- 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
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Recent Blog Posts
- ONBG meeting, 1st August 2021 – out-apiaries and TBHs August 7, 2021
- ONBG meeting, July 2021 – Blenheim wild bees July 23, 2021
- Bees at the fete July 11, 2021
- ONBG meeting June 2021 – another Bee Tea at Dee! June 12, 2021
- Drayton beehive on display May 12, 2021
- 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
Tag Archives: Research
New research on natural selection and honey bee health
An interesting paper by heavyweight apiology researchers Professor Peter Neumann and Dr Tjeerd Blacquière is being published in the mainstream, peer reviewed research journal Evolutionary Applications. The paper recommends major changes to beekeeping practises in order to address various health … Continue reading
Posted in Experimentation, Honey bee research, Pests, Publications, Research
Tagged bee health, natural selection, Research, Varroa
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Pesticide-related confusion in pollinators and politicians — by Stirling Conservation Science
By Penelope Whitehorn of Stirling Conservation Science – “I arrived confused about this topic and I will leave as confused as ever.” This was the parting comment from the only MP in the room and not the outcome we were … Continue reading
DWV research – bee samples required
Deformed Wing Virus (DWV), while around for many years, has become a significant problem for honey bees following the rise of varroa mites which facilitate the transferrral of the more virulent form of this pathogen. Several research projects have been … Continue reading
Wisdom from an old beekeeper – especially on varroa
I recently had the pleasure of meeting Ron Hoskins, who has been keeping bees since 1943 (over 70 years!). He has been on the BBKA executive committee, trained lots of new beekeepers, and is well known, firstly, for his conservation … Continue reading
Interesting tidbits
I have finally managed to digest the 53 page document at the core of DEFRA’s public consultation on improving honey bee health. It’s a mass of cross-references, repeated / scattered data and stop-start-in-another-place themes – almost as if they didn’t … Continue reading
Posted in Inspections, Research, Uncategorized
Tagged bee health, Beebase, CCD, chalk brood, consultation, DEFRA, disease, FERA, Research, Varroa Mites
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Zombie flies and why we are lucky to live in the UK
A friend in Washington State, USA sent me a link to an article relating to zombie flies. Actually the flies are decapitating flies because that is apparently what they do to honeybees. However we are seeing an unprecedented rise in invasive … Continue reading
Posted in Ecology, Hives
Tagged Bees, CCD, climate change, fungi, indigenous species, invasive species, milder climate, nature, Parasites, Research, trees, viruses
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Another new pesticide study
In broad agreement with the recent British and French studies, this new study in the US also indicates that the neonicotinid Imidacloprid is a cause of colony collapse: New pesticide link to sudden decline in bee population – The Independent.
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