Author Archives: Emily Scott

Unknown's avatar

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.

What’s flowering now: early July

Posted on July 6, 2013 by Emily Scott

A walk on a summer’s evening. Honey bee on hogweed. They appear to get very little pollen from these flowers, but instead swish their proboscis enthusiastically about in the nectar like a watercolour artist swirling their brush. I recommend Theresa … Continue reading →

Posted in Colony management | 19 Comments

BL Talk science 26th June 2013 – Pollinators and pesticides: is there a plan bee?

Posted on July 2, 2013 by Emily Scott

Last week I went to a British Library evening event on pollinators and pesticides, which took a look at whether pesticides are the real culprit for the decline in bee numbers. The event only cost £5 and it included free wine … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 30 Comments

Flat Stanley visits London

Posted on June 30, 2013 by Emily Scott

Over the past few weeks I have had a very special visitor. He goes by the name of Flat Stanley. As suggested by his name, he’s a slightly unusual visitor, in that he’s not just slim but 2D. This might … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 34 Comments

Queen introduction – the easy way?

Posted on June 18, 2013 by Emily Scott

Earlier this year I attended a talk at Kew Gardens by Professor Ratnieks, Professor of Apiculture at the University of Surrey (blog post – Bee foraging on garden plants: Sussex University research). This got me interested in his work, and while … Continue reading →

Posted in Queens, Uncategorized | 20 Comments

What’s flowering now: early June

Posted on June 13, 2013 by Emily Scott

A while ago now, on a Sunday evening, 2nd June to be precise, I went for a lovely evening walk in my local park. I had been imprisoned in a hot car all day, from Sheffield to London, watching the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | 27 Comments

A Future Without Bees – a talk at the Southbank Centre

Posted on June 2, 2013 by Emily Scott

I was lucky enough to be given free tickets to this debate on ‘A Future Without Bees‘ at the Southbank Centre by artist Amy Shelton, who has been contributing to events there as part of the London Literature Festival. Amy’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Urban beekeeping | Tagged , | 39 Comments

Our queens come in eights

Posted on May 25, 2013 by Emily Scott

Last week Emma and I split our hive into two. Today we returned to check the progress of the two colonies – luckily the rain storms of Friday had subsided and beautiful sun ruled the skies. At the time we … Continue reading →

Posted in Queens, Swarms | Tagged | 46 Comments

Some naughty bees cause an unexpected procedure at the apiary

Posted on May 19, 2013 by Emily Scott

Yesterday the apiary was buzzing… with beekeepers. Lots of chatting and laughing over tea, and buying of frames for rapidly expanding colonies. Emma and I got to show three completely new prospective beekeepers inside our hives – the first time … Continue reading →

Posted in Swarms | Tagged , | 27 Comments

Springing into action

Posted on May 12, 2013 by Emily Scott

The arrival of some slightly warmer weather and occasional sunshine is the cue for the wild flowers of Ealing apiary to shoot upwards. Here you can see a swarm catcher dangling amidst a sea of white and green. The bees … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 30 Comments

What’s flowering now: early May

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Emily Scott

Each summer I like to go round the park near my house in Hanwell, West London (Elthorne park) and try to get photos of the flowers that are out, to see what the bees have to feed on. Elthorne park has … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | 27 Comments