Biddenham Swarm

Although I collect swarms, a friend had collected a swarm from Biddenham, didn't want it and asked me if I wanted it. He had already put it in a skep and all I had to do was pick it up.
Tough decision.

Click the button to see the video.

Strawberry Grove Honey

Nearly a year ago I was asked by Fliss and Sam if I would attend an Open Day they were running on their farm in Granesden.

I did a blog about it here.

The nuc was installed and was joined by a colony I transferred from Scald End.

In the previous blog I said:-

'All being well Fliss and Sam will be able to offer Strawberry Grove honey for their customers next year.'

I didn't have too high expectations for the nuc and expected the other colony to produce the goods. However being the perverse creatures they are, the nuc has flourished and produced the first Strawberry Grove honey.
The honey has been extracted  - click the button to see how this was done.

We expect the other colony to produce a super of honey very soon.

Bees for the Top Bar and Warre hives

I've been keen to populate both my 'weird' hives.
Because of their structure it's not easy, nor cheap, to buy bees for them, so I decided I would rely on swarms to fill them.

It does mean I will probably have older queens in them and the conventional wisdom is that you should replace the queen from a swarm as soon as you can.
This is mostly driven by the issue of honey production.
You both know my view on this.

I'm quite happy having elderly queens provided the colony is healthy and has adequate food supplies.
They will get the same varroa treatments and food supplements when they need them as do my other colonies.
In time the bees will replace the queen themselves without having me to intervene.

The first swarm I collected for the Top Bar Hive absconded two days later so the swarm in the video is the second attempt.

Click the button to see the video about the Top Bar Hive.

There will be a separate video about the Warre Hive.