Beeing grumpy! Why is it, every time I go on holiday (after making sure my bees have all they need) my dogs are pleased to see me when I get home but the bees…..did they know? Were they jealous? Why do they hate me? It is not so much they are nasty more a sort of we don’t know you go away. I take it as a personal affront, but for the 12 days I was away the flow stopped and the weather was unpleasant so hopefully the bees will shake off their attitude as the brambles burst in to flower and the rosebay starts to bloom in the heatwave starting from Sunday. It was heartening to learn from other apiarists that their colonies demonstrated similar behaviour. Get plenty of supers ready I am predicting a bumper summer honey harvest.

A brief addendum, an Asian hornet was found in Oswestry in January this year, Kent and Sussex remain the main area of infection but reports from Hampshire are on the rise.

Peter Kirkup

Asian Hornet Coordinator