06/07/2026
I had the pleasure of welcoming Emma Langrish, Seasonal Bee Inspector for the North West with the National Bee Unit (Animal and Plant Health Agency - APHA), to my apiary.
It’s always a valuable opportunity to have another experienced set of eyes looking over the colonies, and we spent a couple of hours going through every hive frame by frame, discussing my plans for the next 12 months and assessing the health and progress of each colony.
There was some excellent news. 🐝
Hive 1 is doing so well and is almost full to bursting ready for harvesting again!
Hive 2 has successfully produced and established a new queen, which was fantastic to find. She appears to be laying well and the colony looks to have a bright future ahead.
Unfortunately, beekeeping always comes with its challenges. Hive 3 has developed Chronic Bee Paralysis Virus (CBPV) and is now in the later stages of the disease. It’s disappointing to see, and will likely be devastating for this colony.
Thankfully, Hives 4 and 5 were absolutely thriving, packed with bees of all ages, healthy brood and plenty of activity. We also saw an incredible range of pollen colours being brought back to the hives, a great reminder of just how diverse the local forage is at this time of year.
One of the highlights of the inspection was finding a very unusual white-eyed drone. This is a rare genetic mutation and not something you’re likely to see very often, making it a fascinating little discovery.
A huge thank you to Emma for taking the time to visit, share her knowledge and offer advice. You never stop learning in beekeeping, and every inspection teaches you something new.
The highs and lows of beekeeping can happen in the same afternoon—but that’s all part of looking after these remarkable insects. 🐝🍯
