Our talk in March by Dr William Block of Cambridgeshire Bee Keepers was entitled \u2018Why Keep Bees?\u2019 It was very well attended \u2013deservedly so, as it was a fascinating evening covering every side of bee keeping. It is an absorbing hobby but is also worth \u00a3165 million a year to the British economy. Many people don\u2019t realise that without bees and other pollinating and nectar-collecting insects we would be without a large part of the food we take for granted \u2013 it wouldn\u2019t just be the lack of a pot of honey!<\/p>\n
Dr Block demonstrated the various parts of a beehive and showed us how the bees used it. The hive is not only constructed for the production of honey but also to keep out pests – badgers, woodpeckers and even field mice which like to nest in them. In a good year in Cambridgeshire a hive will produce 100 lbs of honey. Lately colonies have suffered particularly from disease \u2013 Varroa mite and the mysterious Colony Collapse Disorder can kill all the bees in a hive. We were told there are some non-stinging bees, but they are in Australia! Altogether a most interesting talk.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Our talk in March by Dr William Block of Cambridgeshire Bee Keepers was entitled \u2018Why Keep Bees?\u2019 It was very well attended \u2013deservedly so, as it was a fascinating evening covering every side of bee keeping. It is an absorbing … Continue reading