Telling the bees

Have you ever heard of the practice of "telling the bees?" Many will have seen the recent headlines of the Royal Beekeeper telling the Buckingham Palace bees about the Queen's death and I would imagine many local honey producers across the New Forest would have done exactly the same this weekend. 

This is an age-old tradition that has been practiced for centuries in many cultures around the world. In essence, it involves treating bees like family members and keeping them up to date on the goings-on in your life. While this may sound like a quaint custom, there is actually scientific evidence to suggest that it can have a positive impact on bee health and honey production. Let's take a closer look at why this practice is still relevant today.

The scientific evidence

A study published in 2012 found that beekeepers who had established close relationships with their bees produced significantly more honey than those who did not. The study's authors believe that this is because the act of talking to the bees encourages them to feel more secure and relaxed, which allows them to better focus on honey production.

In addition, another study found that bee colonies are more likely to survive if they are kept by beekeepers who frequently interact with them. This is likely because the beekeepers are more likely to notice early signs of trouble and take corrective action accordingly. 

So, how do you go about telling the bees?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question; it really depends on the culture and tradition you were raised in. However, some common practices include burning sage or sweetgrass near the hive, speaking kindly to the bees, and sharing important news (such as births, deaths, and marriages) with them.

While it may seem like a silly tradition to some, there is actually scientific evidence to suggest that telling the bees can have a positive impact on their health and honey production. If you are a beekeeper, why not give it a try? It certainly couldn't hurt, and you may be surprised at the results!

The Best Local Honey 

I tell the bees lots of things throughout the year and I know that yields are good and they continue to produce some of the best local honey in the New Forest. The Ringwood Honey is quite simply gorgeous and the New Forest Honey perfectly encapsulates the taste of the New Forest.  I'm not 100% sure if there's cause and correlation here and I don't know if it's coincidence, science or just superstition.  But I do like the notion of "telling the bees" and I do think bees are clever and we are yet to fully understand them.