- ONBG (OxNatBees) is an informal mutual support network for beginners and experienced beeks who aspire to practise bee-centric, low intervention, and chemical-free beekeeping in Oxfordshire. To join the group and share ideas, questions, information and experiences, please use this site's Contact Us form.
Next ONBG Meeting
Sunday 19th July 3-5PM, Oxford
Twitter: @OxNatBees
-
Recent Blog Posts
- Lockdown winter projects February 27, 2021
- Book review: Treatment Free Beekeeping, by David Heaf February 9, 2021
- Horizontal hive types January 17, 2021
- Bees Without Borders: conference report November 23, 2020
- Winter is coming November 7, 2020
- Winter survival surveys show ‘treatment-free’ works August 5, 2020
- ONBG meeting, July 2020: a Bee Tea at Dee Cottage July 20, 2020
- Book Review – Interviews with Beekeepers by Steve Donohoe July 1, 2020
- Look up during lockdown May 1, 2020
- Preparing for swarm season April 4, 2020
- Covid-19: evolution in action March 31, 2020
- A new hive design: the Drayton hive February 27, 2020
- Victorian Twitterstorms February 4, 2020
- Top Bar Hives, warts and all January 4, 2020
- ONBG meeting, October 2019: Hive envy! November 9, 2019
- Convergent theories September 17, 2019
- Learning from the Bees, Berlin – bees au naturel! September 11, 2019
- ONBG+ meeting, August 2019: insulation, cavity size, Golden Hives August 19, 2019
- ONBG meeting, July 2019 – what makes a good hive? July 25, 2019
- At the village fete June 30, 2019
Category Archives: Apiary visits
ONBG meeting, July 2020: a Bee Tea at Dee Cottage
This was the first ONBG gathering this year as our normal annual cycle of events was interrupted by lockdown. Our last meeting was in October last year! Precautions were taken: access to handwash, masks, social distancing, everyone took their own … Continue reading
ONBG meeting, October 2019: Hive envy!
17 folk converged on a north Oxfordshire village to share lunch, view some stunning and unusual hives, discuss When Honey Goes Wrong, and view the feral colonies round the village. Well, that was the plan. The schedule was instantly junked … Continue reading
Posted in Apiary visits, Experimentation, Hives, Honey, Meetings, ONBG, Warré, Wax
Tagged Cork, Eco Tree Hive, Einraumbeute, Feral, Ferals bees, Golden Hive, Honey, JustBeeEcoHives, Roseland Hex hive, Tree hive, Wild bees
1 Comment
Convergent theories
A potential problem with a natural beekeeping group is: members never talk to conventional beekeepers. So 14 of us visited a large (80 hive) commercial apiary… with a twist. It’s run by the Swindon Honeybee Conservation Group, headed by Ron … Continue reading
Posted in Apiary visits, Experimentation, Honey bee research, ONBG, Pests, Research
Tagged breeding, hygienic bees, Ron Hoskins, Swindon, Varroa
Leave a comment
ONBG+ meeting, August 2019: insulation, cavity size, Golden Hives
The Oxfordshire group invited members from the neighbouring Hampshire and Wye Valley natural beekeeping groups to join us for a joint meeting at Gareth’s apiary – 34 people from 7 counties converged for the session. These annual co-events allow for … Continue reading
Posted in Apiary visits, Event, Experimentation, Hives, Honey bee research, Meetings, ONBG, Research
Tagged Cork, Einraumbeute, Golden Hive, Insulation, Torben Schiffer
2 Comments
ONBG meeting, July 2019 – what makes a good hive?
19 of us converged on the beautiful village of Long Crendon to discuss and admire a variety of hives built by Eric. This led to a wide ranging discussion of a plethora of hive types and their tradeoffs. Background – … Continue reading
Posted in Apiary visits, Hives, Meetings, ONBG, TBH, Warré
Tagged Chimney, copper, forage, Hemp, rewilding, TBH, Torben Schiffer, Warré
Leave a comment
ONBG meeting, 6th April 2019 – TBHs
15 of us converged at Zuzana’s to see her Top Bar Hive, and particularly how to move bars around an occupied hive to make room for the nest to expand. This is necessary in large, established colonies in this type … Continue reading
ONBG meeting, 22nd Sept 2018 – hive hacks and natural selection
16 beekeepers clustered at Gareth’s house (warm and dry) and his experimental apiary (damp and chilly) to discuss bees and eat cake. Gareth, who’s kept bees since at least the 1970’s, recounted experiences from the recent Learning for the Bees … Continue reading
Posted in Apiary visits, Experimentation, Hives, Honey, Honey bee research, Local lore, Meetings, Pests, Stings, Warré
Tagged Cork, Einraumbeute, entrance, Golden Hive, Posture, Wasps
2 Comments