hiving his first swarm andContinue reading "Members’ blogs"

I had never really thought about becoming a beekeeper, but like many, I had become aware of the plight of pollinators through the media. It was only when my mum passed away in November with lung cancer that I started to think about creating a wildflower garden in her honour and as a place ofContinue reading "Richard"

Being furloughed from work presented the ideal opportunity to start keeping bees - something I’ve wanted to do for quite some time, but I had no idea where to start. A neighbour, a Meridian member, kindly offered to teach me the intricacies of the art. A paced and measured experience followed – beginning in theContinue reading "James"