Beekeepers know Ivy is a great plant for the bees but is it a tree?
It is when it’s got a great thick woody stem and a big bushy crown with flowers all over it. Continue reading Bee Trees – Ivy (Hedera helix)
Category Archives: Honey
Moisture Content of Honey
Get this: the moisture content of ripe honey (~17%) is about the same as ripe cereals such as barley, wheat, triticale etc!
Himalayan Balsam or Impatiens glandulifera
Himalayan balsam or Impatiens glandulifera originates in the Himalayas – surprise surprise. It was introduced to Europe as a garden plant but it quickly escaped the confines of the garden and joined the ranks of ‘Invasive Pests’. Other such plant species include Japanese knotweed, Giant hogweed, Sycamore or Acer pseudoplatanus and Trifids. Continue reading Himalayan Balsam or Impatiens glandulifera
Porter Bee Escape
If you’re looking at taking your honey off you’ll be looking at clearing the bees. If you’re in a hurry and you like a fight you can always shake them or brush them off the frames but if you favour something slower and less brutal you’re looking at a clearer board. Continue reading Porter Bee Escape
Heathering
In this part of the world – July is the time to get the bees to the heather – if the flow is early you’ll miss it. But before you do that – have you got a heather site?
Here are some notes on what makes a good one. Continue reading Heathering
How to get Section Honey
Section honey is the creme de la creme of honeys.
Good sections command high prices and beekeepers will tell you the reason is that they are hard got. The bees hate to work all those corners and will often swarm instead. Or the weather will turn on you and you’ll be left with a lot of waste.
There is not much you can do about the weather but here are a few things you can consider to maximise your chances. Basically:
- The Hive
- The Bees
- The Forage
- Whether the Weather
Apiguard Eke
If you use Apiguard – be sure not to leave the eke on over winter or if you do, make sure get back to it before the dandelions do!
Perhaps this is why we call it an eke – we just spell it wrong; it should be eek. But note the rich yellow colour of dandelion honey – click the photos for a better look.
Click here for more on dandelions. Continue reading Apiguard Eke
Heather Ecosystem
When beekeepers think heather, they think weather and ‘Will it ever stop bloody raining?’
Or you might wonder – ‘IS there a flow at all?’ Because often there isn’t and you can never tell in advance if it will or if it won’t. Heather honey is the most bewitching and frustrating of all honeys; if you can get a crop of sections or cut comb honey it’s close to heaven and so costly and disappointing when it fails.
But there’s more to it than the weather. It’s the ecology – Stupid! Continue reading Heather Ecosystem
How to make Soft-Set or ‘Creamed’ Honey
This is easy:
Honey Toasted Muesli/Granola Recipe
Try this recipe for a lovely healthy Beekeeper’s Breakfast. Delicious with yogurt, fresh fruit and more honey!
First pre-heat oven to 170 degrees C for a fan oven or 190 degrees for a conventional oven. Continue reading Honey Toasted Muesli/Granola Recipe