A couple of weeks after the Twinways ‘More Bees Please’ Crowdfunder ended at the beginning of July, Mark joined a couple of other beekeepers from around the world for a fantastic bee insemination course in Scotland. There was the all important theory, some great practical experience and an opportunity to get acquainted with the equipment.
Mark quickly realised that getting hands on experience under his belt before the season ended this year was going to be important so that his newly learnt skills could be established, ready to get a good start to the season next spring. He had hardly landed back in the orchard before he was ordering the fine equipment required for this intricate process.
The bee breeding unit was quickly assembled and having built it himself, the building and fittings are bespoke, with a sealed room for the equipment and a porch enclosed on 3 sides to house breeding hives and mating nucs.
The hives have outward facing doors cut into the walls, which are now colour coded to avoid bees entering incorrect hive entries.
The bee breeding shed has also been designed with education in mind with the sealed ‘lab’ area having large windows facing into the ‘hive porch’; Felicity (5) has already enjoyed watching Mark go through a hive and excitedly told us that she saw her first queen and is now ready for her first bee suit.
The queen rearing kit has also been put to use rearing a number of queen cells which were then successfully artificially inseminated.
It’s a very exciting time for Twinways and we look forward to showing you more when the season gets underway next Spring!
- April – Busy Planting! - 3rd May 2024
- March – Changing Seasons - 17th April 2024
- February – Everything’s waking up - 29th February 2024