The backyard bees are very busy again today. There are three new hives in amongst this lot, with another nuc at the bottom of the garden that needs hiving now. I'll try to move them out to their permanent site soon. I hope to start extracting honey tomorrow or Tuesday, all being well, now that … Continue reading Busy Bees
Time to Make Honey
Cleaning all the kit ready for extraction - 10 supers to extract already, honey tank and extractor drying off after being rinsed (they were thoroughly cleaned before being put away). Uncapping tray and buckets ready - I pour the honey from the buckets into the honey tank, so I only need a few buckets for … Continue reading Time to Make Honey
Supers Warmer
My new Supers Heater Trolley from Abelo arrived this morning, so I hope to be able to warm up the supers that are in my bee shed so that I can extract the honey, somewhat later than planned. To use, you stack your supers on this heated platform to warm them for extraction. The heavy … Continue reading Supers Warmer
BBKA – 2018 Honey Harvest is third bigger than last years
22 October 2018 The annual honey survey by the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) shows honeybees survived the difficult climate this year and produced a crop of honey a third bigger than last years. The results show that the honey crop was, on average, just over 30lbs of honey per hive, or just under 14 kilos … Continue reading BBKA – 2018 Honey Harvest is third bigger than last years
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!
Use Honey first for a cough, new guidelines say
New guidelines for doctors from the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) say they should tell patients to use honey first when they have a cough. This is based on 3 studies that showed honey reduces symptoms by 2 points on a 7 point scale. Honey and over-the-counter medicines should be the first line of … Continue reading Use Honey first for a cough, new guidelines say
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
2018 Vintage
After extracting the first batches of honey last week, I gave up waiting for my jar order to arrive, and bottled what honey I could with the jars I still had in stock. When my jars (finally) arrive, I will decant the honey from the storage buckets into the jars and put my "Honey for … Continue reading 2018 Vintage
Wet Supers & Jars of Honey
I went around 9 hives today, carrying out inspections and placing wet supers back on the hives for the bees to clean, and hopefully refill with honey. A wet super is the term used for a super full of frames that have had the honey extracted from them, and have remnants of the honey still … Continue reading Wet Supers & Jars of Honey
Extraction Day
It was another hot day, but slightly cooler than of late - 'only' 26° C, and as I have all but run out of supers, I had to do some extracting so I had some supers I could put back on the hives. Extracting is a hot, sticky process however much you prepare. I donned … Continue reading Extraction Day