The Students' Union Bees
We are sad to report that unfortunately our SU bee colony was not strong enough in numbers to survive the prolonged cold snap in March. 2012 was a very bad year for beekeeping and this is a problem that has affected even the hives of established beekeepers. We are sad our bees didn't make it but it goes to show how difficult things are for bees in recent times, and we are determined to keep doing our bit to help.
- We are going to buy 2 replacement colonies, arriving in June. Having 2 colonies will mean we have an "insurance policy"- if one colony is looking weak going into winter, they can be combined into one strong colony.
- In the meantime, look out for our Spring Into Nature wildflower giveaway, Students' Union Plaza Stall 4, Monday 29th April. Plant them in your garden to do your bit to help bees in Sheffield.
If you have any questions about the project? Email Tim, the Students' Union Environmental Coordinator, at greenstudentsunion@sheffield.ac.uk
Bee Videos
Here are some bee videos that we like:
"Every city needs healthy honey bees" - view the TED talk
Bee fact - bees dance! A bee does the "waggle dance" to tell its fellow bees how far away and what direction the good quality nectar is. See the waggle dance in action
What about honey?
In a year or so it could lead to jars of Sheffield SU honey! However, the priority is nurturing and developing the colony, a boost to this vital species which pollinates 1/3 of our food crops globally.
Q: Who takes care of the bees?
A: It could be you! Calum and Alan from the University's Grounds Maintenance Team and Tim the Students' Union Environmental Coordinator will be taking care of the bees and giving student and staff volunteers regular chances to see them. They've all just recently picked up beekeeping and are really keen to pass on all the interesting things they've learned to Sheffield students.
We really want to encourage more Sheffield students - you guys - to get directly involved with taking care of the beehive.
If you're a Sheffield University student who is really interested in learning more about these fascinating, vital creatures, and you're keen to get some hands-on involvement with taking care of our bees get in touch. Email Tim at greenstudentsunion@sheffield.ac.uk to find out more, and if you like we can put you on the shortlist for funded student beekeeper training in Spring 2014 (Feb-May 2014).
We would love to see "Bee Soc" on the list of new society applications! Make it happen!
I'd like to help bees but not keep bees - what can I do?
Plant some wildlflowers in your garden! We'll be giving some out for free around Spring Into Nature week- plus we're running a competition with 30 chances to win lovely honey-based prizes- just send us a photo of you planting your wildlflower seeds!
How do I go about planting wildflower seeds?
We like this wildflower tips video from the wildlifegardenfilm channel.
