Che Guebee Apiary: Spring is closing in

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Spring is closing in

The first sign of Spring is here :) Eranthis started blooming :)) The flowers have not opened just yet because the temp is just above 0'C I can also see Snowdrops leaves protruding through the ground :))

It is time to prepare some more top bar hives for this coming season. Im missing at least 2 more hives and I must prepare a few more top bars primed with wax comb guides.
My colonies are still in Sweden, 6 of them. I don't know just yet if they have survived but I count to check on them at the end of February. Fingers crossed :)

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What is Natural Beekeeping?

"Natural Beekeeping" is a concept, an idea which springs from a human mind and as such will differ from one person to another, from one culture to another, depending on our limited and conditioned perception about what it IS being a Honeybee. Since natural beekeeping is an idea and not the actuality it is not to be taken rigidly. Instead it is to be directly inspired by the Actuality. But let's avoid going too philosophical about it and let me simply describe how I see "natural beekeeping" benefiting honeybees (these are only guidelines not a dogma);

- free wax comb construction resulting in clean wax and various cell size

- bees overwinter on their own honey stores (feeding sugar syrup ONLY if absolutely necessary)

- lots of peace (low interference from the beekeepers part)

- treatment free (The only way to have a sustainable system of beekeeping is to stop treating, instead making splits from survivor colonies seems the most natural way to me)

- bees are allowed to raise as many Drones as needed (no drone culling)

- natural Queen selection resulting in the strongest Queen (no queen cell culling and only working with local Queens or my own)

- pesticide free bee zone and supporting organic farming (this is a global issue and must be dealt with locally first through environmental organisations and by buying and growing organic food/clothing, etc ...)

- expanding my apiary every year by making splits using Queen Cells from my own strong survivor colonies or catching local swarms. This is the best way to counteract winter losses.

- planting for the bees flowering trees, bushes and plants covering all seasons. Biodiversity is the best healer for the bees and all other creatures.

Natural Beekeeping

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Spring is closing in

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Catching my very first Prime Swarm