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.

London Honey Show 2013: part 1

Posted on October 8, 2013 by Emily Scott

I’ve come down with a cold, so am writing this in a feverish sleepless state. So apologies if   any of it does make sense – or indeed doesn’t make sense! Feeling a bit sniffly, yesterday I headed down to … Continue reading →

Posted in Honey, Uncategorized | 16 Comments

Getting our hives in order

Posted on October 5, 2013 by Emily Scott

More winter preparations down at the apiary today. I hadn’t had time to make a cake, but luckily Cliff came to the rescue with a luscious mascarpone, lime and blackberry flavoured cheesecake (think that’s what he said). So creamy. We … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 22 Comments

Thoughts on ‘More than Honey’

Posted on September 22, 2013 by Emily Scott

Last week I went to see a showing of More than Honey by the Ealing Transitions/Friends of the Earth groups at St Mary’s Church, Ealing. I hadn’t been in the church before and was surprised at how beautifully decorated it is, … Continue reading →

Posted in Honey, Uncategorized | Tagged | 37 Comments

What’s wrong with our bees?

Posted on September 3, 2013 by Emily Scott

An idyllic scene of sunshine on the apple tree at the Hanwell apiary on Sunday. The bees came to say hello in the super. Further down, they bubbled out from the brood frames. So many thousands of interactions happening. They … Continue reading →

Posted in Disease prevention | 21 Comments

Fate of a drone

Posted on August 25, 2013 by Emily Scott

Who’d want to be a drone at the end of summer? This drone has been harassed out of the hive by his sisters, who bit and tugged at him, dragging him away from the sweet benefits of their labour. Collapsed … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | 46 Comments

Honey bee pests, diseases and poisoning exam feedback

Posted on August 14, 2013 by Emily Scott

In March this year I took the British Beekeeper Association’s Module 3 Honey bee Pests, Diseases and Poisoning exam. I was lucky enough to pass, but still asked for feedback as the examiners always give titbits of information I’ve never come … Continue reading →

Posted in Exams | Tagged | 30 Comments

What’s flowering now: late July

Posted on July 31, 2013 by Emily Scott

For the last few weeks it feels like I have been living in a country that is not England. A dream world where I haven’t needed an umbrella for weeks at a time, where my 7am walk to the bus … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | 41 Comments

A bad day’s beekeeping

Posted on July 21, 2013 by Emily Scott

Feeling quite demoralised after yesterday’s beekeeping session. Things started off well. I spotted one of our new queens, Emma pinned her down in a queen cage and marked her perfectly with a neat blob on her thorax. Yellow as we … Continue reading →

Posted in Queens | Tagged | 32 Comments

Book review: A Sting in the Tale by Dave Goulson (2013)

Posted on July 16, 2013 by Emily Scott

I bought this new book by Dave Goulson, founder of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, after hearing him speak at the ‘Future without bees‘ talk at the Southbank Centre. And it’s brilliant: entertaining, an insight into a life spent investigating nature … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 25 Comments

Life in beeland, as of July 2013

Posted on July 7, 2013 by Emily Scott

The story so far… Emma and I started the year with one hive, headed up by Queen Myrtle. We then bought one colony, were very kindly given another, and split the colony we bought into three as swarm control in … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 38 Comments