If you’ve passed a hedgerow in August, you would not fail to notice that the blackberries. I love picking and eating handfuls of sun warmed blackberries while out beekeeping to keep the energy levels up. But did you know that Blackberries or brambles are extremely good for honey bees and other pollinators?
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Are Blackberry Brambles Good for Bees?
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Why is Local Honey So Expensive Compared to Imported Supermarket Honey?
As a beekeeper, I often hear this question: why is local honey so expensive compared to supermarket honey? How is it that you can have two nearly identical jars of honey, one imported supermarket honey sold for less than €3, and one local honey sold for three times as much? To get to the bottom of this, the question really needs to be turned on its head. Rather than asking why local honey is so expensive, we need to ask: why is imported honey so cheap?
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Why White Clover is the Best Clover for Honeybees
White clover is renowned as the best clover for honeybees, but it only yields nectar under ideal conditions. Have you ever noticed a field or lawn blanketed in white clover yet observed only a few bumblebees and no honeybees visiting the flowers? That’s because honeybees require the right temperature to access the nectar. Why the …
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Wasp, Bumblebee or Honeybee? How to Tell the Difference
Every year, as autumn approaches, we get a lot of queries about bees that are not bees but turn out to be wasps. Concerned homeowners discover these ‘bees’ in their gardens, often in garden sheds and outhouses, compost bins, in the ground, and also in attics. Many want to know how to get rid of …
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Hay fever and Honey: A Natural Remedy?
Many of my customers ask me about honey and hay fever. they often say they have heard that you should eat local honey to help alleviate hayfever symptoms. Is there any truth in this or is it just an old wife’s tale? Well, to be perfectly honest, it’s a bit more complicated than a simple yes or no. So, let’s take a nose dive, (pardon the pun…), and explore the subject of honey and seasonal allergies a bit more in depth…
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How Do Bees Make Honey?
Did you ever wonder how bees make honey? It is a long process from flower to jar, join me to explore the journey and learn how honey is made.
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Why are Bees Attracted to Swimming Pools?
If you have an outdoor swimming pool, chances are you often find bees in it, either dead, or barely alive struggling on the surface of the water. They may be a nuisance to you or your family, buzzing around as you’re enjoying a swim. There might even be other water sources nearby, but it is your pool that seems the most attractive option for bees looking for water. Let’s explore why this is…
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How to Get Your Bees to Draw Comb
Drawn comb is gold dust to beekeepers. Frustratingly, it is sometimes as difficult to obtain as it is valuable. In this extensive article, originally published in the Irish Beekeeper’s Magazine, An Beachaire, we will look at comb and discuss how best to get the bees to build it.
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What is a Pollen Basket?
Did you know that bees are like little flying magnets? Their bodies are covered in tiny branched hairs that are electrostatically charged. As they buzz from flower to flower looking for nectar, these hairs attract pollen grains. The bees then carry this pollen to the next flower, playing a crucial role in pollination.
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