Another season draws to a close

2025 Cliffe Castle Bee Blog #9

Well, that’s all folks!

Last night (8 September) at 7.30pm Steve and I collected the bees from Cliffe Castle, with the help of staff member Jacob, to return them to our Silsden apiary for the winter. We need to collect them when most of the older bees have finished flying for the day, so that we leave the smallest number possible behind. Even so, there were a few in the tunnel that we just couldn’t get to.

It was much cooler last night and seemed to get dark very quickly, so it was a race against time to get the hive into my car and drive it to the apiary. Once there, we had to get the hive out again and barrow it onto the site. Some very bumpy ground made that a challenge (poor bees!). Then it was time to open it up and transfer the frames, one by one, into the cosy polynuc hive that will be their winter quarters.

We put all the brood, the queen and most of the bees in the bottom brood box, with some empty comb for the queen to lay eggs in. We had a full box of stores that they have collected during the season in a second brood box above the first. There were three spare frames to bag up and put in the shed just in case they need any more food over the winter.

That all sounds very organised, but in the gloom, it was quite a challenge. The bees made their feelings very clear, and Steve and I had quite a covering of them, buzzing crossly, that we needed to brush off before leaving the apiary and getting in the car.

Today (9 September) I took the empty hive back to Cliffe Castle and gave it a good clean, before putting it back on the stand (thanks to staff member Adam, who did all the lifting and carrying). The woodwork would benefit from a spot of beeswax polish, and I’ll go back to do that later and clean the space between the glass panes where the tunnel is before we return the bees next year.

I called back to the apiary today and saw that the little colony is already recognising its new home, as the older bees fly out and back. I managed to free all the bees that had followed those frames of stores into the shed last night, so hopefully they joined their sisters at the new nest site.

Just before I go, I’m happy to let you know that our long-awaited blue queen of 2025 has now been named. The ABKA Observation Hive Team has chosen the name: Beedica. This was the suggestion of Daisy B, aged 12. So well done Daisy. Hopefully we will be able to bring Queen Beedica and her colony back to Cliffe Castle around Easter time, next year, to allow you another precious glimpse into a honey bee hive.

Linda

Steve, Lee, Anthony and Linda were the Cliffe Castle Apiary Team 2025, with some special help from Mike B and Mike L. Thanks to all team members and to our Beekeepers by the Hive: Emma, Andy, John, Louise, David and Linda