Bees' Day Out

On Monday 9 April we took a frame of bees with some stores out of one of our hives and slid it very carefully into our observation hive. We then took it along with a Warré hive and various other props to display on our stand at the Ginger Cat Brewery's Spring Fair. It was a typical Spring day, a drop of sunshine, more drops of rain, some clouds, a fair chunk of blue sky...but lots of people braved the weather and turned up to see what was going on. We joined creative and crafty exhibitors to present an interesting mix of activities and things to buy, along with, of course, the delicious home-brewed ales from our hosts, the Ginger Cats themselves!

We thoroughly enjoyed talking to the courageous folk who approached our stand, some slightly nervous at seeing the bees through their glass window, others curious as to what was going on. An observation hive is just as it sounds, a clever box with glass sides into which you can place a frame of bees. There are ventilation holes but otherwise it is a safely sealed container, making it ideal for observing these fascinating insects.

If you missed seeing us and our bees at the Spring Fair, why not sign up for one of our afternoon taster sessions and come and see what all the fuss is about for yourself? All our course dates are now on our website, so don't be shy!


An observation hive is a clever piece of kit, essentially a narrow box with glass sides which holds a Dadant brood frame, ensuring that the bees and comb can be viewed without the need to wear protective clothing.