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:
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes April 2021April 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 2021March 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 2021February 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 2020December 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 2020November 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 2020October 2020. I have seen a few European hornets around, cruising up and down my flowerbeds looking for unwary insects.. |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes September 2020September 2020. So, the end of another bee year and the start of the new. How was 2020 for you? |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes August 2020August 2020. I was disappointed to see my nectar flow had practically stopped by 20th July |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes July 2020July 2020. How different this year is to this time last year when I had been suffering with rainy weather.. |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes June 2020June 2020. As I write this we are having another little heatwave. The forecast, dare I say it, looks promising.. |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes May 2020May 2020. After another fine week in the latter half of April all the bees have been very busy... |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes April 2020April 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 2020March 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 2020February 2020. Firstly, I hope none of your bees suffered or drowned in Storm Brendan and the heavy rain |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes January 2020January 2020. In this quiet time it is an opportunity to reflect on the past, present and future |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes December 2019December 2019. There is not much we can do this month apart from checking they have not been blown over... |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes November 2019November 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 2019October 2019. I hope everyone has completed their bee jobs for this time of year, including treatment and feeding |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes September 2019September 2019. Main jobs for the month, feeding, hoverflies and mass bee deaths in Brazil. |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes August 2019August 2019. Honey crop, winter bees, feeding, mite control, things to do and latest research. |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes July 2019July 2019. Unsettled weather, spread of viruses, honey stores . Latest research. |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes June 2019June 2019. This month yellow faces from oil seed rape & brick red pollen from the horse chestnuts. Latest research. |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes May 2019May 2019. This month cleaning, checking for Varroa and keeping an eye open for swarm preparations |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes April 2019April 2019. This month cleaning, checking for Varroa and keeping an eye open for swarm preparations |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes March 2019March 2019. This month An early warm spell allows for an early inspection. Dealing with DWV and hygienic testing. |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes February 2019February 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 2019January 2019. This month Amanda details her recent Oxalic Acid Vapourisation. Threat to National Parks. |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes December 2018December 2018. This month Amanda's notes include: Armchair planning, frames to clean and winter checks. |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes November 2018November 2018. This month Amanda's notes include: Tucking the bees in for winter and planting for Bees |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes October 2018October 2018. This month Amanda's notes include: Tucking the bees in for winter and planting for Bees |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes September 2018September 2018. This month Amanda's notes include: treating varroa, feeding bees and spring bulbs |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes August 2018August 2018. This month Amanda's notes include: helping a broodless colony and the summer forage |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes July 2018July 2018. This month Amanda's notes include: queen rearing, swarms, bee hygiene and jobs for July |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes June 2018June 2018. This month Amanda's notes include: wax moth, swarming season, bee forage and world bee day |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes May 2018May 2018. This month Amanda's notes include: spring preparations and solitary bee sightings |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes April 2018April 2018. This month Amanda's notes include: Investigating spring colony loss & neonics threat. |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes March 2018March 2018. This month Amanda's notes include: Early inspections and preparing for a cold spell. |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes February 2018February 2018. This month Amanda's notes include: Preparing for the new year and worrying UK sales of Apivar. |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes January 2018January 2018. This month Amanda's notes include: Bee clusters in winter and an update on neonics. |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes December 2017December 2017. This month Amanda's notes include: Winter treatments, Apishield floor and Wasps. |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes November 2017November 2017. This month Amanda's notes include: Checking for mites, Mouse guards on, & declining insects. |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes October 2017October 2017. This month Amanda's notes include: Mite drops, Greater Wax Moth & Feeding. |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes September 2017September 2017. This month Amanda's notes include: Robbing, Apiguard and Dusting. |
Amanda's Beekeeping Notes August 2017August 2017. This month Amanda's notes include: Removing the last supers & re-queening. |
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