Winter 2026

The bee's are midway through the winter now. My bee's were fed with fondant this month. Its been quite cold this winter, which makes a change. The current month however is damp and wet, which is not conducive to happy beekeeping. I continue to monitor my hives over the winter, noting number of deaths, and any activity. There have been few cleansing flights spotted so far. ( Quite normal for the low median temperatures we are experiencing, and cold days)

You might now to planning the forthcoming year. You should consider some resilient planting if your garden is to succeed with the oncoming threat of climate change, which is affecting the whole planet and its inhabitants.

Just remember that bee's do not actually need beekeepers. In fact one could argue that beekeepers in reality have caused many problems. Importing bee's into the UK since the 1850's has actually changed the overall genetics of UK bee's, and this will continue to evolve as species cross fertilize. I know a professor who is currently researching this very subject by conducting a two year experiment in the Midlands.

As I only now work with my local colonies, I know the recent history and origin of my Buckfast bee's. Funnily enough the Buckfast bee is a breed of honey bee, a cross of many subspecies and their strains developed by Brother Adam in Germany many years ago. He was in charge of beekeeping from 1919 at Buckfast Abbey in Devon. Breeding of the Buckfast bee is done by me and other breeders throughout Europe.

Good luck with your beekeeping in the forthcoming season, you should be preparing for the Spring now, and if you a competent beekeeper you ought to have undertook a review of last year and studied your records, planning improvements and changes based on what you learned in 2025.

#peterklauza

#beekeeping

#leicesterbeecompany

#ethicalbeekeeping