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The Apiarist

@theapiarist.org

500 followers 163 following 233 posts

I used to be a scientist and a beekeeper, but now I'm just a beekeeper who writes (and talks) ... about bees and science. I promote local bees and honey, and responsible, sustainable beekeeping. theapiarist.org

Posts Replies Media

The Apiarist @theapiarist.org · 09/12/2025

Interesting paper on a small but mathematically significant increase in hygienic behaviour in bees treated with FormicPro. Hygienic behaviour scored with the pin-prick assay, so is this relevant to those interested in uncapping/recapping? www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/16... #beekeeping

A section of a frame from aa bee hive filled with sealed brood, showing a parallelogram-shaped area of cleared cells after removal of dead pupae by worker bees, a test for hygienic behaviour in honey bees.

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The Apiarist @theapiarist.org · 31/07/2025

[New post for sponsors] The queen does not walk randomly around the brood comb. How might this explain why shook swarms (and recently hived swarms) do so well? theapiarist.org/walk-this-way/ #beekeeping

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The Apiarist @theapiarist.org · 23/06/2025

At what point does a labelling machine help restore your sanity? 10, 100, 200 jars? More? Asking for a friend 😉

Image of honey jars being labelled on a white desk.

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The Apiarist @theapiarist.org · 15/06/2025

'Turns out to be' … looks like it started that way 😉. The cages with the bars across the end are good. My blue pen, not so much 😄.

Plastic cage daubed with paint holding a queen bee being marked blue

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The Apiarist @theapiarist.org · 07/06/2025

[New post for sponsors] The curse of laying workers and why they're rarely seen in queenright colonies, the survival of eggs after grafting and the (ongoing) attempts to produce bigger, better queens. Biology and beekeeping, what's not to like? theapiarist.org/worker-polic... #beekeeping

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The Apiarist @theapiarist.org · 03/12/2024

Post from the past I don't think I'm going to write a post on Xmas presents for beekeepers this year, as it would probably consist of the same things as last year ... go on, treat yourself 😜 buff.ly/3ZxoLIY

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The Apiarist @theapiarist.org · 13/11/2024

In November, nothing says “failed queen” more clearly than drones in the hive and a load of unconsumed stores.

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The Apiarist @theapiarist.org · 12/11/2024

Ardnamurchan never disappoints … Loch Sunart, 10th November ‘24

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The Apiarist @theapiarist.org · 10/11/2024

New post - Climate change and beekeeping How will climate change impact bees and beekeeping? Flooded apiaries and poor queen mating might be the least of our problems. Don't think it won't happen ... it already is. theapiarist.org/climate-change-part…

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The Apiarist @theapiarist.org · 09/11/2024

Where’s your passport?

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The Apiarist @theapiarist.org · 01/03/2024

New Post And then there were two. What happens when you split a colony into two? Why might ‘walk away splits’ not be the best way of increasing colony numbers? theapiarist.org/doing-the-sp... #beekeeping #localhoney #localbees

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The Apiarist @theapiarist.org · 25/02/2024

How do eggs appear in places the queen cannot reach? Do these eggs produce worker or drone brood? If bees can move eggs, can they move them to queen cells? theapiarist.org/do-bees-move... #beekeeping #localhoney #localbees

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The Apiarist @theapiarist.org · 21/02/2024

Spring might be on the way ... the annual festival of froggy shenanigans is underway 😜

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