World Bee Day 2020
We are celebrating World Bee Day so I thought I'd share a little bit about how I got started beekeeping as well as a few useful resources.
How I started beekeeping
A few years ago I became familiar with beeswax and it's wonderful uses. Beeswax is a natural wax produced by bees for making honeycomb. This honeycomb stores honey which is also capped (sealed) with a thin layer of wax. Once the honey is removed the wax is cleaned and melted. This beeswax can be used to make many products such as candles, skincare products, beeswax wraps and wax for furniture or leather. After learning about all the great properties of beeswax I became fascinated with everything to do with bees. I had a neighbour who is a beekeeper and he encouraged me to do the beginners beekeeping course. That was two years ago. I got set up with my first hive and a colony of native Irish bees that summer. I got all my beekeeping gear from Donegal Bees, some guidance from local beekeepers and a very useful bee manual!
Photo credit Ruth Connolly
All Ireland Pollinator Plan
At Millbee, sustainability, and biodiversity, particularly our amazing bees are central to what we do. I absolutely love working with beeswax to create our candles, balm, and beeswax wraps, and I love documenting the beautiful nature and wildlife surrounding me. Millbee Studio also joined the Irish Pollinator Plan. The All-Ireland Pollinator Plan is about all of us, from farmers to local authorities, to schools, gardeners, and businesses, coming together to try to create an Ireland where pollinators can survive and thrive. To learn what you can do to help our bees there are lots of great resources on the Irish Pollinator Plan website.
This week is also National Biodiversity Week and you will find lots of useful resources on the Biodiversity Ireland website.
Share Your Bee Photos
We love to see your bee photos so if you would like to be featured in our social media pages simply tag @millbeestudio.
Happy World Bee day!