Amanda's Beekeeping Notes

Amanda is a professional ecologist who has been keeping up to 25 colonies of bees for about fifteen years. During that time she has attained the British Beekeepers Association modules 1 to 7 with credits and distinctions. On the practical side she has the Basic Assessment and the General Husbandry Certificate making her a 'Qualified Beekeeper'. She has also won prizes at the Natioanl Honey Show for her honey and other products.

Amanda has had articles published in beekeeping magazines and has a regular column in her local divisions newsletter, she has been running beekeeping course, workshops and talks at various levels from introduction, beginner to advanced, including Queen Rearing, History of Beekeeing, Bee Health and Diseases and Other Pollinators; subjects she is particularly interested in.

Amanda was on the Brighton and Lewis Division Committee or 10 years, 6 of which as Secretary before becoming the Chairman of the Sussex Beekeepers Association (SBKA) Executive Committee in 2013 for three years and is now the President of the SBKA.

We are fortunate to have Amanda working with us at Mantel Farm, providing regular training courses along with these monthly Beekeeping notes:

Display per page

Sort by

Amanda's Beekeeping Notes April 2021 April 2021. There are lots of flowers out now and it has been warm enough for the bees to be quite active and bring in plenty of pollen and nectar...	Amanda's Beekeeping Notes March 2021 March 2021. I can hardly wait until the weather is good enough to see how the rest of my colonies are. I managed to check 5 of mine yesterday...	Amanda's Beekeeping Notes February 2021 February 2021. As I write this, the sun is shining after Storm Christoph with frost still in the shade, but the colonies in full sun...
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes December 2020 December 2020. I have an inkling of how the bees might be feeling at the moment with the recent wet and windy, but mild, weather...	Amanda's Beekeeping Notes November 2020 November 2020. After the wet and windy weather in the last few weeks it was a pleasure to see my bees busy...	Amanda's Beekeeping Notes October 2020 October 2020. I have seen a few European hornets around, cruising up and down my flowerbeds looking for unwary insects..
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes September 2020 September 2020. So, the end of another bee year and the start of the new. How was 2020 for you?	Amanda's Beekeeping Notes August 2020 August 2020. I was disappointed to see my nectar flow had practically stopped by 20th July	Amanda's Beekeeping Notes July 2020 July 2020. How different this year is to this time last year when I had been suffering with rainy weather..
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes June 2020 June 2020. As I write this we are having another little heatwave. The forecast, dare I say it, looks promising..	Amanda's Beekeeping Notes May 2020 May 2020. After another fine week in the latter half of April all the bees have been very busy...	Amanda's Beekeeping Notes April 2020 April 2020. It is very difficult to know what will happen in April this year, but it seems to be a later start than last year
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes March 2020 March 2020. March will be the start of bee activities this year, with what could be the most important and eagerly awaited first inspection	Amanda's Beekeeping Notes February 2020 February 2020. Firstly, I hope none of your bees suffered or drowned in Storm Brendan and the heavy rain	Amanda's Beekeeping Notes January 2020 January 2020. In this quiet time it is an opportunity to reflect on the past, present and future
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes December 2019 December 2019. There is not much we can do this month apart from checking they have not been blown over...	Amanda's Beekeeping Notes November 2019 November 2019. In spite of the rain we have had it has been fairly mild and the bees very active between showers	Amanda's Beekeeping Notes October 2019 October 2019. I hope everyone has completed their bee jobs for this time of year, including treatment and feeding
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes September 2019 September 2019. Main jobs for the month, feeding, hoverflies and mass bee deaths in Brazil.	Amanda's Beekeeping Notes August 2019 August 2019. Honey crop, winter bees, feeding, mite control, things to do and latest research.	Amanda's Beekeeping Notes July 2019 July 2019. Unsettled weather, spread of viruses, honey stores . Latest research.
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes June 2019 June 2019. This month yellow faces from oil seed rape & brick red pollen from the horse chestnuts. Latest research.	Amanda's Beekeeping Notes May 2019 May 2019. This month cleaning, checking for Varroa and keeping an eye open for swarm preparations	Amanda's Beekeeping Notes April 2019 April 2019. This month cleaning, checking for Varroa and keeping an eye open for swarm preparations
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes March 2019 March 2019. This month An early warm spell allows for an early inspection. Dealing with DWV and hygienic testing.	Amanda's Beekeeping Notes February 2019 February 2019. This month Apart from the usual things like making sure the entrance is clear of dead bees hefting for stores is very important.	Amanda's Beekeeping Notes January 2019 January 2019. This month Amanda details her recent Oxalic Acid Vapourisation. Threat to National Parks.
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes December 2018 December 2018. This month Amanda's notes include: Armchair planning, frames to clean and winter checks.	Amanda's Beekeeping Notes November 2018 November 2018. This month Amanda's notes include: Tucking the bees in for winter and planting for Bees	Amanda's Beekeeping Notes October 2018 October 2018. This month Amanda's notes include: Tucking the bees in for winter and planting for Bees
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes September 2018 September 2018. This month Amanda's notes include: treating varroa, feeding bees and spring bulbs	Amanda's Beekeeping Notes August 2018 August 2018. This month Amanda's notes include: helping a broodless colony and the summer forage	Amanda's Beekeeping Notes July 2018 July 2018. This month Amanda's notes include: queen rearing, swarms, bee hygiene and jobs for July
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes June 2018 June 2018. This month Amanda's notes include: wax moth, swarming season, bee forage and world bee day	Amanda's Beekeeping Notes May 2018 May 2018. This month Amanda's notes include: spring preparations and solitary bee sightings	Amanda's Beekeeping Notes April 2018 April 2018. This month Amanda's notes include: Investigating spring colony loss & neonics threat.
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes March 2018 March 2018. This month Amanda's notes include: Early inspections and preparing for a cold spell.	Amanda's Beekeeping Notes February 2018 February 2018. This month Amanda's notes include: Preparing for the new year and worrying UK sales of Apivar.	Amanda's Beekeeping Notes January 2018 January 2018. This month Amanda's notes include: Bee clusters in winter and an update on neonics.
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes December 2017 December 2017. This month Amanda's notes include: Winter treatments, Apishield floor and Wasps.	Amanda's Beekeeping Notes November 2017 November 2017. This month Amanda's notes include: Checking for mites, Mouse guards on, & declining insects.	Amanda's Beekeeping Notes October 2017 October 2017. This month Amanda's notes include: Mite drops, Greater Wax Moth & Feeding.
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes September 2017 September 2017. This month Amanda's notes include: Robbing, Apiguard and Dusting.	Amanda's Beekeeping Notes August 2017 August 2017. This month Amanda's notes include: Removing the last supers & re-queening.