It's a Bee Thing

The Bees are back in town

Well, maybe not exactly in town but they are certainly back in our gardens.

The warmer weather has brought back the gentle hum of bees as they start to collect pollen and nectar, rebuilding their food stores. It is now that the difference between Honey and Bumble bees will be most apparent, in that the number of Honey bees will far outweigh those of the Bumble variety.

Thousands of Honey bees will have kept the nest warm and safe, eating and working throughout the winter, and will now be emerging to replenish their food stocks. Dandelions and clover will be amongst their favourites until the bulbs appear.

Bumble bees, however, don’t live throughout the winter. Instead, only the Queen survives, having mated and gone into deep hibernation. She wakes in the spring with two things on her mind: finding a suitable nesting spot in which she can build a wax pot to store her honey, and gathering nectar and pollen. Laying her eggs on the pollen, she will sit on them, keeping them warm, surviving on the honey in her pot. Mostly, it’s the Worker bees who are born first and these are tasked with the household chores and, of course, foraging for food. As the season progresses, the Queen will eventually lay eggs that will become the Queens and Drones of the future, and the cycle is ready to repeat. Some bees have, over time, become active pollinators during specific seasons, establishing a kind of “pollinator love affair” with certain flowers. Others simply pollinate any flower that takes their fancy such as the Crocus, Snowdrop and Scilla.

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

Are you looking at a Honey or a Bumble bee? Bumble bees are fatter and rounder with broad stripes and hairy backs.

Learn how to keep bees in the Lot et Garonne.

It’s a Bee thing

When you open the hive and see all those millions of bees in front of you it is truly magical. Not to mention the honey that you will be enjoying as your reward!

We asked experienced beekeepers to give us some tips about how to establish a hive and look after the bees. Jonathan and Anna Beaussire are based in Lot et Garonne and have been keeping bees since 2013. They also have a small herd of goats from which they make cheese, an excellent accompaniment to their honey. This is what they had to say:

First of all, it is really important to understand that having bees is a bit like having a pet.

Hived bees are no longer completely wild insects and, to a degree, will have been domesticated. As such, they require some care and attention in order to thrive.

The best time to start your hive is in the spring so that the colony has time to build, increasing in number ready to store honey before the winter arrives.

Worker bees filling the comb with honey.

The Kit

As a beginner, I would recommend that you start with two hives. If one of them has a problem, the second hive can come to its rescue. Designed to help you maintain the colony and harvest the honey easily, there are a variety of hives to choose from, including the man-made box sets and combination hives which are cylindrical in shape with a domed lid. In addition, you will need appropriate equipment to keep the bees happy, and you safe, when visiting and caring for the hive itself. Smokers are used to calm the bees when you are working around them. Gloves will help to avoid stings, and a few small tools will help you in handling the honeycomb frames more easily.

It is worth investing in the best quality equipment which will last for years. For instance, a good wooden hive should have a trouble-free 10-year lifespan and cost around €100-150. You will also need the smoking material and smoker at €200 or so, and bees at around €140.

It is best to buy bees locally so that they are more familiar with the climate and conditions.

The smoker

The Tasks

Beekeeping is all about knowing how the hive works, how to watch it and what to look for. What stage are the eggs and larva at? Is the Queen Bee well and happy? Do the bees feel stressed? Do they have enough to eat? Do they have a pest or disease issue and, if they do, what do you do about it?

Whilst beekeeping doesn’t require a lot of time, some of the tasks are seasonal. The hive will need to be looked at a few times a year.

In spring, when the bees have used up their winter stores or are establishing a new hive, for instance, they may need extra feeding.

You will want to ensure a solid brood pattern, harvest the honeycomb, keep an eye on the Queen, and make sure that the number of bees in each hive are pretty equal so as not to overload them.

Whilst there are countless books and websites, nothing beats learning alongside another beekeeper. If you can find one locally, it is well worth finding out how they manage their colonies. Alternatively, we are happy to help with training and hive development. Contact@miellerie-beaussire.fr

Anna and Jonathan Beaussire.

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Miellerie et Fromagerie Beaussire in Lot et Garonne are now providing an on-line order and delivery / collection service. https://www.facebook.com/miellerieetfromageriebeaussire/