Category Archives: Uncategorized

Dull roots with spring rain

Posted on April 14, 2013 by Emily Scott

An apiary on a soggy day is a place of frustration for a beekeeper. You can stand surrounded by hives and not see a single bee. The bees remain in retreat, and there is no beekeeping to be done. We … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 34 Comments

Spring, is that you?

Posted on April 6, 2013 by Emily Scott

For weeks it has been painful to leave the house. I have spent many hours standing hunched at bus stops, the wind whipping mercilessly at my hair. My hands have even started cracking under the cold, with little cuts appearing … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 44 Comments

“Bee foraging on garden plants: Sussex University research” – a talk by Professor Francis Ratnieks

Posted on February 18, 2013 by Emily Scott

Yesterday evening I went to a talk on “Bee foraging on garden plants: Sussex University research” by Professor Francis Ratnieks at the Jodrell Lecture Theatre, Kew Gardens. Francis is the Professor of Apiculture (Evolution, Behaviour and Environment) at the University of Surrey – the … Continue reading →

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What’s flowering now: mid February

Posted on February 17, 2013 by Emily Scott

Last week we had another brief flurry of snow, and it was back to huddling with my coat on in the office. But then this weekend brought sunshine, and it was wonderful to see the bees pinging back and forth … Continue reading →

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Book review and guest post – ‘The Little Book of Honey’ by Elizabeth Gowing

Posted on January 20, 2013 by Emily Scott

When I first started writing this blog I thought it would pretty much just be me reading it. I never imagined that one day a writer I greatly admire would ask me to review their book! Yet this day has … Continue reading →

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Beekeepers in the snow

Posted on January 19, 2013 by Emily Scott

It takes a certain type of lunatic person to be a beekeeper. That type of person is prepared to turn up and talk bees, drink tea and eat cake in all weathers, and that includes snow! A great selection of … Continue reading →

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Mysterious search terms used to find a beekeeping blog

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Emily Scott

Inspired by this amusing post on Steven Schwartzman’s ‘Portraits of Wildflowers’ photography blog, I thought I’d take a look at some of the more unusual search terms people used to find my blog in 2012. ‘woodlice droppings’ – 16 times … Continue reading →

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A poem to mark the winter solstice

Posted on December 21, 2012 by Emily Scott

Today’s winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, has become important to me since I started beekeeping. Although today is the darkest day, I know that every day that follows will become that little bit longer and brighter, and … Continue reading →

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A sighting of our bees

Posted on December 16, 2012 by Emily Scott

Yesterday I went down to the apiary to check on the bees’ fondant. So far they have made a couple of holes and I could see them nibbling away. We will keep an eye on them through these new spy … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 20 Comments

Winter beekeepers

Posted on December 7, 2012 by Emily Scott

We are having a cold snap of frosty mornings and even light sprinklings of snow occasionally. Last Saturday some hardy Ealing winter beekeepers gathered round our outside table, sheltered from the elements only by a canopy to keep the rain … Continue reading →

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