Recent content by ketch

I think its a rather typically expat longing for a bucolic past that drives us to acquire bees and chickens and bury ourselves int he French countryside. Im in Burgundy.

I've got chickens in a coop about 20 yards from the hives. The bees take the water from the chickens supply rather than from the water supply intended for them. Whilst I worry the water carrier bees may end up as chicken fodder, I haven't seen any evidence that this occurs, maybe as someone has...

thanks. I'm awaiting a cold period, its unusually warm for the time of year with no frost. Incidentally, here in France it is said that you should move your bees 3 kilometres. Since this is les than two miles I take it to mean that French bees are either lazier or have worse memories than...

Hi all Im an expat in france, and started keeping bees in 2008. WIth my lousy French i've probably misunderstood most of what i've heard or read, so I thought it may be a good idea to try and learn a bit of beekeeping in English.

Hi I want to move my 4 hives a distance of about 30 meters - further away from the washing lines where they are allegedly hasseling the mrs. during the summer. I've read that if this is done during a cold period in winter the 3 mile rule can be ignored as the bees memory is deprogrammed. Does...