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The Biology Department has an observation hive in laboratory C1, so bee communication by the waggle-dance can be interpreted. We also have four Langstroth hives outside. During the autumn of 2012 we will set up a natural comb hive too. The Beekeepers' Club members harvest honey and wax. They use the wax to make candles like this one. These 100% beeswax candles burn cleanly, without dripping or smoking, and release the smell of honey. |
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This is a photo of a corner of the observation hive. Note the queen bee with a dot of blue paint to make her easy to find. The colour also indicates her age. She is laying eggs in the empty cells. Most of the cells have a larva (baby bee) curled up in the bottom. The worker bees are feeding them. |
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These frames have been removed from the small nucleus hive for inspection, before placing them into a full-sized hive box. The pale and larger drone brood is easy to distinguish when seen with the worker brood on the same frame.
By splitting colonies into nuclei, and placing a queen bee in each, it is possible to increase the number of hives. |
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Last year for the first time we made some sections of comb honey. Four of the sections in this frame are complete and a fifth almost finished. |
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On Saturday 4 February 2012 the honey was extracted. The final extraction of the season will be in March. The wax on the frames was shaved off with uncapping forks. Then they were spun in a hand-cranked extractor to remove the honey. |
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The final products:
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Mixed floral creamed honey made from the local nectars, and bags of honey toffee. |
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Sections of comb honey were harvested during last autumn, just before putting the hives down for the winter.
The fifteen sections proved popular. This year we are using the new plastic frames with beeswax painted onto them. The bees should build their cells from this foundation, then fill them with honey. |
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The most popular product is honey ice cream. With one kilogram of honey added to each five litres this has a strong PNBHS honey taste. |
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We have made honey hokey pokey flavour, honey and pineapple, honey and jelly babies and honey and ginger. The most popular is honey and chocolate. |
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