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Lytchett Bay Apiaries

Lytchett Bay Apiaries

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Category: Hive Husbandry

20th March 2019 Jim Featured, Hive Husbandry, Queen Rearing

Spring Build Up

25th January 201925th January 2019 Jim Featured, Hive Husbandry

Winter activity at the garden hives

22nd September 201829th December 2018 lytchettbayapiaries beeswax, Hive Husbandry, Hive Products, News

We have a winner – or two!

A very good first ever honey show for Lytchett Bay Apiaries, and I won what I considered to be the creme-de-la-creme, first prize for my honey in the Commercial Section. I got two First places for honey, a second for honey, a second place for Honey cake, a second for photography, a third place for … Continue reading We have a winner – or two!

18th September 20188th December 2018 lytchettbayapiaries Hive Husbandry, Hive Products

Not quite right…

I've been rendering and cleaning wax for entering into the honey show, and moulded some wax yesterday to see how it came out. The 8oz blocks were a dismal fail, I must've got some water (probably from steam) into the wax, because this happened; This would have been my entry into class10; Class 10                    One … Continue reading Not quite right…

31st August 201810th December 2018 lytchettbayapiaries Beekeeping Equipment, Hive Husbandry, Maintenance, Queen Rearing

End of season work

I'm taking advantage of the decent weather and painting a load of new poly mating nucs so I think it's time that I tidy up the stands for them too - 'insect friendly' paint being used, of course. I also have some new Maisemore's 6 frame poly nucs to paint. I use Valspar "Oxford Blue' … Continue reading End of season work

29th August 20189th December 2018 lytchettbayapiaries Hive Husbandry, News

An Inspector (or 5!) came calling…

I had a visit from the National Bee Unit today, two bee inspectors and 3 auditors (why are there always more bean counters?). The auditors were checking that the bee inspectors carried out their work as per ISO standard, and that they were using and filling in the correct paperwork. The National Bee Unit (NBU) … Continue reading An Inspector (or 5!) came calling…

24th August 201810th December 2018 lytchettbayapiaries Hive Husbandry

Rain stopped play

I took a chance on the weather today, as the forecast said 38% chance of rain, and took a new hive out to one of my out apiaries and was going to inspect the rest of the hives at 2 sites. I got the new hive set in place with no problem, and inspected the … Continue reading Rain stopped play

21st August 201810th December 2018 lytchettbayapiaries Hive Husbandry, Queen Rearing

Looking good

I inspected all my garden hives and nucs today, and merged some of the mating nucs to make larger colonies for over-wintering. I have to say, I am very happy with the queens I have produced this year, they have all come on really strong, have lovely brood patterns and are very calm. I got … Continue reading Looking good

16th August 201810th December 2018 lytchettbayapiaries Beekeeping Equipment, Feeding, Hive Husbandry, Maintenance

Autumn Jobs

By now, most beekeepers will have finished the harvesting of the honey,  unless they get a second honey flow from plants such as balsam and heather. The Ivy will start to flower soon, and provide more nectar, but it is a very bitter honey and many don't take it but instead leave it for the … Continue reading Autumn Jobs

5th August 201810th December 2018 lytchettbayapiaries Hive Husbandry, Making Increase, Queen Rearing

Planning ahead

After a bit of hive husbandry and swapping frames between a couple of hives and nucs, shaking in some nurse bees etc I have done what I think will be the last grafts for this year. 20 grafts gone into a starter colony, with a frame of soon to emerge brood and some nurse bees … Continue reading Planning ahead

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  • New environment protections set out in flagship bill
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