How and why do bees make honey?
Discover the critical role honey plays in the survival of honeybees through the winter
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A Blog About Bees
We are interested in all things bee and so is our blog. The biology of honeybees, the world of pollinators and plants for a bee-friendly garden - there are so many fascinating aspects to the natural world and the world of beekeeping. Get an insight into some of the ideas we cover in our bee keeping courses. If you want to buy bees, find out more about the queen, workers and drones. And if you come to us for our local honey - check out some recipes!
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Harry
- May 1
- 5 min
Why do bees swarm?
From April to July honeybees are on the move - it's a surprising story of queens, dancing bees and an uncertain journey
Lorraine
- Apr 8
- 3 min
Lungwort, Pulmonaria or Soldiers and Sailors - call it what you like, bees love it.
Not every bee has what it takes to get the good stuff!
Lorraine
- Mar 27
- 4 min
How much does it cost to keep bees?
You don't need lots of kit to keep bees - it costs much less than you might think.
Lorraine
- Mar 14
- 3 min
Early spring flowers for bees - Blackthorn (Sloe to you and me)
Blackthorn - spikes and frothy blossom - a real case of naughty and nice!
Lorraine
- Dec 17, 2023
- 5 min
Tales of Harry's Top Bar Hive
Find out how Harry built a top bar hive and what happened to the honeybees that made it home.
Lorraine
- Sep 4, 2023
- 3 min
Is this an Asian hornet?
4 to 10 September is Asian Hornet Awareness Week - but would you know an Asian hornet if you saw one? And what would you do if you did?
Harry
- Feb 1, 2023
- 6 min
What is a nuc of bees?
A nuc of bees is beekeeper's shorthand for a nucleus of honeybees. It's the way most new beekeepers get started
Lorraine
- May 6, 2022
- 4 min
What do bees see?
Although we are both visual creatures, the world that bees see is completely different to ours. So, how do our worlds compare?
Lorraine
- Jan 22, 2022
- 4 min
The bee's knees - honey based cocktails for Valentine's Day
The bee's knees - honey based cocktails for Valentine's Day. Why not add a sweet note to Valentine's Day with Harry's Honey?
Lorraine
- Jun 19, 2021
- 3 min
What do bumblebees like? Thistle do nicely!
It's thistle time in the garden. Although some can be prickly, others are much friendlier and perfect for damp clay. Bumblebees adore them!
Harry
- Mar 31, 2021
- 3 min
The honeybee worker - simply the best!
Although the queen gets all the PR, the worker is the real star of the honeybee show
Lorraine
- Mar 2, 2021
- 3 min
What's in a flower - and why does it matter?
Flowers are beautiful to us but they are literally food and drink to insects.
Lorraine
- Jan 24, 2021
- 4 min
Spring flowers for spring bees
As each day gets longer, even though there's snow on the ground, the year has turned. Spring is on the way and nature's getting busy!
Lorraine
- Oct 2, 2020
- 5 min
What do boy bees do?
Not as glamorous as the queen or as famous as the worker bee, honeybee drones aren't around for long but they have a very important job
Harry
- Sep 10, 2020
- 3 min
Wasps - what do they do?
It's not a good sign if an insect gives its name to a word for anger and irritation but surely wasps don't exist just to annoy us?
Lorraine
- Jul 29, 2020
- 3 min
How many bees are in your garden?
Beekeepers are obsessed with honeybees and who doesn't love a bumble but that's not the end of it - there are more bees than you think!
Harry
- Jul 2, 2020
- 2 min
The honeybee queen - there is only one!
Being queen sounds glamorous and important but she definitely doesn't have a life of leisure!
Lorraine
- May 13, 2020
- 2 min
When is a nettle not a nettle? When it's a dead-nettle!
Fall in love with Yellow Archangel and the Giant Hungarian dead-nettle - the bees will.
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