Last Saturday Juliet and I rode over to Knockaloe for the Royal Manx Agricultural Show. Having given the Southern Show a full go, we weren’t involved in working this time, so called in at the Beekeepers tent as visitors, rather than workers.
I was drawn over to speak to a young man I’d not previously met, Alfie Leech, standing besides his wax candles; he told me all his honey was sold.
Having had the pleasure of meeting Alfie’s grandfather Richard
and been treated to a royal tea by mother Belinda on one of Roger Patterson’s visits, it was a pleasure to meet Alfie.
When I asked Alfie what he was doing – other than geology at Uni – he told me he was involved with Richard and the bee morphometry, and that they are considering queen instrumental insemination (II).
Indeed; having no idea how you went about this, I consulted my oracle, Mr Google, who led me to the totally fascinating website of Tom and Suki Glenn, Glenn Apiaries. If you wish to learn a bit about this absorbing practice, or lots else about beekeeping, do enjoy the learned writings of Tom Glenn.
Or watch a short video of Tom involved in his II.
I’m hoping to have a guest post from Alfie sometime in the not too distant future!
