The bees are back in our wooden observation hive at Cliffe Castle for the new season.

A glorious autumn day at Cliffe Castle was the perfect setting for our honey show as part of the Museum's annual Apple Day event. Our...

Congratulations to young visitors Lilly and Joe, both aged 9 years, who suggested the name that was chosen for our new queen of 2024. She...

2024 Cliffe Castle Bee Blog #18 If you visit Cliffe Castle now, and any time before the Easter school holidays 2025, I’m afraid you will...

2024 Cliffe Castle Bee Blog #17 Anthony and I checked the bees this morning (2nd September), the last inspection before they go to their...

Lee and I were joined by Caroline, from the National Bee Unit team*, when we completed our weekly check today. Caroline was visiting to...

After a glitch last week that prevented us from completing an inspection, Steve and I visited this morning to find our new queen has...

2024 Cliffe Castle Bee Blog #14   I’m very pleased to say, that after another, long, 3 weeks of waiting Lee and I spotted our latest new...

2024 Cliffe Castle Bee Blog # 13 Oh dear! Today’s inspection found that our new queen had left the hive in a swarm. She had laid up an...

2024 Cliffe Castle Bee Blog #12 On Monday 1st July, guest Observation Hive Team member, Mike Latham, kindly stood in for Lee, who was...

2024: Cliffe Castle Bee Blog #11 Steve and I went back to the Observation Hive this morning to provide the bees with material from which...

2024: Cliffe Castle Bee Blog #10 Sadly, the poor weather we are experiencing this “summer” must have affected our new queen managing to...

2024 Cliffe Castle Bee Blog #9 We had a good inspection on Spring Bank Holiday Monday. Steve and I checked the bees for the first time in...

2024 Cliffe Castle Bee Blog #8 On 12 May, Mike and I went back to check for any new queen cells raised by the bees since 6 May in the...

2024 Cliffe Castle Bee Blog #7 Mike and I found charged, but damaged, queen cells on the bottom of one frame and some cells on other...

2024 Cliffe Castle Bee Blog #6 Steve and I checked the bees at the Observation Hive this morning and found them developing apace. We now...

2024 Cliffe Castle Bee Blog #5 Luckily the weather held this morning, as Anthony, our newest team member, and I completed the inspection...

2024 Cliffe Castle Bee Blog #4 Given the weather forecast, we decided to give the Observation Hive bees a break today. They have space...

2024 Cliffe Castle Bee Blog #3 Mike and I completed the first check on the Cliffe Castle colony on Monday 8 April. Not the best of days,...

2024 Cliffe Castle Bee Blog #2 Ruby Wax and her daughters have returned to the Cliffe Castle Observation Hive for the new season, just in...