Budding Cottage

On Sunday we introduced the hives to the concept of lawn mowing with some trepidation.  My reading had led me to caution and an understanding that the bees might object to a large petrol driven object being pushed around by a larger food fuelled and sweating object. (Clearly size is from a bee’s perspective, Mr […]

As a swarm box, a good sized cardboard box works well.  Here is my box that seems to have captured a feline.

In April (28th) the beginners sessions began at the Hanley castle apiary.  It was great to see into some hives and talk through what we found.  I immediately realised that I needed to review my frame constructions and went back through my empty hives to add additional nails to the lugs of the frames that […]

I highly recommend the beginners course run by Herefordshire beekeepers association.  This year it ran over 4 evening sessions between March and April  We covered: Bee biology and life from the bee perspective The bee and the beekepers’ year Swarming Disease Honey It was also great to meet other beginners and learners and to be […]

Guide to bees and honey by Ted Hooper A practical manual of beekeeping by David Cramp Honey nature’s golden healer by Gloria Havenhand Starting with bees by Peter Gordon A colour guide to pollen loads of the honey bee by William Kirk  

Well, the bees have had some fantastic sunshine to start them off in their new homes.  But at the same time there have been some heavy thundery showers around too in early May.  In addition the temperature forecasts indicate averages around 16-17 degrees, though it does feel warmer in the sunshine.  I am hoping this […]

Bee blog In 2010 we started to think about getting bees to add to the Budding Cottage menagerie…