Bee Holiday

Today the weather is awful- rain and windy- so we can't get out to work in the allotment or garden, it's a baking day, as well as spinning the last of the honey this year and melting down the wax.

In preparing the bees for winter we had taken off the last super and started Apiguard treatment to combat Varroa - this takes a month to complete and then it's time to make sure the bees have enough stores to see them through the winter, so usually this means feeding to top up the stores. Last year we didn't have to feed the bees in the garden they managed fine to fill the hive- urban bees have the luxury of lots of late garden forage. Bees in the countryside often struggle unless there is Himalayan Balsam or ivy flowering nearby. Feelings are mixed about ivy as forage- it can set very hard in the comb meaning that the bees may have trouble accessing it when needed.

Himalayan Balsam

We had begun to unite our hives and our intention was to go into winter with only 4 as last year. Unfortunately - as the saying goes sh** happens- and while working with the bees about 6 weeks ago I got stung. Not unusual you may think for a beekeeper, but this time I had an anaphalaxic reaction and ended up in hospital, with a 'don't go near bees' and an EpiPen from the doctor.

So Trev, along with some fantastic people from the Notts BKA have taken over looking after the bees in preparation for winter. Ultimately it means that we will have to have a holiday from the bees - I am hopeful that venom immunology will work for me and that it will not be too long before I can work with the bees again, but it will be at least a year from what I understand so we are looking for new homes for them in the spring.