Balanced Beekeeping

In my last post I recommended a guide to buying ethical honey which highlights the different ways that bees are kept and for what purpose. I've recently subscribed to Permaculture Magazine, and bought Issue number 81 as a download as it had an article by Philip Chandler about bees and permaculture. An interesting read: he proposes that beekeeping is a continuum from full-on honey farming to purely conservational and I found this a helpful concept, as it is irrespective of both hive choice and number of hives. He points out that bees can't be 'domesticated' like sheep or cows (even though a lot of people refer to honeybees as domesticated and/or livestock) and the choice of management is down to the beekeeper rather than purely the size of the operation.

Although drawing a line between natural and conventional beekeeping is possibly detrimental to the discussion, the greater subdivisions within the spectrum of beekeeping means that the consumer (and beekeeper!) can have a good idea of what husbandry practices can be expected from a particular methodology.

The one that sums up my approach is that of Balanced Beekeeping. He outlines the lack of regular intervention, and that honey harvests are based on the individual circumstances of each hive. Low stocking densities and naturally mated queens are another factor, and swarming is managed by working with the bees' natural rhythms. Drones are left as part of the population of the colony rather than culled. Good forage is required and this encourages more biodiversity and benefits all the species reliant on nectar- and pollen-rich planting for as much of the year as possible.

It is an excellent summary of the different ways we keep and live with our bees and would thoroughly recommend that people ask questions about the provanence of the honey that they're buying to ensure it has been produced in keeping with their own ethical spectrum.

Just Insects?

There have been a couple of entomological media items that have caught my eye recently: this report by Ethical Shopper about honey, and also Chris Packham's letter to the hosts of I'm a Celebrity about the use of animals and animal parts on the show.

Firstly, the honey report. It outlines the production techniques of the different honey suppliers and the implications to bee populations and welfare as a consequence. Much of the commercial honey available in large retail outlets is from management regimes that are little more than factory-farming for bees and the honey itself is a poor relation to the product it's meant to be. Filtering, heat treating, homogenisation can denature the delicate structure and as with all foodstuffs that are processed for long shelf life and standardised for retail use, the nutritional qualities can be compromised.

However, even small scale producers with a small back garden apiary might well be adopting practices that do not put the bees' welfare first. Clipping of the queen's wing to prevent swarming, annual stripping out the stores of honey in autumn and feeding nutritionally poor sugar water as a substitute are not in the bees' own interests in my view and ultimately have a cost to the bees' health, which in turn costs the beekeeper. This opinion of mine is based on the information I've gathered and observations I've made on my own hives: it's not a criticism of beekeepers as we all 'parent' our bees in our own way. However, with annual winter losses pitched at an unsustainable 30% and viruses and disease afflicting many honeybee colonies, surely putting the bees' wellbeing first rather than honey production is the logical conclusion?

I've been really pleased that there is increasing awareness of the medicinal properties of raw honey. The last four customers who have purchased my final few jars have said they are taking it for health benefits rather than simply to spread on toast. If this could be the norm rather than the exception then beekeepers would be encouraged to produce a high-quality artisan product alive with local provenance and consumers would value the medicinal aspects as well as the delicious taste, and the price would reflect this.

On the subject of I'm a Celebrity, the aspect I wanted to pick up on is the responses of the public over Chris' condemning of the program on the basis of animal cruelty. Many people agree with the substance of his letter but there are others who have disagreed on the grounds that 'you don't call an animal welfare charity every time you step on an ant...'

It's completely true, but then us (and indeed many other animals) treading on an ant and swatting at an irritating fly have occurred over time immemorial. People have also eaten insects - cultures that collect wild honeycomb also relish the bee grubs within the comb as a rich and necessary source of protein. However, to say that it's ok to use live animals for gratuitous entertainment is, as Chris states, outdated; the fact they are 'just insects' is irrelevant.

There is a good quote from Bradley Millar: "Teaching a child not to step on a caterpillar is as valuable to the child as it is to the caterpillar" which I think ties in with this issue. Having a respect for the natural world and viewing every part of it as having its place (even if we then choose to eat or control it) might go some way to redressing the balance on our crowded planet.

Privet Hawk Moth Caterpillar

Adopt-A-Wayward-Beehive

I am putting together plans for an Adopt-A-Hive facility at my apiary here in glorious East Sussex. It will follow similar lines to other hive adoption programs where you pay for a 'share' of a hive and as such receive regular information about that hive, a share of the honey produced and the chance to visit the apiary and meet the bees in person.

Worker bee

I would love the opportunity for people who perhaps can't have their own bees due to time or other commitments/reasons to share in the delight, wonder and pleasure of keeping bees, and I feel it may also be a good way for those who are interested in keeping them but not sure about how they'll feel when faced with a hive - it can be quite daunting! - to have a gentle introduction before enrolling on a course.

My daughter, aged 9

So, for the initial £30 fee, you will receive the following:

• A 1/10th share in a Wayward Beehive at the apiary
• A document giving you an introduction to honeybees and natural beekeeping
• A pack of annual or perennial seeds, specifically for pollinators
• A beeswax tealight or hand-made soap made with wax from the apiary
• Two 8oz jars of raw, floral honey from your bees*
• Monthly updates about your hive and other activity at the apiary
• Visits to the apiary to see the bees with protective clothing and refreshments provided

*if not 'your' particular hive of bees due to lack of surplus, it will be honey from the apiary so representative of the hive you have adopted.

My bees produce their own wax (I don't use foundation) for which they need to eat honey, and they are not fed sugar syrup, consequently the honey yields are lower. However, there is plenty of forage in the area and as we can discuss during a visit, there are numerous benefits to leaving honey for the bees in their hive. However, the bees' ability to fly and collect pollen and nectar is dependent on the season so their needs will always be put first.

The variety of plants means the colour and texture of the honey
also varies across the season 

The hives are inspected only when necessary and are left undisturbed if possible. Having said that, there are opportunites to look inside without unduly interfering with the colony's duties and other times when assessing health and honey stores in the hive that minor disturbance is warranted. It would be lovely for you to take up the option of visiting the apiary, although as checks are only carried out during good weather conditions it may need you to be available at short notice! You are welcome to come and see the apiary and discuss the bees' important role in the environment and learn about them even if an inspection isn't possible; there is always something interesting going on.

If you would like more information then please contact me at jcmoore111 [at] yahoo [dot] co [dot] uk. Shares will be available from March 2015 once the wellbeing of the hives at the apiary has been assessed. Subsequent years will have a reduced fee of £25.

September Update

Here at Wayward Bee, September has been a pleasantly quiet month, with time to enjoy the plants and animals - and the weather! It's been the driest warmest start to autumn I can remember but thankfully everything and everyone in the garden and paddock is thriving.

The Bees:
They love the hot dry conditions and are working the ivy for pollen and nectar. Walking past an ivy-clad tree, you can hear an audible buzz as bees and flies make the most of the rich supplies. There is a solitary bee called the Ivy Bee that has recently made it over to our shores (therefore a new species not an alien one) and they look very similar to a honey bee. Hornets and wasps are also making the most of the congregating masses of prey and picking off any hapless insect who doesn't look behind them...

Thankfully 6 of my colonies are going in to the winter in a very strong state, absolutely chock full of honey. One has been a bit slow to build up so I'm uniting them with a queenless colony to give them a boost in numbers. I'm also housing 2 colonies for a friend who is moving soon and needs to relocate her hives while she decides where she can keep them. One is a swarm we rescued from her plum tree and despite a rather inelegant removal of combs from the branch, they are creating a wonderful organic honeycomb structure in the bottom of a brood box and bringing in honey and pollen for the winter. They have frames of honey and comb to build in so that they can be checked more easily but bees much prefer to build their own free-form comb than in the rectangles we provide them with! I will be blogging about this on a later date, hopefully with some pictures.

This is the Rose Hive outside my front door

The Chickens:
Egg production is starting to slow down as the days get shorter, and the hens start to go through an annual moult. This natural process happens in autumn as there is a natural break in the brooding cycle (hens don't want to rear chicks going in to winter) and it rejuvenates their feathers ready for inclement weather. Each of the pens looks like it's had a pillow emptied in it and preening is a constant operation! Some hens can feel a bit peaky and go quite quiet and introverted which for an anxious mother like me is always disconcerting. I've bought them some mealworms and added sunflower seeds to their scratch ration of corn in the afternoon to boost the protein and cheer them up. The roosters always look a bit unimpressive without their long sickle tail feathers and they too preen more and strut less but this means they tend to leave the hens alone: no bad thing when the girls are below par.

The Garden:
I've been planting lots of bulbs from Gee Tee Bulbs in the lawn this week ready for spring. I concentrate on early crocus and fritillary so that they are most beneficial for wildlife. Choose a spot where the sun will shine in the winter but be sheltered from the wind; this is where the bees are most likely to look for forage. Being essentially 'cold-blooded' they need the Sun's warmth to help them along in low temperatures. Other than that the garden has been looking after itself and the asters and sunflowers are at their peak. I've been sowing Broad Bean 'Aquadulce' too ready for planting out this autumn, although I'm not entirely sure where I'm going to put them...!

Early Autumn Pinks

I've always loved the oranges, reds, yellows and magentas of hot summer planting, which perfectly straddle the bleaching heat of July through to August with the cooler tones of August through to September. I've planted some heleniums and asters to this end but I noticed today the garden has some wonderful dusky pinks which I absolutely love and I think look understated and beautiful as the season fades. I must confess to loving autumn and not terribly regretting leaving behind the hot humid conditions!

Achillea fading to a fantastic antique rose

Purple Sedum, loved by pollinators

Aster and Salvia

Echinacea purpurea

Scabiosa 'Crown'

Uniting Bee Colonies

For beekeepers, this is the time of year when it is time to check that the colonies in our care are fit and well and ready to overwinter. Small or late swarms will need extra provisions by way of excess honey from another colony, honey from your own collected stock (NOT shop bought honey) or if no alternative, sugar solution.

Colonies without a queen will not survive the winter, so will need uniting with a queenright hive. I had been wondering how to do this, as in have had two swarms which started off with a laying queen, then she suddenly seemed to vanish with no attempt by the other bees to rear a new queen. I don't know what is going on but I was wanting to unite them as they have built up a good supply of stores and they will be robbed by wasps and other bees if they start to dwindle. In a National hive, uniting colonies is a simple procedure as one can place newspaper between two boxes and place one on top of the other.

I have WBCs and it is less straightforward to do this as the hives have an inner and an outer casing. Thankfully I read this timely and excellent post about queenless colonies here on the Simple Bees website and have used their method to combine my two WBCs. I placed the weaker colony next to the strong one during the evening when all the bees were inside and put some peasticks over the entrance so that the bees would re-orientate themselves to the new position of the hive. After a couple of days, I then moved the hive back and the bees without a queen have been accepted in to the stronger colony. There are no dead bees, no fighting. There is some honey left in the frames which I will move over when I do the final check before winter.

The bees are much quieter now that the days are
starting to shorten and the weather is cooler

Summer to Autumn

After a summer of hot spells and storms, it appears that autumn is fast approaching. The bees are much quieter and having to deal with wasp raids as well as ejecting drones who sadly don't get to spend the winter in the hive, having done their duty. The new growth on the plants that I cut back a few weeks ago is deep green and hunkering down ready for dormancy, and the annuals are covered in seed pods, ready for collection. Ten chicks hatched and struggled to cope with the heat a few weeks ago, but 9 are now in their new home under a lamp - I kept one chick back as I wasn't sure it would thrive; tucked under the feather duvet of mother hen means it will be warm and spoilt rotten.

Plums, damsons and apples are becoming ripe and ready to pick, eat and preserve. Having found a good jam recipe here I'm looking forward to trying it out on this small haul from a friend's garden.

It's always handy to keep a bee skep in the boot of the car!