Monmouthshire Honey Bee Rescue

24/03/2019

It’s only March but the winter has been kind to us & spring is on it’s way so our honeybees are thriving.

There is lots of talk already this year that the honey bee swarming season which normally starts from mid April onwards will start early.

So, be aware & if you do see or hear of a swarm in Monmouthshire then we are here to help.

Hoping you enjoy our early spring.

When Carol Howarth parked her Mitsubishi in the town of Haverfordwest, Wales, to do some shopping, little did she know the mayhem that would ensue. While she attended to her errands, a swarm of 20,000 bees was drawn to her car. A local man, Tom Moses, saw the buzzing hubbub and concerned that the be...

02/06/2017

Now how am I going to retrieve this swarm then?!

17/04/2017

This is our first 'rescue' of the year.

The bees have been living happily within the wooden drum inside the reel of steel rope for 2 years. The business has adopted them, really enjoying them being around, being amazed by the swarm they produced last year and even covering the entrance in inclement weather!

We haven't tried to remove them in this case as it would be far too risky to them. But, we have covered their entrance which was open to the elements and given them some new space to extend their nest into.

Who knows, one day they might even produce a small amount of surplus honey for the owner to taste!

Lifting Gear & Safety Ltd of Newport, you're stars of the bee world!

03/04/2017

It's now the 3rd April but at least here in Monmouthshire it only feels like spring every now & again.

Despite the spring flowers now being out & the trees & hedgerows bursting out of bud into leaf, the cold winds are keeping the honey bees in for a lot of the time each day.

But the swarm season is almost upon us. On one of our first spring inspections last Friday we came across quite a big patch of drone brood.

Last week we also read of a swarm of honey bees reported by a beekeeper in St Neots, Cambridgeshire.

It won't be long, so keep your eyes peeled everyone.

Honey anyone? 😁

10/03/2017

Now when I say........

02/03/2017

It's the 2nd March 2017 & already we're starting to get excited about the beekeeping season due to start soon.

If you're interested in honey bees then this picture is a little taster for what being a beekeeper can involve.

This was a really large swarm hanging 10 foot up in a tree. The owner didn't mind some of the branches being cut so it was a pretty simple job to release them from the tree & pop them in the box. After a period of isolation to ensure that they were healthy they were moved to one of our apiaries and have become an excellent honey producing colony.

14/09/2016

A bees eye view from its hive....... We were called to remove a colony that had set up home in a manhole underneath a National Grid pylon. 5 hours later, colony safely removed and in a nucleus box, staying overnight to catch all the flying bees. Happy to say that the colony is looking good after they were moved to their new home today. Pretty sure they have the queen with them & they are happily going about their daily business. Another satisfying day.

10/06/2016

This may be of use to members of the public so please Share it around. There are a couple of mis-quotes within it but generally it's a good article. Monmouthshire Free Press 8th June 2016.

04/06/2016

Whilst it's not strictly a swarm rescue, we do get called on to remove honey bees from buildings where a swarm has moved in but been there for a number of years.
This was the biggest & healthiest colony that we have ever seen, no varroa mites, no chalk brood no diseases. It's such a huge shame to have to destroy this fabulous nest but building works dictated that it had to go.
The good news is that we saved 80% of the bees (hopefully including the queen) and a large part of the it nest so hopefully they will be able to live on in one of our apiaries.

21/04/2016

This was my first swarm of the year, on 17th April but last year! It doesn't feel like spring yet so I think it will be a while longer before we start to hear of swarms this year. Certainly my girls aren't getting readying yet. Note the caring notice put up by local residents, oh dear, education needed!

01/09/2015

It's not a swarm in September but it must have been a swarm much earlier this year. Personally i've never seen a colony living in the wild like this in the UK, although I've seen plenty of images of wild colonies like this in warmer countries. They are now safely installed in 2 brood boxes & a super which is acting as an artificial tree trunk! At least I can now give them some respite from the wasps!