Che Guebee Apiary: September 2015

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Sunflowers

I totally forgot to post this picture, my bad :) I had other things on my mind this Summer and have not been blogging much sorry.
As I already mentioned I have sown lots of bee friendly plants this year and Sunflowers were one of them. Of course the Sunflowers have finished with blooming at this stage :)

They grew very well this year. By the very busy Bumblebee and Honeybee activity I recon it gave lots of pollen and nectar.

Honeybee and a Bumblebee sharing natures nectar :)

This was the largest ever area I have sown for the bees so far :) and Im glad we have so much land to do so. Bees in our environment have very little wild forage thanks to the mono-crop agriculture.

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

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Sunflowers

Catching my very first Prime Swarm