Permacultureglobal.org - the interactive map and database of the Worldwide Permaculture Network

Sailchearnach

Details

Commenced:	01/01/1995
Submitted:	24/05/2012
Last updated:	15/10/2021
Location:	Clogher, Kilfenora, Co. Clare, IE
Climate zone:	Cool Temperate

My Projects

(projects i'm involved in)

Sailchearnach

Kilfenora, IE

Followers

Back to Sailchearnach

The Bees Knees

Project: Sailchearnach

Posted by Ute Bohnsack almost 12 years ago

Our new Warré beehive has finally been populated... twice!

At long last we got a swarm from the old "National" broodbox that had sat empty for several years and had been adopted as its home by a natural (feral?) swarm last year.

This is what we found in one of our apple trees on Monday afternoon, only a few metres from the old hive:

This may or may not be a prime swarm, i.e. with the old mated queen from the other hive.

In the evening we transfered the swarm into the prepared Warré hive (for info on this bee-friendly approach to beekeeping see http://warre.biobees.com/ and http://naturalbeekeeping.com.au/warrebeehives.html).

To our surprise we found another swarm, an afterswarm ("cast"), in the exact same spot on Wednesday. We cobbled together another hive using the two other, as yet spare, Warré boxes, a spare Warré floor and a roof of an unused National hive. Next week it'll get a proper Warré roof.

Both swarms appear to have settled in fine and are working away in between the rain showers of which we had far too many this month. This month has been the wettest June on record, with 6.5 inches of rain, i.e. three times the normal rainfall in our area. And it's cold too ...

Here are the two new hives - the proper Warré with its initial two boxes on the left, the one we cobbled together on the right.

Day 3 in the new hive (video on Flickr): http://www.flickr.com/photos/31018621@N00/7475428574/

We are well chuffed. From one hive to three in 3 days! And so our adventure with sustainable bee-keeping begins.

Comments (4)

You must be logged in to comment.

Claudia Dallek : Good to see the bees are swarming, am waiting for the bees in a neighbour's roof to do the same. But it has been very wet here (West Cork). Did yours swarm regardless of rain or did they wait for an opportune moment?

Posted almost 12 years ago

Alexandra Berendt : Wow the swarm in the tree looks amazing! I know nothing about bees but am looking to do a course in November. I have to admit, though, their behaviour is very intricate and fascinating from what I can see! Can't wait to do the course and hopefully get a hive also!

Posted almost 12 years ago

Ute Bohnsack : @Claudia: It's been very wet here too but I think you guys in Cork got hit even worse last week! The bees did indeed wait for an opportune moment: the first bunch probably swarmed on Sunday 23/6 (I had heard a loud buzz coming from the orchard but couldn't see a swarm - it was probably shortly after that they settled in the tree and stayed overnight). The weather on Sunday was good, overcast but dry and warmish, same on Monday. It was also dry for the second swarm. Today would be a good day - I'd check the vicinity. Yesterday afternoon, during a brief sunny spell, I had the pleasure of seeing the (virgin) queen of Hive #2 return from her mating flight! @Alexandra: Yes, they are absolutely fascinating. We know so much about them and yet we know so little! Here is a wonderful lecture by Prof. Seeley from Cornell Univ. on how swarm bees make collective decisions on where to move set up home. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnnjY823e-w&feature=related

Posted almost 12 years ago

Alexandra Berendt : Thanks! :)

Posted almost 12 years ago

Courses Taught Here!

Project Badges

Administrators

Team Members

(close)

Legend of Badges

Note: The various badges displayed in people profiles are largely honesty-based self-proclamations by the individuals themselves. There are reporting functions users can use if they know of blatant misrepresentation (for both people and projects). Legitimacy, competency and reputation for all people and projects can be evidenced and/or developed through their providing regular updates on permaculture work they’re involved in, before/after photographs, etc. A spirit of objective nurturing of both people and projects through knowledge/encouragement/inspiration/resource sharing is the aim of the Worldwide Permaculture Network.

	Member A member is a permaculturist who has never taken a PDC course. These cannot become PDC teachers. Members may be novice or highly experienced permaculturists or anywhere in between. Watch their updates for evaluation.
	Permaculture Matchmaker One of these badges will show if you select your gender and the "I'm single, looking for a permaculture partner" option in your profile.
	PDC People who claim to have taken a Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) course somewhere in the world.
	PDC Verified People who have entered an email address for the teacher of their PDC course, and have had their PDC status verified by that teacher. Watch their updates for evaluation.
	PRI PDC People who’ve taken a Permaculture Research Institute PDC somewhere in the world.
	PDC Teacher People who claim to teach some version of PDC somewhere in the world.
	PRI Teacher With the exception of the ‘Member’ who has never taken a PDC, all of the above can apply to become a PRI PDC Teacher. PRI PDC Teachers are those who the PRI recognise, through a vetting board, as determined and competent to teach the full 72-hour course as developed by Permaculture founder Bill Mollison – covering all the topics of The Designers’ Manual as well as possible (i.e. not cherry picking only aspects the teacher feels most interested or competent in). Such teachers also commit to focussing on the design science, and not including subjective spiritual/metaphysical elements. The reason these items are not included in the PDC curriculum is because they are “belief” based. Permaculture Design education concerns itself with teaching good design based on strategies and techniques which are scientifically provable. PRI PDC Teachers may be given teaching and/or consultancy offerings as they become available as the network grows.
	Aid Worker The individual with this badge is indicating they are, have, or would like to be involved in permaculture aid work. As such, the individual may or may not have permaculture aid worker experience. Watch their updates for evaluation.
	Consultant The individual with this badge is indicating they are, have, or would like to do paid permaculture design consultancy work. As such, the individual may or may not have permaculture consultancy experience. Watch their updates for evaluation.
	Community Project Community projects are projects that help develop sustainable community interaction and increase localised resiliency.