The Approach
The ethos of our approach is centred on the belief that the health of our bees is paramount. They are critical to so many aspects of the environment, not simply providing a financial benefit through pollination.
The bee has survived on the planet for 100 million years and yet it's survival has been placed in danger in a mere 100 years. Most of the stresses placed upon the honeybee are a direct result of human greed.
The Cornish Black Bee Company is determined to ensure the health of their bees. There are many ways in which we maximise health and minimise stress to the colonies. We strive to continually improve our beekeeping practices and policies, by carefully observing the bees behaviour and respecting their decision making abilities.
As a result, we;
- breed and work with local bees, best suited to the conditions.
- do not import bees (nor associated pests, mites and diseases!).
- leave excess honey with each colony to help maximise their health.
- do not feed sugar water or fondant to our bees.
- leave our bees in the same location throughout the year. Transportation and vibration is a key cause of stress to bees.
- do not use smoke on the bees. Smoke does not "calm" bees, it panics them and increases levels of stress.
- avoid the use of wax foundation in the brood area of the hive. Foundation may be tainted with chemicals, is incorrectly over-sized and also prevents the bees from attaining their desired ratio of drones and workers.
- do not mark queens, clip their wings nor replace them with younger more prolific queens after 2 years.
We are happy to accept lower honey yields if it means our bees are healthier. If you have any questions about the approach, then please contact us.
The bee has survived on the planet for 100 million years and yet it's survival has been placed in danger in a mere 100 years. Most of the stresses placed upon the honeybee are a direct result of human greed.
The Cornish Black Bee Company is determined to ensure the health of their bees. There are many ways in which we maximise health and minimise stress to the colonies. We strive to continually improve our beekeeping practices and policies, by carefully observing the bees behaviour and respecting their decision making abilities.
As a result, we;
- breed and work with local bees, best suited to the conditions.
- do not import bees (nor associated pests, mites and diseases!).
- leave excess honey with each colony to help maximise their health.
- do not feed sugar water or fondant to our bees.
- leave our bees in the same location throughout the year. Transportation and vibration is a key cause of stress to bees.
- do not use smoke on the bees. Smoke does not "calm" bees, it panics them and increases levels of stress.
- avoid the use of wax foundation in the brood area of the hive. Foundation may be tainted with chemicals, is incorrectly over-sized and also prevents the bees from attaining their desired ratio of drones and workers.
- do not mark queens, clip their wings nor replace them with younger more prolific queens after 2 years.
We are happy to accept lower honey yields if it means our bees are healthier. If you have any questions about the approach, then please contact us.
