“Bees on Ivy”, This was my first published photograph, and it was chosen as the front cover photo for a beekeeping magazine. I was so proud. It was only after it was published and circulated across the globe that it was pointed out that the featured insects were not honeybees! Nope, they were not even… Continue reading Bees on Ivy
Category: Honey
Protest
I ran through the protesters to my shed. If they could carry placards, they’d read: Return what’s ours! Our hives, our honey! Beekeepers are criminals! Robber! The buzzing is like a low rev of an engine. It’s October, it’s not even warm, where did all these bees come from? The meagre bit honey in… Continue reading Protest
Honey attraction
Within 60 seconds they were crawling with bees! I had my back turned when the plastic box, a few supers and broken frames that had dribbles of honey left over from extracting was put out in the back yard during the clean-up the following day. I had forgotten to mention that putting anything with honey… Continue reading Honey attraction
Mini rocket
“TTTTTURN IIIIT DDDOWN!” I shout above the rattle of the extractor and whine of the motor. I am stating the obvious. My nose is inches from the lever, but we have a rule; I am not to touch the lever. That’s his job. I am too sticky. One of my feet is firmly pressed on… Continue reading Mini rocket
Lambasted
Never balk at forking out for good PPE. It does what it says. Personal Protection My shiny new triple-layered bee suit paid for itself yesterday. You know how you leave the best until last? Well…I had left the worst until last procrastinating removal of the supers from a hive that is in an awkward location… Continue reading Lambasted
Taking off honey supers
Not a lot to it really, take the box and run. Except…, I want the box to be too heavy to run with, and the terrain to be somewhat even. Of course, there is the spectacle of thousands of angry, possessive bees taking to the air to contend with. They are swooping and diving and… Continue reading Taking off honey supers
Kevlar
Kevlar has a bit of a reputation for protection and bees are bombarding me like bullets. I wonder if anyone made a suit out of Kevlar as I check the hives to see if it’s time to remove the supers. The bees sure ain’t happy about me poking into their hive… and no wonder, they… Continue reading Kevlar
Gone fishing
Bee keeping forums are a-buzz with beekeepers telling us that they are stacking up supers on their hives which the bees are filling wall-to-wall with honey. Novice beekeepers in contrast, are pleading with their peers for advice and wondering if their hives too should be spilling over with honey now and if not, what are… Continue reading Gone fishing
Honey with the taste of humility
It was a very wet, windy, dreary and horrible day so what better why to occupy my time than to annoy the good folk of an esteemed and reputable bee keeping forum. I blame Google. It’s too easy to get information…the information of folklore and urban myth that is… finding real hard scientific fact is… Continue reading Honey with the taste of humility
The perfect gift
My elderly father liked to see me go away on little adventures to visit remote corners of Ireland on weekend brakes. He wasn’t up to making the trips himself anymore but said it made him feel young again to see me head off and hear my stories when I came back. There was only one… Continue reading The perfect gift
