packaging options |
hive tours |
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We deliver honey in food grade bulk pails, around April or May depending on the season. As all honey naturally crystallises over time it is recommended to decant honey into smaller containers when it is fresh.
We can, for a small extra charge, deliver your honey in 500gm plastic safety sealed jars and if you have a big family or friend group you can order extra honey for them too. 
swarm control |
As one of our valued rental customers, you can if interested don a beesuit and look into the inner workings of the hive, while we do the hive check.
We will supply bee suit and gloves for you to get up close and personal with the bees. We'll show you how the hive works and what the bees are doing, it will be as hands on as you are comfortable with, with practical demonstration of what we do to manage the hive. We have a range of bee suit and glove sizes available for kids through to adults. As not all visits are suitable to have to hive tour, prior bookings for these sessions are essential. |
In early spring and summer, is when bees are most likely to swarm. There are many variables as to why bees swarm, but the most common is overcrowding in the hive. As the weather warms, the queen increases egg laying, up to 2000 eggs/day. As these young bees hatch, the hive, which has dwindled in numbers over the winter months rapidly grows and can become overcrowded.
Through a unique method of communication the bees decide collectively that it is time to find a new home. On the appointed day, and only the bees know, approximately half the hive of worker bees, along with the queen, fly out from the hive. A swarm of honey bees can range in size from 4 to 5 thousand to 20 to 30 thousand.
Through a unique method of communication the bees decide collectively that it is time to find a new home. On the appointed day, and only the bees know, approximately half the hive of worker bees, along with the queen, fly out from the hive. A swarm of honey bees can range in size from 4 to 5 thousand to 20 to 30 thousand.
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Immediately after leaving the hive the swarm will often gather on a tree limb or post close to the hive. They hang together here in a cluster, for a short time while the scout bees look for a new home. When bees swarm, they are relatively docile and easy to handle, and are able to be picked up or shaken into a container to be removed.
Swarming is a natural instinct of honey bees in order to reproduce and grow the hive. However, the likelihood of this hive surviving in the wild without beekeeper intervention is very low, because of the effects of the varroa mite. We reduce the incidence of swarming by re-queening every hive and splitting the hive into 2 smaller hive units in early spring. This gives the bee colony more room and reduces the tendency of the older queen wanting to swarm.
However, even after best efforts some bees still swarm, if you notice a bee swarm, please check first that it is bees and not wasps swarming. We are happy to come out and remove the swarm if it is easily accessible or advise on how to remove.
Swarming is a natural instinct of honey bees in order to reproduce and grow the hive. However, the likelihood of this hive surviving in the wild without beekeeper intervention is very low, because of the effects of the varroa mite. We reduce the incidence of swarming by re-queening every hive and splitting the hive into 2 smaller hive units in early spring. This gives the bee colony more room and reduces the tendency of the older queen wanting to swarm.
However, even after best efforts some bees still swarm, if you notice a bee swarm, please check first that it is bees and not wasps swarming. We are happy to come out and remove the swarm if it is easily accessible or advise on how to remove.