Latest Blog Posts
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Matt’s Diary: April 2026
In March, Matt was yearning to spend time with his bees, but the temperatures remained just slightly too low for him to open up the hives. Happily, April was filled with sunshine – both literal and metaphorical. Matt finally got to see his bees, and so did I! Windmill Hill We arrived at Windmill Hill, and it was sad to see just two hives at the apiary. Last time I visited (see Faye’s Diary: August 2025), there were twice as…
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Fitness for beekeepers
If you were to daydream about a completely average beekeeper, what would the beekeeper in your mind look like? The stereotypical image is often of a gentle, nature-conscious, fairly wealthy retiree looking for a fulfilling hobby. There are indeed beekeepers who fit that description but Matt insists that beekeepers actually come in all shapes and sizes! Admittedly, Matt is 35 years old and is able to feel youthful every time he meets with members of the Harrogate & Ripon Beekeepers…
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Earth Day 2026
Happy Earth Day! Earth Day‘s theme for 2026 is “our power, our planet”. We’re going to get into that by talking about the power each individual possesses to make a difference to the wellbeing of our planet. You may feel like you don’t have enough influence to change anything, but you do! People power is real. First of all, I want to make my intention clear. If you feel capable of implementing every action I mention, that is awesome! But…
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BuzzCopper vs the Asian hornet
Did you know that invasive species contribute to 60% of plant and animal extinctions? This is because life in each climate grows together over time and develops collaboratively. But when humans (arguably the most intelligent yet most idiotic animal on the planet) transport goods and themselves around the globe, they inadvertently bring back additional cargo, such as coronavirus or the Asian hornet. The sudden introduction of a new species that the local environment hasn’t evolved to deal with can cause…
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What happened this winter?
Last week I told you we’d be delving into the speculation around why winter losses in the UK were so bad. So, here we are. I wouldn’t lie to you. What actually happened? The official statistics from the National Bee Unit’s survey haven’t been released yet but British beekeepers believe the average losses may have been up to 50%! The previous winter’s average was 20.8% and the National Bee Unit states that “with good management, normal colony losses are expected…
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Matt’s Diary: March 2026
Is it spring outside your window? In the UK, it was a cold March but the promise of spring was in the air. This left Matt with mixed emotions. He was getting grumpy about how long the winter was dragging on – he missed his beautiful workers and fiery queens! Compared with last year, March 2026 was dreary for beekeepers, with far too much rain and temperatures stubbornly remaining just a touch too low. It has to be consistently above…
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And the winner is…
On a bright summer day, while catching up with the latest social media news, Matt spotted an intriguing post from HiveAlive. HiveAlive is a popular brand in the world of beekeeping whose fondant was recommended in ‘Beekeeper treats‘. What did they say that caught Matt’s attention? They announced they were hosting a summer photo competition! Matt decided to enter, because why not? You regret the things you don’t do most of all, right? It didn’t take long for the marketing…
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How to refine wax
I love candles. I love that they’re a way to have pretty decorations around the home that aren’t ornaments. I love that they provide soft lighting, that they smell good, that they’re comforting. I love candles! I know I have the winning team of honey bees and beekeepers to thank, but how do they do it? First, let’s take a moment to appreciate beeswax because honey tends to get most of the attention. Honey is a delicious superfood treat and…
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Faye’s Diary: August 2025
Sunday 3rd August 2025 was a special day: I met the bees! The Old Church Who’s there? Hive Lineage About Location Hive A Family 1 Matt purchased this colony in 2022 as part of the Beginner Beekeeping Course he took through Harrogate & Ripon Beekeepers Association. His beekeeping journey begins! The Old Church Hive B Family 1 In 2023, Matt split colony A but tragically those in Hive B perished. To this day, he isn’t sure what happened to them…
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Matt the teacher: apiary edition
Matt taught 6 practical sessions to beekeeping students over the summer. These sessions were the second phase of the beginner course run by Harrogate and Ripon Beekeepers Association. After learning the theory in phase one, students head outside to put their knowledge to the test! You can read about the theory lessons in ‘Matt the teacher: classroom edition‘. The practical sessions were held at HRBKA’s apiary in Harlow Carr. It’s a relatively new beekeeping site that opened on World Bee…
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Matt’s Diary: July 2025
Would you like the good news or the bad news first? Choose which section you’d prefer to begin with: The Good News Matt harvested the spring crop of honey and it came in at a whopping 60lbs! Each individual worker bee produces one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime, and they’ve given Matt enough to fill 60 pint glasses! For comparison, last year’s harvest for spring and summer combined was ~40lbs. So, Matt has already achieved a…
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Bees’ Needs Week 2025
It’s Bees’ Needs Week here in the UK! This campaign promotes five easy actions each person can take: Pollinators do so much for us. Please do what you can for them in return.