The Walrus and the Honey Bee

Von: Steve Donohoe
  • Inhaltsangabe

  • A friendly, informative space for both new and seasoned beekeepers, offering practical advice, personal storytelling, and an emphasis on responsible care for honey bees. Steve Donohoe is a bee farmer, author, and magazine editor based in Cheshire, UK. He works alongside his son, Alex.
    2017 - 2025 Steve Donohoe
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  • Early Spring 25 Update
    Feb 21 2025
    As we move from winter into spring here in England, Steve Donohoe discusses over-wintering success, feeding colonies, and plans for once the season kicks off.Bluesky Threads Instagram YouTube Facebook
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    9 Min.
  • Room For All Types Of Beekeeper
    Jan 27 2025

    Intro

    00:25 New book by Dorian Pritchard on conservation of native bees

    01:10 Argument for conservation of native bees, legally protected areas should be created

    02:40 Is the black bee really the best bee for all people? I think not, but each to their own.

    04:40 Sue Coby's New World Carniolan project could be a template to follow

    05:00 Examples of human interference in nature to domesticate wild animals into farming livestock. Also BEAGLES!

    07:20 Modern commercial bee farming, selective breeding of honey bee queens

    08:15 Good things about bee farming, pollination increasing crop yields

    09:15 Some negative things about bee farming: miticides, reduced diversity, competition with wild pollinators, spread of pathogens

    11:20 EU policies to assist apiculture and pollinators

    11:50 Selective breeding - objectives and methods, isolated mating, instrumental insemination

    12:55 Natural selection - survivors pass on resilience

    14:10 Advantages of natural selection

    15:00 Downside to natural selection, low honey, unpredictable temperament, short term high losses

    15:55 Conclusion - we can have both

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    18 Min.
  • Swarm Prevention Strategies
    Jan 15 2025

    Intro

    including reference to Ian Steppler YouTube video just posted on varroa treatments, using Randy Oliver spreadsheet model. https://youtu.be/Z2FLoAq6LDc

    02:20 Recent apiary inspection of nucleus colonies

    03:50 What causes swarming?

    06:40 Impossible to eliminate, but we can influence

    07:10 Genetics, personal experience, Paul Horton's bees, sub-species

    11:25 Queen pheromones, age of queens

    12:35 Brood nest congestion

    15:10 Climate and weather

    16:30 Poor weather in spring 2024 reduced swarming

    18:20 Prevention rather than control of swarming

    20:20 Selective breeding, selective pressure - leaving a single queen cell in a swarmed colony pushes it in the wrong direction, using cells/queens from breeding program is better, using over-wintered queens

    24:55 Re-queening, younger queens are less likely to swarm

    26:20 Gruff Rees YouTube interview "No Weekly Inspections" with David Wainwright - a less intensive style of beekeeping

    28:40 Regular hive inspections 7 to 10 day rotation, checking for eggs, space for bees, space for queen to lay, swarm cells

    30:50 Space for bees, brood, and stores. Staying ahead of the bees. Supering.

    33:15 Frame swapping, making splits or cell builders, space in a Langstroth brood box

    37:20 Reversing boxes, double brood, brood and a half

    40:00 Adding a brood box of foundation overhead, then splitting, combined with oxalic mite treatment

    43:55 Demaree, adding space while keeping the colony together - not a split. Lots of heavy lifting, might be problematic with foundation in the bottom box and the changeable UK weather

    49:00 What works for one person may not work for the next person

    49:40 Checkerboarding, small book on the subject published by Northern Bee Books

    53:45 Summary

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    56 Min.

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