Have a look at our library of videos
BeeCraft Podcast ep. 1
In episode 1 of the BeeCraft Podcast, Penny Melville-Brown OBE talks to co-editor Stephen Fleming. Penny was elected unanimously to be chair of Fareham and District BKA in December 2024, and is thought to be the first blind person to achieve such a position in the British beekeeping association. In this episode, Penny discusses her illustrious career, how she became a beekeeper, her advice for prospective blind beekeepers, her love of bee products (especially honey!) and much more.
The Mind of a Bee
Professor Lars Chittka explores the intelligence of bees, revealing their remarkable learning, memory, and decision-making abilities. He discusses how bees perceive their environment, solve problems, and navigate efficiently. Whether you’re a beekeeper, scientist, or nature lover, this insightful talk uncovers the hidden genius of bees and their extraordinary problem-solving capabilities.
The talk was presented by BeeCraft and Somerset Beekeepers’ Association
Asian hornet nest
A yellow-legged Asian hornet primary nest is found and removed on the Channel Island of Jersey. The queen foundress is captured in spring before workers emerge. (Invasive species methods and legislation in Jersey are different from the UK).
Video footage taken by co-editor Stephen Fleming on Jersey, May 2022.
Varroa diets
Dr Sammy Ramsey, a Research Fellow with the USDA Bee Research Laboratory at the Agricultural Research Service, talks to BeeCraft co-editor Stephen Fleming about the reaction to his ground-breaking research which first identified that varroa feeds on the honey bee’s fat bodies and not the haemolymph.
Honey tasting
Honey sommelier Sarah Wyndham Lewis explains five common flavours found in British polyfloral honeys. When beekeepers cannot constantly watch for pollen being brought into the hive and do not want to spend hours hunched over a microscope analysing pollen grains, identifying nectar sources by taste can give an indication of where your bees are foraging.
Holt Hall Apiaries
Matthew Ingram, a young bee farmer and CEO of Holt Hall Apiaries in Staffordshire, talks to BeeCraft co-editor Richard Rickitt about managing colonies and his impressive honey bottling facilities. Matthew regularly shares his experiences in BeeCraft magazine.
Jacob Trood Art
Jacob Trood, a young artist and third-generation beekeeper from Somerset, uses products of the hive in his artistic creations. Here he discusses his latest projects with his grandfather, Neil. More on Jacob’s creations can be found in his monthly 2024 series in BeeCraft magazine.
Honey bee vibrations
Dr Martin Bencsik, associate professor at Nottingham Trent University, talks to co-editor Stephen Fleming about honey bee vibrations.Â
Nest-scout bees
Professor Thomas D Seeley from Cornell University, USA, talks to co-editor Stephen Fleming about the organisation of nest-scout bees. He explains how the bees’ extremely sophisticated behaviour affects swarming capabilities and efficiency.
Photo of the month
Enter our Photo of the Month competition and win a cedar WBC hive worth over £400 kindly donated by National Bee Supplies.
Each year, we select our favourite readers’ photos to feature throughout the following year. Your photos don’t have to be of professional quality – we look for images that are fun, dramatic or tell a beekeeping story. This year, photos will also be entered into the National Bee Supplies calendar competition.
Send your photos (between 1MB and 10MB as email attachments rather than embedded in emails) to [email protected] any time up to 31 October 2024.
Latest winner!
Zoe Oke, Nr Launceston, Cornwall
It was a routine inspection and I found a queen lying dead, almost posing, on top of the brood frames with all her attendants facing her. I remember thinking that just for a moment it looked as if the workers were paying their last respects to what I assume was a superseded queen. I snapped some pictures on my phone and was really pleased to capture the moment so well.
