Newbattle Beekeepers Association

An abandoned cello rescued from a skip stands alone under a pergola in an orchard of a stately home on the outskirts of Nottingham. In an eccentric experiment, created by one of the world experts in honeybees, apiarist and physicist Prof. Martin Benscik has donated the instrument to 400,000 bees who now live very happily inside the cello.

Listen to the programme here

Synopsis: Hives of horror! Getting stung and not getting stung. How did the sting of bees evolve and why is it painful … and how often is it fatal?

Read the Full Post Here

The number of bees in the hive will be falling and will soon reach their overwintering numbers. These are known as winter bees. These bees can live for up to six months unlike summer bees with a six week life span.

You will see some dead bees outside the hive entrance but this is normal.  

An external check is all that is needed at this time of year but make sure the hive is weathertight, stable and that the roof is weighted or strapped-down

Follow the link to download the schedule & Entry Form

(Rules & Regulations and staging guidance can also be found)

Honey and Craft Show - 2023 - Schedule & Entry Form

Now that most of his beekeeping work for this season has finished, and his new book manuscript is off to the publishers Steve has started his Blog Posts again. In this one he reviews his 2023 Beekeeping Season

Read his Review in Full Here

Cooler and shorter days leaves less time for the critical final tidying of hives before winter. Remember to remove Apivar strips and check the stores. New winter jobs include wax extraction and (more) honey preparation.

Interested in Reading More - Click Here

The Scottish Beekeepers Association  winter monthly webinars continue! These beekeeping webinars are free and open to all, you just need to register your attendance beforehand for access on the night.

Andrew Abrahams is the next guest speaker in the series. On Wednesday the 1st of November at 19:30, he will be talking about 'The Bees of Tasmania'. Tasmania is home to one of Australia's only populations of pure Black Bees (Apis mellifera mellifera), their native honey bee.

To book your place please click on the link below

I WANT TO BOOK MY PLACE

Find downloadable resources on the BBKA website via this link

National Honey Day Resources

Despite their reputation as nature’s buzziest pollinators, the vast majority of bee species spend most of their lives underground. Now, thanks to a hospital computed tomography (CT) scanner, researchers have revealed new insights into how these insects build their subterranean lairs. The method could help scientists learn more about how bees contribute to healthy soil and find ways to protect these critically threatened creatures.

Read the Article Here

Let’s celebrate!

Friday 21 October is the first ever National Honey Day in the UK. The aim of the day is to promote delicious local honey and to highlight the increasing problem of fake ‘honey’.

Honey has been used worldwide for centuries both as food and medicine. It’s a natural source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and is antibacterial. The ancient Egyptians offered honey to their deities and used it to heal infected wounds. It’s widely used in modern medicine infused in wound dressings. 

Pure honey comes in a huge range of different flavours, colours and textures. These qualities are determined by which plants the foraging bees have collected nectar from. The flavour can range from light and floral to dark and bitter.

Honey is so delicious to eat but at NBA we also add it to our skincare products as it is antibacterial, nourishing and moisturising.  

But bee aware! There’s lots of fake honey out there. Sadly, honey is one of the most faked food in the world! Suppliers mix cheap sugar or corn syrup with honey to bulk it out and bring down the cost. This 'honey' lacks the natural, delicious flavour of pure honey, as well as the health benefits. Look for pure honey with the country of origin clearly shown on the label. Ideally buy a jar of local honey from Newbattle Beekeepers Association from their Online Shop or call by the Bee Academy at Newbattle Abbey College.

Take Me To the Online Shop