Monthly Archives: April 2013

The World in a Jar

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Gareth John

Consider a jar of honey on your breakfast table, ready to spread on your toast. Bees make honey from nectar.  Nectar is sugary plant sap.  The bees take the nectar back to the hive and concentrate it into honey.  So … Continue reading →

Posted in Ecosystem, Environment, Food Safety, Insecticides, Natural Beekeeping, Pesticides | 17 Comments

The Season Begins

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Gareth John

After a long and unusually cold second half of winter, the hedgerows are finally turning green as the hawthorn shows its leaves. Distant willows have a misty appearance as their leaves too sprout forth.  The warmer weather and the spring … Continue reading →

Posted in Brood Rearing, Natural Beekeeping, Nectar Flow, Pollen, Spring | 2 Comments

Waitrose Bans Neonics from Supply Chain

Posted on April 12, 2013 by Gareth John

The government can’t see it and Defra can’t see it, but supermarkets can: people don’t want food that poisons the countryside.  Waitrose has just announced a precautionary ban on the three neonics mentioned in the EU proposals throughout their supply … Continue reading →

Posted in EFSA, EU, Natural Beekeeping, Pesticides, Precautionary Principle | 1 Comment

MP’s Support Ban of Neonics, but BBKA Shows Abject Failure

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Gareth John

The House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee today published the two volume report of its investigation into Pollinators and Pesticides.  The report focussed on the so-called neonicotinoid group of insecticides and the conclusions are clear. The report recommends that that … Continue reading →

Posted in BBKA, EFSA, EU, Natural Beekeeping, Pesticides, Precautionary Principle | 7 Comments

Early swarms

Posted on April 3, 2013 by timclay3

Just getting ahead of myself here… but hives almost finished so am getting excited.  I can’t say the building process has been as easy as expected, more just that it takes so flippin long to machine all the bits.  Will … Continue reading →

Posted in Natural Beekeeping | 2 Comments