Articles

This is Ecrotek’s basic glossary of common beekeeping terms – from bee types and bee behaviour to hive types and equipment.

Ecrotek explains how to identify the different queen cells, and what they can tell you about your hive.

The idea of a bee swarm is pretty alarming to most people. We imagine a horde of aggressive bees crawling over us and covering us with stings – scary stuff. But in reality, swarming is natural bee behaviour, and in this state bees are usually fairly docile and harmless. As summer approaches, it’s good to know what to do about swarms without hurting the bees – or yourself.

How to tell when your bees need more space – and why it’s so important

​​​Honey is a high-value product, so if your bees are producing a lot, it makes sense to think about selling the excess. But it’s not quite as simple as jarring it up and taking it down to your local market. Because honey is a natural, ‘wholesome’ product, people tend to forget that it does have risks, and that food safety requirements apply. Making sure your honey is suitable for sale involves a number of different tests, to find out what test you need to be doing check out our guide on to honey testing.

Learn how to set up your first beehive, fill it with bees and manage your first week of beekeeping – from Ecrotek.

Why are lots of bees flying around the front of your hive? Ecrotek has tips on what it could be and when to take action.

If your bees seem unusually aggressive, Ecrotek explains why it might be happening – and what you can do about it.

Get to know your queen bee and why she’s important. Learn how she mates, manages her colony and lives her lifecycle – from Ecrotek.