Blog – bees, beekeeping & other sticky subjects
A tale of two colonies
PMS: Parasitic Mite Syndrome. Not a pretty sight and a sure sign that the Varroa population must be controlled immediately if the colony is to have any chance of surviving.
Rediscovering the first recorded Drone Congregation Area
Turlough has gone in search of the first recorded Drone Congregation Area on Selborne Common. Gilbert White reported it in the 18th century. Is it still there?
Drone Goal?
I bet the village footballers don’t know, but they play underneath a Drone Congregation Area, those secretive places that honeybee queens and drones meet to mate.
Do drones assemble above prehistoric sites?
Could there be a connection between the location of Drone Congregation Areas and prehistoric monuments? Vita’s Blogger has found another above an ancient earthwork.
Video of life in a Drone Congregation Area
Here’s a video of life in a Drone Congregation Area. This was my third outing to find a drone assembly and to my amazement, this third find is the best yet.
Another Drone Congregation Area! Part 3
After the success of finding my first Drone Congregation Area, I thought I’d try my luck again to find one of these secret areas, but where to look?
Drone Congregation Areas – Part 2
Three days after my first apparent discovery of a Drone Congregation Area, a fellow beekeeper and I set out to confirm what I’d seen. And we were impressed!
In search of a mate – Drone Congregation Areas – Part 1
I’ve always been fascinated by the existence of Drone Congregation Areas — those special zones where honeybee Queens and drones go to mate.
Is something stirring?
Having taken a long time to come into lay, the new Queen may not be for the observation hive much longer. The drones have gone, but a coup may be planned …
HopGuard approval process
The process to gain pan-European regulatory approval for Varroa control products and honeybee treatments such as HopGuard is not easy. Yesterday the regulatory team at Vita met to discuss the next stages — residue assessment.