We wish to express our deepest sorrow at the passing of fellow beekeeper Alan Kime. Alan was a well known and respected figure within the beekeeping community. He was one of the senior members of Ealing and District Beekeepers Association and excelled in microscopy, teaching this to Ealing members and others for many years. We will miss his knowledge of the craft and his wisdom of the bees.

In a long-held tradition when a beekeeper dies, a black ribbon has been tied to one of Alan’s hives by John Chapple at Ealing apiary.

Spring is fast approaching with snowdrops in flower and crocuses opening. What have Ealing beekeepers been blogging about this winter?

Beekeeping afloat by Thomas Bickerdike started the year with an interesting article on ‘Insulation‘. Thomas expounds the virtues of keeping your home and hive well insulated in winter, with a particularly ingenious solution to fitting fondant and insulation under the roof of a nuc.

Emily Scott of Adventuresinbeeland’s Blog has posted about Flow Hive – perhaps you’ve heard of it? If you’re a beekeeper then you’re unlikely not to! What are your thoughts on the new hive set to revolutionise honey extraction? Take the poll on ‘Will the honey flow for you?‘

Miss Apis Mellifera by Emma Sarah Tennant has written about ‘Lessons under the hive‘, an impromptu beginner class on what you can find out about the colony in winter under the hive. If you’re thinking about hive records for the year ahead – will you use paper or electronic in ‘A beekeeper’s notes for February’?

We also congratulate Hen Corner by Sara Ward who is named first in 10 of the Best Courses in London. Read her post ‘London Calling‘.

Finally, if you’re looking for winter sunshine, don’t forget to chase the sunsets from California to Mexico in Postcards from San Francisco by Ealing-beekeeper-on-the-road Matwinder Randhawa.

Are you an Ealing beekeeper blogger not yet listed on this page? Do get in touch so that we can add you to the community.

A new Ealing beekeeper has joined the blogosphere – Matwinder Randhawa tells us about her travels in Postcards from San Francisco. Do join her “journey of unbelievable adventure and beauty” in 2015. In her recent post, she describes her visit to the Union City beekeepers and a taste of bay honey. Read more here: Union city bee keeper.

Ealing beekeeper John Chapple, the Queen’s beekeeper, appears on ITV’s The Queen’s Garden on Christmas Day at 3.10pm. Both Andy Pedley and John took part in filming, and we’re looking forward to watching John with his hives at Buckingham Palace. Tune in after the Queen’s speech.

The Queen’s Garden
Thursday 25th December at 3:10pm on ITV
Queen’s Garden, Episode 1: The first of two programmes in which Alan Titchmarsh gets exclusive access to the royal gardens at Buckingham Palace for a whole year. He watches the garden change over the four seasons and reveals its hidden treasures that have evolved over five centuries. In the first part, he arrives along with 8,000 others to attend the Queen’s summer garden party, but unlike the other guests, he has a different itinerary. He begins by venturing into the garden’s wilder spaces where nature has been left to rule. He meets the Queen’s bee keeper John Chapple, delves into the history of the garden and finds its oldest tree. Late summer is the ideal time to visit the rose garden with its 18th-century summer house. Later, as Christmas arrives, Alan helps royal florist Sharon Gaddes-Croasdale bring in plants to decorate the palace.

Caption: A bee rests on the thumb of the Queen’s beekeeper John Chapple.