Apparently, honeybees can recognize human faces

Apparently, honeybees can recognize human faces — they can be trained to distinguish between individual humans by face and continue to recognize them across different viewpoints, despite having a brain smaller than the head of a pin!

https://spacedaily.com/d-honeybees-can-recognize-human-faces-they-can-be-trained-to-distinguish-between-individual-humans-by-face-and-continue-to-recognize-them-across-different-viewpoints-despite-having-a-brain-sm/

From Struggle to Success: One Beekeeper’s Story

For some reason, this story really appeals: beekeeping in Liberia.

https://gnnliberia.com/amp/from-struggle-to-success-one-beekeepers-story/

Dead Bees Still Sting

Published 28 May by Greystone Books https://greystonebooks.com/

“I loved every gorgeously-written and surprising page.”—Sy Montgomery, author of The Soul of an Octopus

“Come for the bees, stay for these beautifully written observations.”—Booklist, STARRED review

“Evocative and lyrical.”—Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dead-Bees-Still-Sting-Nature/dp/1778402011/

The RHS and The King's Foundation Curious Garden

Spot the skep....

Her Royal Highness, The Princess Anne

Princess Anne visits the Deaf Academy, Exmouth https://thedeafacademy.ac.uk/

The visit ended with 12-year-old Eco School representative Ivy presenting The Princess Royal with a jar of Royal Deaf Education Trust honey from the Academy’s own beehives.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/princess-anne-praises-deaf-academy-080400476.html

Sir David Attenborough

The idea that the pollen 'jumps' from flower to bee is cute. Note that when a positively charged bee visits a negatively charged flower and the electric field is neutralised or reduced, the flower doesn't "send a signal;" it's merely that the electric field is neutralised or reduced, which a bee may be able to detect.  Does the lack of negative field from a flower affect bee behaviour? Is the electric field effect strong enough to draw (as in attract) bees to flowers. Odd that Sir D talks about pollen transfer being affected by the electric field, and concludes that the reduced electric field after a bee's visit is a signal about nectar.

Trampoline

Bee swarms choose comedy locations:

Full story here: https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/people/peterborough-family-discovers-huge-bee-swarm-clinging-to-their-trampoline-as-local-beekeepers-offer-advice-on-what-to-do-if-you-find-one-8298611

BBKA Spring Convention 2026

Very enjoyable BBKA Spring Convention 2026 last weekend, with an outstanding array of tutors offering seminars and lectures. Massive thank-you to the organiser, Joyce Nisbet & Team.

Coming up this weekend: The BBKA Spring Convention 2026

Hive & Keeper Honey Club

Here's a really good idea: Hive & Keeper - Extraordinary British Honey and Homewares 

https://www.hiveandkeeper.com/ 

There's a Honey Club, too (details below), plus a shop with more honeys as well as some beautiful products. The hand-carved birch spoons are amazing.

https://www.hiveandkeeper.com/collections/the-collection/products/british-birch-hand-carved-eating-spoon

How the Honey Club works

Our honey subscriptions are perfect for those who enjoy discovering honeys straight from small scale British beekeepers delivered straight to their door. Here's how it works:

• Limited edition British honeys from small scale beekeepers
• Size of jars: 224g / 8oz
• Delivery: Every 1,2,3,4,5 or 6 months, you choose
• Number of jars each delivery: 1, 2, 3 or 4 you choose 
• Free postage and the story of the beekeepers
• We email you information about each honey too.

Red-tailed bumble bees are the bad guys

Fluffy and adorable, red-tailed bumble bees, Bombus lapidarius, are ... flying virus-vectors!

https://phys.org/news/2026-03-red-tailed-bumblebees-key-hosts.html

Credit: Uni Halle / Patrycja Pluta

Pemberley Natural History Books

Came across this bookstore, with its specialist section on bee-keeping: https://www.pemberleybooks.com/subject/bee-keeping/52/

Opening Hours

Customers are welcome to come and view our stock at the Iver shop, however, if there are specific books you wish to see it is advisable to contact us in advance as some stock is held at offsite storage.

• Monday - Friday : 9.30am - 5pm
• Saturday : 11am - 3pm (please ring to confirm we are open)
• Other times by appointment

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Our Contact Details

Pemberley Books
18 Bathurst Walk,
Iver,
Buckinghamshire,
SL0 9AZ,
U.K.

Telephone: +44 (0)1753 631114

West Country Honey Farms Award

Dr Richard Bache, a master beekeeper, National Diploma in beekeeping holder, and practising Somerset GP, has been named the winner of the West Country Honey Farms Award 2026.

Congratulations!

Read more: https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/25933222.somerset-beekeeper-wins-west-country-honey-farms-award/

Bees for Development

Neat piece on Bees for Development here: https://nation.cymru/feature/the-power-of-bees-a-welsh-charitys-global-mission/

Dominica Does It Right

Prime Minister of Dominica, Dr Roosevelt Skerrit, has said that the Dominican Government will build and equip a modern facility to help in areas like production, bottling and packaging of honey.

Sir Keir Rodney Starmer, kindly note...

Bicester-based A & T Hives

We love a good "Beekeepers helping to raise awareness of threats to honeybees" story.

https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/25822951.bicester-business-raising-awareness-threats-bees/

https://www.facebook.com/p/A-T-Hives-100095532187024/

Props to THE IRISH NEWS

Gotta hand it to THE IRISH NEWS for bee-related coverage:

https://www.irishnews.com/life/making-skincare-has-become-my-creative-outlet-how-a-co-down-woman-turned-her-beekeeping-hobby-into-a-thriving-beauty-business-4IGD4WM7OJHRHGXNOYOXRANTRE/

‘The Beekeeper 2’ is on the way...

The Beekeeper 2 is due out in early 2027 

Dirty Gloves Award 2026 - an early contender in Meghan Markle

From Ms Markle's Instagram account:

Amateur beekeeper dies from sting after failing to wear protective gear

Alan Ransom, 55, from Ventnor on the Isle of Wight, died on 15 May 2024. Senior coroner Caroline Sumeray stated the cause of death as hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy and anaphylactic shock, directly resulting from a severe reaction to a bee sting having failed to wear a protective hat.