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oxnatbees.bsky.social
Network of low intervention beekeepers around Oxfordshire, England - oxnatbees.wordpress.com
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Treatment Free #beekeeping is going mainstream in the UK wp.me/p2l0XA-32n

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

Alternative hive inspectors...

submitted 12 days ago • 0 comments

Here's a video with more info on my book, The Observant #Beekeeper : youtu.be/DjlWYNp3QUo?...

submitted 40 days ago • 0 comments

Just got a gorgeous gift - this book on #beekeeping by @jagungal.bsky.social ! About 10% of way through, love the writing style bubbling with joy, the amazing photos and so full of fascinating stuff I didn't know I didn't know. Learning lots of fun stuff. Need to read it fully and write a review!

submitted 51 days ago • 2 comments

Some #bees are "runny": when you examine a comb, exposing it to light, they all run around madly. It's a defensive trait, to hide the Queen, and some beekeepers attempt to breed it out so they can find queens (er... that's the point). When I see it, I imagine the colony listens to heavy metal music.

submitted 56 days ago • 0 comments

Below one of the robbing/robbed colonies (see vudeo) bees were fighting.

submitted 57 days ago • 0 comments

Very odd thing here: two wild #bee colonies at opposite ends of the same roof, robbing each other. Went on for hours but by next day all quiet again.

submitted 57 days ago • 0 comments

It's an Ox. As in Ox Ford.

submitted 57 days ago • 0 comments

Just loved this post box in Oxford with its knitted cap.

submitted 57 days ago • 0 comments

National honey show. Zillion types of honey.

submitted 57 days ago • 1 comment

Propolis barrier from Warré hive entrance, built by colonies to reduce hole size to guard / reduce draughts / sterilise incoming air. Tree resins and wax. You can see it's not a uniform material, and surprisingly thick. A dynamic construction, removed in summer for peak traffic and airflow.

submitted 57 days ago • 0 comments

Queen cell from deadout. Features: dimples, showing the workers knew it was a viable queen. Cap hanging open, showing she hatched, not stung to death by a rival. Nearby cells are rounded.

submitted 57 days ago • 0 comments

This village is roughly square in layout, and I have wondered why the wild colonies are only along 2 sides. The other sides have just as many old crumbling houses (just ONE colony in a tree!). I now realise, the colonised sides are those with large, mature deciduous trees: a reliable food source.

submitted 71 days ago • 1 comment

20 minute video about the wild colonies in my village. There are 6-10, numbers fluctuate over the years. Slightly tongue-in-cheek extrapolation of numbers of wild colonies in UK at end. m.youtube.com/watch?v=CCRr...

submitted 71 days ago • 0 comments

Our #bee group had a winter meeting discussing hive insulation, and, uh, #epistemology... oxnatbees.wordpress.com/2024/12/05/o...

submitted 80 days ago • 0 comments

Out checking my own hives, and a swarm from down the road comes sauntering through, stopping on a Totara for a rest. #Swarm #BeeSwarm #Bees #BeeKeeping #NewZealand #NZ #Aotearoa #Moutere #Spring

submitted 84 days ago • 1 comment

@usenet.bsky.social Bring bavk Kibo!

submitted 84 days ago • 0 comments