Category: Hive inspections
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Act like you’re normal
My work colleagues are probably asleep, oblivious, or in the midst of sweet dreams at 5.20am. That’s normal. At 5.20am I jump out bed, there’s no tiredness on me this morning as I put on a tracksuit and have a cup of coffee while I mentally go through the checklist. Bee suit, wellies, hive tool,…
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There be dragons
It looked like the dragon was poised to attack my beehives. It’s obviously not a dragon nor is it attacking my hives. It is an exceptional example of the kindness and generosity that I’ve encountered on my bee keeping journey. The farmer who owns the land offered the use of a man and a digger…
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Paparazzi and bees
The long winter wait was over. Several days of fine sunny weather, temperatures creeping up to 15oC, and essential for a hobby beekeeper, it was a weekend! I couldn’t be happier. Out in the orchard I lit the smoker, put on my bee suit and started laying out all the things I’d need by the…
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Storm prep
Splish, splosh, slide and glide, we sloshed or way through the mud visible in the headlights of my stationary car. The wind was picking up and a job that I could have done last weekend or even weeks before, had been left of course to the last minute. The storm was imminent. “Don’t shine the…
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Protected
My hives are well protected again these days. A fine drizzle was making up its mind whether to stop or not and the long grass and brambles now covering the pile of stones were well and truly wet. I had three choices: Walk away and come back another day – The sensible thing to do.…