NEW BEES ARRIVED! We are lucky enough to have some new bees settling in at Five Acres. They arrived about a month ago and are being cared for by the most experienced Jim Grierson who has been looking after bees for many many years. Jim has excitingly offered to run some workshops, dates to be confirmed once the bees are settled.
In 2012 we were lucky enough to be able to offer a home to a hive of bees. Having bees at Five Acres has always been a desire and excitement levels were high when finally they arrived. A pair of local bee enthusiasts have been keenly learning all about the needs and support that a hive requires, their buzzing was palpable! (the b jokes have got very very bad!). A second hive swiftly followed the first after another swarm was locally located.
Everyone seemed settled and happy but 2012 turned out to be rather a large bee learning curve not only for the novice beekeepers at Five Acres but for most of the UK. The initial hive was attacked by some rogue bees, the noise and the air filled with fighting bees was really quite remarkable but it resulted in one of the colonies disappearing altogether. The second hive was doing well but then the queen vanished, it seems she was not happy with the accommodation for some reason! Another young queen duly arrived via the postal system(!) She was safely placed in the best position in the hive and all looked good and encouraging but, yes there was another but, with the weather being so wet last year, the requirements to sustain a young immature hive were challenged; the second hive too was lost.
We now are waiting for a swarm or if we are lucky maybe even two swarms. It seems that last year over a third of all local bees were lost which puts enormous pressure on the local bee keepers to ensure that the bees can find a way to increase their numbers once again. This increases our desire to create some permanent, established hive colonies at Five Acres. We all know globally bees are struggling and we will do our best to help provide a nurturing environment where they can thrive.
