Author Archives: Emily Scott

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About Emily Scott

I am a UK beekeeper who has recently moved from London to windswept, wet Cornwall. I first started keeping bees in the Ealing Beekeepers Association’s local apiary in 2008, when I created this blog as a record for myself of my various beekeeping related disasters and - hopefully! - future successes.

Leaving the EU: what does it mean for British bees and beekeepers?

Posted on June 25, 2016 by Emily Scott

It was a shock to find out yesterday that Britain had voted to leave the EU. Until the first poll results started coming in I had hoped that, as with the Scottish referendum, the remainers would win out in the end. But … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 36 Comments

What’s flowering now: early June

Posted on June 12, 2016 by Emily Scott

The flowers have moved on since my last post in May. Some are still with us – white dead-nettle, gorse, dandelions, green alkanet; while others, like horse chestnut and daffodils, have faded. London bees now have a new mix of wild … Continue reading →

Posted in Foraging | Tagged | 27 Comments

What’s flowering now: early May

Posted on May 14, 2016 by Emily Scott

Ealing is particularly beautiful in April and May. Many of the roads and parks near me are lined with white and pink blossom trees. On a sunny day you can stand under them and hear the hum of bees high … Continue reading →

Posted in Foraging | Tagged | 30 Comments

A new drone

Posted on April 26, 2016 by Emily Scott

A new little drone has arrived in my life, just in time for swarm season. As he is very cute I won’t be kicking him out in the autumn 🙂 We’ve named him Thomas Dylan Robin. He’s now seventeen days … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 44 Comments

Spring cleaning at the apiary

Posted on March 26, 2016 by Emily Scott

In the past few weeks Ealing beekeepers have been busy improving the association apiary and preparing the bees for spring. Tom has been running easy-going monthly volunteering sessions fuelled by plenty of tea; jobs done so far have included pruning, … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony management, Disease prevention | 36 Comments

Are rhododendrons toxic to honey bees?

Posted on March 18, 2016 by Emily Scott

Short answer: It depends on the species of rhododendron – and also on the sub-species of honey bee visiting the rhododendron. The common rhododendron, Rhododendron ponticum, certainly does produce toxic nectar.  However, Irish research suggests the nectar may only have a negative … Continue reading →

Posted in Foraging, Honey | Tagged | 26 Comments

Notes from a talk by Norman Carreck – colony losses, native bees, pollen diversity and the small hive beetle

Posted on March 4, 2016 by Emily Scott

Yesterday I went to a talk by Norman Carreck, which was organised by the London Beekeepers Association (LBKA). One of the great things about being a beekeeper in London is being able to hear expert speakers like Norman. He is currently Science Director of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Events | Tagged | 14 Comments

Middlesex Federation Day Part 2: Pam Hunter, How nutrition affects colony health

Posted on February 29, 2016 by Emily Scott

My second post on the Federation of Middlesex Beekeepers’ Associations annual ‘Federation Day‘. Below are my notes from the second speaker, Pam Hunter. Pam is a Master Beekeeper who has been keeping bees for over 25 years. She is now … Continue reading →

Posted in Events | Tagged , | 13 Comments

Middlesex Federation Day Part 1: Professor Field, Why do we use insecticides?

Posted on February 24, 2016 by Emily Scott

Yesterday I went to the Federation of Middlesex Beekeepers’ Associations annual ‘Federation Day‘. Each year the Middlesex associations (Ealing, Enfield, Harrow, North London, Pinner & Ruislip) take it in turn to host a day of beekeeping talks; this year the … Continue reading →

Posted in Events | Tagged | 13 Comments

What’s flowering now: early February

Posted on February 4, 2016 by Emily Scott

Everything is early this year. So we have snowdrops at the apiary: Crocuses at Northfields allotments: Blossom on the trees: It were a mild day today, so the allotment bees were out and about. The plots were quiet except for … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 26 Comments