Dunfermline and West Fife Beekeepers Association

03/06/2026

Beekeepers often talk about a "good queen bee" but what make a queen bee good?

A good queen maintains a vigorous and consistent egg-laying pattern, which ensures a constant turnover and rapid increase of the bee population, especially before the main honey flow season. During peak season, she can lay over 2,000 eggs per day. A solid, uniform brood pattern is a key indicator of her health and fertility.

A healthy, vigorous queen produces potent pheromones that maintain social order, inhibit workers from raising new queens, and keep the colony cohesive and calm. A queen with a good retinue of attendant workers is a visual sign of her strong pheromone output.

Young queens, typically in their first or second year, are generally the most productive and less likely to swarm than older queens.

Swarming can reduce honey production and result in the loss of bees. Queens from colonies with a low inclination to swarm are sought after.

A well-mated queen will store enough s***m to last her entire productive life. A poorly mated queen won't last long.

Generally, larger, heavier queens with a larger abdomen are better as they tend to have more ovarioles, lay more eggs, and have stronger flight muscles for successful mating flights. Queens that have mated with a high number of different drones introduce greater genetic diversity into the colony, which contributes to overall colony strength, disease resistance, and better overwintering success.

There are many other factors but in summing up, a good queen is one whose presence allows the colony to thrive and live in harmony.

18/05/2026

Oilseed r**e nectar has a very high glucose content, causing it to crystallise extremely fast. If left in the hive too long, it becomes impossible to extract.

Rule Exception: Unlike other honeys that require 80% of the frame to be capped with wax before harvesting, you should pull OSR supers as soon as the nectar flow stops, even if the frames aren't fully capped.

The "Shake Test": To check if it's ready, hold a frame horizontally and give it a sharp shake; if no un-ripened liquid honey flies out, it is dry enough to harvest safely.

Processing: Once removed, it should be spun in your extractor and jarred immediately, as it can set in the comb or buckets within a matter of days.

28/04/2026

A good apiary location should provide (amongst other things) essential elements like clean water, early morning sun to rouse the bees, and protection from strong winds. These factors help hives maintain a consistent internal temperature (around 33°C), making them less prone to diseases and pests which thrive in damp or overly shaded areas.

Sites with natural windbreaks (like hedges or buildings) along with southern sun exposure helps colonies stay warm and conserve energy during winter months. Proximity to high-quality forage nearby reduces the energy bees spend on flight.

14/04/2026

We always hear that we should go for 'locally adapted bees' but what's the difference between these bees and buying bees from somewhere else, online, even? Here are just a few reasons:

Locally adapted bees are honey bee subspecies or ecotypes that have evolved over hundreds or thousands of years to thrive in a specific, local environment. They are characterized by their ability to survive and produce, often without human intervention, by aligning their life cycles with local climate, forage, and pathogens.

These bees are adapted in the following key areas:

Climate and Weather Resilience: They are tuned to local weather patterns, such as the ability to forage in cooler, wetter conditions or quickly adjust to rapid weather changes.

Foraging Efficiency: Locally adapted bees are in sync with local flora, efficiently utilising local food sources.

Winter Management: They "know" when winter arrives, preparing by managing food stores, slowing queen egg-laying at the right time, and avoiding winter brood rearing.

Disease and Pathogen Resistance: These bees often display higher resistance to local pathogens and parasites, such as Varroa mites, by exhibiting hygienic behavior (cleaning infected brood) and grooming themselves.

Survival Strategy: They are often better adapted for self-sufficiency, with stronger survival rates compared to non-local, imported queen stock.

Locally adapted bees survive better, have lower mortality rates, and create stronger colonies.

09/04/2026

A beekeeper must keep hive frames in tip-top condition—meaning clean, structurally sound, and regularly replaced—to ensure colony health, maximise honey production, and prevent pests. Old, dirty, or damaged frames can harbour disease, as bees use and reuse each cell that then gets smaller, resulting in smaller bees, and will also cause structural issues like broken comb or excessive brace comb.

Comb Renewal: A good practice is to replace 35% to 75% of frames annually, focusing on removing the oldest, darkest combs in the brood chamber. As you can see in this photo, the frame is old and dark. This will be replaced as soon as possible, once the brood has all hatched out. To achieve this we will move the frame to the edge of the nest. If you have a quantity of frames like this it may be worth considering a Bailey comb change.

05/04/2026

Aside from feeding a hungry hive (and briefly seeing your bees), delving deeper into hives is best done after spring has truly arrived.

While the day of the inspection should be warm (at least 15°C) and calm, you should also consider the near-term weather forecast. The last warm day before a lengthy colder period is probably not the day for a major overhaul. Instead, opt for a more restrained, quick, first inspection.

Despite being tempted, watch the forecast and wait for a warmer, sunny, not-too-windy day to do that first springtime inspection — your bees will thank you.

15/02/2026

Here is a very interesting video created by Pete Watt, from the Scottish Borders. We will upload part 2 in the comments. Feel free to ask Pete any questions, if you have any.
*Pete wanted to mention that "with a "coarse filter" then double lint over that, candle quality can be achieved in one operation. Largest block was a good 15 pounds. :)"

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

06/01/2026

Ventilation in winter beehives is crucial, not to cool bees, but to remove moisture from bee respiration, preventing dampness, mould, and chilling that kills colonies.

To manage it, ensure upward airflow through gaps in inner covers, top entrances, or screened bottom boards, while blocking drafts with insulation or windbreaks, balancing airflow with warmth to help keep bees healthy.

Tilt the hive: Position the hive with a slight downward tilt toward the front entrance so any condensation that forms on the inner walls runs down and out, rather than collecting or dripping on the bees.

31/12/2025

Wishing a very happy New Year to everyone, all the best for 2026 from all at Dunfermline and west Fife Beekeepers Association 🎊

20/10/2025

Have you ever thought about becoming a beekeeper?

We are a SCIO(Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation), staffed by fully trained volunteers who give their time for free. Each year, Dunfermline and West Fife Beekeepers Association run 'Introduction to Bees and Beekeeping' courses for those residing mainly within Fife, Kinross-Shire, and Clackmannanshire. The courses are run by experienced beekeepers and cover all aspects of beekeeping.
This is an excellent way to learn about beekeeping and meet others who share your interests. The course includes lectures and practical sessions from January through to April as well as outdoor apiary demonstrations throughout the summer.
Please see the link below if this is something you are interested in, and please also share this post.
Thank you.

Classroom teaching is carried out on 3 Thursday evenings each month January through to March. covering the theory and practice of keeping bees.