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kilbarchanbees.bsky.social
Kilbarchan & District Beekeepers
@kilbarchanbees.bsky.social
67 followers 92 following 28 posts
Kilbarchan & District (East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire, Inverclyde and surrounding areas), an association supporting local beekeepers discussing all things beekeeping or honeybee related, past, present.
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Reposted by Kilbarchan & District Beekeepers
bumblebeetrust.bsky.social
With one in nine species at risk of extinction in Scotland, the time to act is now 🚨

Join us to demand that our MSPs stand up for nature.

📅 Thursday 12 June
🕒 12:30-2pm
📌 Scottish parliament

Make your voice heard. Join the demo: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/stand-up-f...
A graphic with a green microphone on a purple background. The text reads: Stand up for nature! Scottish Parliament 12 June, 12:20-2pm.
June 9, 2025 at 8:07 AM
kilbarchanbees.bsky.social
@hj-bee.bsky.social prepared last of the 2024 cut comb at the weekend. Great video for you to see their anatomy, how their bodies work, the breath through their abdomen & spiracles that help them suck up the honey through their proboscis (which is multi parted) 🐝
May 7, 2025 at 4:39 PM
kilbarchanbees.bsky.social
Another great blog
theapiarist.org The Apiarist @theapiarist.org · May 3
[New post] In the apiary, every day is Judgement Day. Good judgement involves ample information, some insightful interpretation, and understanding. Bad judgement involves a lack of information, guesswork, wishful thinking and sentimentality.
theapiarist.org/judgement-day/
#beekeeping
Judgement Day
In the apiary, every day is Judgement Day. Good judgement involves ample information, some insightful interpretation, and understanding. Bad judgement involves a lack of information, guesswork,…
theapiarist.org
May 3, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Reposted by Kilbarchan & District Beekeepers
hj-bee.bsky.social
What better way to finish off a great afternoon’s #beekeeping, than with a bit of #forage (in the apiary) & then blitz up a #ramson (wild garlic) pesto / marinade & sip a bottle of refreshing #Perry
May 3, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Reposted by Kilbarchan & District Beekeepers
hj-bee.bsky.social
I find #mentoring very rewarding, but nipping to the #apiary yourself of an evening, for a quick job is a treat. Listening to all the sounds, smelling the glorious wild garlic & talking to the locals 🐑

#beekeepers #beekeepinglife🐝 #beekeepershappylife
May 1, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Reposted by Kilbarchan & District Beekeepers
bbka.org.uk
“The bee inspection service has collapsed, and there’s no clear plan or timeline to fix it. In the face of serious threats to bee health like foulbrood, this isn’t just careless it’s dangerous."

www.agriland.ie/farming-news...
Minister criticised following collapse of NI bee inspection service
Carla Lockhart MP has hit out at Minister Andrew Muir following confirmation that Northern Ireland currently has no dedicated bee inspectors
www.agriland.ie
April 26, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Reposted by Kilbarchan & District Beekeepers
scottishbeekeepers.bsky.social
We’re off to a buzzing start!
Our #AGM #Award Ceremony & day of inspiring #beekeeping talks have kicked off here in #Dumfries A big thank you to everyone who’s joined us – it’s shaping up to be a fantastic day of learning, sharing & celebrating all things #honeybees
#scottishbeekeepers
April 26, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Reposted by Kilbarchan & District Beekeepers
theapiarist.org
[New post for sponsors] How can you print attractive and distinctive honey labels easily and economically? How do you include batch details, best before dates and provenance of the honey?
theapiarist.org/first-impres...
First impressions last
Honey labelling involves an interesting combination of market research, design, information transfer and selling regulations, coupled with consideration of the label and printing costs. How can you…
theapiarist.org
April 25, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Reposted by Kilbarchan & District Beekeepers
theapiarist.org
Coming to an apiary near you! A useful recent report (PDF) by ANSES, France on the global spread of Tropilaelaps, with particular relevance to threats to the European Union. Anthropogenic factors and climate change the issue. Something else to be concerned about 😞
sitesv2.anses.fr/en/system/fi...
sitesv2.anses.fr
April 21, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Reposted by Kilbarchan & District Beekeepers
theapiarist.org
[New post] More on swarms — capturing them, moving them and their memory — and absconding, including some Citizen Science to try to work out why they abscond.
theapiarist.org/the-memory-o...
#beekeeping #citizenscience
The memory of swarms
More on collecting and hiving swarms, their memory, how and when to treat them for mites, and a Citizen Science survey of whether swarm absconding might be due to scout bee activity.
theapiarist.org
April 19, 2025 at 8:04 AM
kilbarchanbees.bsky.social
So rewarding to witness Scott Murray & Bill Hiddleston receiving their SBA award 🏅 for their voluntary support of our ABA 🏅
April 26, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Reposted by Kilbarchan & District Beekeepers
theapiarist.org
[New post] You should learn from your mistakes or — in this case — mine. What to do with your feet when mishandling queens, how to retrieve the queen from a full box of brace comb, and comments on setting up and siting bait hives.
theapiarist.org/queen-fumbli...
Queen fumbling
You should learn from your mistakes or — in this case — mine. What to do with your feet when mishandling queens, how to retrieve the queen from a full box of brace comb, and (What? You want more?)…
theapiarist.org
April 12, 2025 at 7:46 AM
kilbarchanbees.bsky.social
This morning, a few of the committee taught 10 of our newer beekeepers how to construct frames with wax & nail appropriately. All went away with what they made with templates to use for the season ahead. 🔨💪🏼
April 13, 2025 at 11:54 AM
kilbarchanbees.bsky.social
Great afternoon #mentoring. Queens laying & a few cells with multiple eggs, dispatched a Queen of a colony whose temperament I was not happy with. We clipped & marked a 24 Queen (no I don’t follow year colours) & a long hive manipulation v vertical. Magic day of learning #beekeeping
#honeybees
April 12, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Reposted by Kilbarchan & District Beekeepers
theapiarist.org
[New post for sponsors] Not all plastic queen cups that look the same perform the same, and different plastic queen cups can profoundly affect the success of queen rearing. Do the dimensions of the cell cup influence the size of the resulting queen?
theapiarist.org/the-queen-cu...
#beekeeping
The queen cup-size rabbit hole
Not all plastic queen cups that look the same perform the same, and different commercial plastic queen cups can profoundly affect the success of queen rearing. Do the dimensions of the cell cup…
theapiarist.org
April 7, 2025 at 7:35 AM
kilbarchanbees.bsky.social
Another great turnout for tonight’s talk from Ilona Shilliday on the importance of pollen on bee health.

Last evening meeting till September when we will be reflecting on the spring / summer 🐝
April 8, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Reposted by Kilbarchan & District Beekeepers
jemimasgarden.bsky.social
Ragged Robin is one of our hardy native wildflowers that loves damp soil.
But the fact that it's growing in a crack in our patio shows that it'll happily grow in next to no soil and also that my seed harvesting isn't 100% efficient 😂
Great for pollinators, Rabbit proof, easy to grow 😊🌱🐝🦋
#MHHSBD
A clump of Ragged Robin stalks and green leaves growing from a crack between some grey paving slabs. Ragged Robin provides food for the following creatures:  Bumblebees and Honeybees Butterflies Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth   🦋 An "RHS Plants for Pollinators" plant Seeds available from www.jemimasgarden.co.uk at only £2.00 per pack of approximately 1200 seeds, (+p&p) A pale pink Ragged Robin flower with some darker pink buds protuding from behind. Ragged Robins flowers have 5 petals in a raggedy form which remind me of stag's antlers. The background is a blur of green foliage. Ragged Robin provides food for the following creatures:  Bumblebees and Honeybees Butterflies Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth   🦋 An "RHS Plants for Pollinators" plant Seeds available from www.jemimasgarden.co.uk at only £2.00 per pack of approximately 1200 seeds, (+p&p)
April 7, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Reposted by Kilbarchan & District Beekeepers
theapiarist.org
Very interesting … "variable constancy" 😄 enhances floral diversity … I recommend the plain language summary fesummaries.wordpress.com/2025/01/31/c... and the original paper besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
April 4, 2025 at 8:09 AM
Reposted by Kilbarchan & District Beekeepers
theapiarist.org
[New post] It's expensive to start beekeeping. Buy wisely. You don't need most things the suppliers sell. Price is not necessarily the best indicator of suitability. Compatibility, future-proofing and longevity are far more important.
theapiarist.org/all-the-gear...
#beekeeping #beginners
All the gear, no idea
It's expensive to start beekeeping. Buy wisely. You don't need most things the suppliers sell. Price is not necessarily the best indicator of suitability. Compatibility, future-proofing and longevity…
theapiarist.org
March 28, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Reposted by Kilbarchan & District Beekeepers
royentsoc.bsky.social
🐞 Spread the word!

Registration and abstract submission are now open for our annual conference, #Ento25!

Join the entomological community in-person or online this September, with opportunities to present your work, meet new contacts and build collaborations 🔽

buff.ly/tKyJIbN
Abstract submission and registration are now open for Ento25 - advertisement featuring a Violet Leaf Beetle (Chrysolina strumi), photo (c) Tyler Redford 2024
March 25, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Reposted by Kilbarchan & District Beekeepers
scottishbeekeepers.bsky.social
🍯Calling #Scottish #hobby #beekeepers 🐝
Help us gather vital insights into the 2024 Scottish #honey harvest by taking our survey. If you harvested and/or sold honey from #hives in #Scotland in 2024, please take the survey
forms.office.com/e/20Jt3fkXRy
Deadline 13 Apr

Thank you
#scottishbeekeepers
March 24, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Reposted by Kilbarchan & District Beekeepers
theapiarist.org
[New post] How do you stop swarms from absconding, and why do they abscond? Could it be 'residual' scout bee activity, and how could this be tested?
theapiarist.org/absconding-s...
#beekeeping #guesswork #citizenscience
Absconding swarms and Citizen Science
How do you stop swarms from absconding, and why do they abscond? Could it be 'residual' scout bee activity, and how could this be tested?
theapiarist.org
March 22, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Reposted by Kilbarchan & District Beekeepers
bbka.org.uk
This recent National Bee Unit best practice guide summarises key points involved in
keeping healthy bees and provides easy to follow links to resources to help learn more on each topic.
www.nationalbeeunit.com/resources-fo...
March 23, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Reposted by Kilbarchan & District Beekeepers
scottishbeekeepers.bsky.social
The Bee Health Improvement Partnership #BHIP 2024 Annual Report has been published today on Scot Gov site.
BHIP is a forum for Scot Gov officials & expert stakeholders, including SBA, to address the challenges affecting #honeybees & the #Scottish #beekeeping sector
www.gov.scot/publications...
March 21, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Reposted by Kilbarchan & District Beekeepers
bbka.org.uk
As Dandelions start to flower, please remember they are a valuable early food source for honey bees and other pollinators.
Think of them as a plant and not a weed.
March 20, 2025 at 1:38 PM