Hebribees Honey

30/08/2026

🐝 NUC SALES ARE NOW OPEN! 🐝

We’re now taking deposits for our 2027 nucleus colonies, raised here on the Isle of Lewis.

Our Buckfast bees are well aapted to life in the Hebrides, and we’re delighted to be able to offer locally available colonies to beekeepers from right here on Lewis!

📅 Available June 2027
📍 Collection on the Isle of Lewis
🐝 Deposits now being taken

If you’re thinking about starting beekeeping or expanding your apiary, get in touch or find out more at https://croft5.scot/hebri-bees-for-sale/

26/08/2026

Did you know we also offer a wild camping experience here at Croft 5? Stay wild, stay with us!

https://www.hipcamp.com/en-GB/land/scotland-isle-of-lewis-croft-5-exclusive-wilderness-camp-r57hvxmp?adults=1&children=0

18/08/2026

"It Ain’t Over ’til It’s Over"

Check out the latest beekeeping blog article, published here:

https://croft5.scot/beekeeping-update-august-2026/

It Ain’t Over ’til It’s Over Whilst the beekeeping season is over for most of the UK, Scotland and the Isle of Lewis have a later start and so a later finish, extended further by the late blooms of heather. The droughts and heatwaves that are making the headlines in England and Wales haven't a...

13/08/2026

The bees weren't bothered by the eclipse last-night but something is in the air this-morning. You'll want to turn he volume up for this one!

Hive 2 looking strong 💪

Hardy Hebridean Buckfast bees working the heather hard in the run-up to winter 🐝🐝🐝

07/08/2026

Despite the miserable weather our bees are out and doing their best!

Hardy Hebri-Bees 😆

01/08/2026

A busy day in the apiary today, with Hive 1 making a comeback!

01/08/2026

Whilst the beekeeping season is over for most of the UK, Scotland and the Isle of Lewis have a later start and so a later finish.

The droughts and heatwaves haven't affected the island and so the nectar is flowing and the pollen still coming in.

The "Angelica" has flowered in the apiary this week and the bees are enjoying foraging on it. We have a good mix of sunshine and showers, and so the heather is coming into bloom now as well.

Some good news:

Hive 1 has made a strong recovery and has been busy foraging today! It looks like hive 2 is following a similar path.

As mentioned in the last blog post, there won't be any honey for sale this year but there is exciting news to come on the bee front...
..if you are interested in becoming a beekeeper here on the Isle of Lewis I would recommend subscribing to my blog where all will be revealed!

https://croft5.scot/category/beekeeping-updates-and-articles/

21/07/2026

July's Beekeping Update has made the blog.

With new bees, sad news, and a warmer spell of weather. Read more here:

https://croft5.scot/beekeeping-update-july-2026/

Bees in Transit If you read the previous beekeeping blog you’ll know that June was especially difficult, and despite the welcomed warmer and drier weather, July had an equally deadly sting in its' tail. I had ordered a nuc last year, for this season, and so booked a ferry for a day trip off-island...

20/06/2026

Things took a rapid turn for the worst here at the apiary as the "June Gap" and robbing bees demonstrated how fragile beekeeping in the Outer Hebrides really is.

Read more in the latest blog post https://croft5.scot/beekeeping-update-june-2026/

Robbing B'ees It has been a difficult time for the bees and the beekeeper here on the Isle of Lewis.The average temperature for the last 30 days has been around 11-12°C and it has felt generally cool. It's hard to think that tomorrow is the longest day and only this week I had the lights

07/06/2026

I don't want to be one of those who post "updates" for the sake of posting updates, but it has been over a month!

So what's going on at the apiary? Nothing. Update over. 😅

Looking at our weather station you can see why. The last 30 days has averaged 10.8'C. It's been generally cloudy, with a light breeze.

https://app.weathercloud.net/d8658646311

The bees are out and foraging, but not in any great numbers. There are new bees and brood and pollen and nectar is coming in, but they are not expanding at any great rate.

Why would they? The weathers not exactly favourable for expansion!

There is a mixture of coloured pollen coming in though and wildflowers are appearing across Croft 5 and Uig. There are also signs of tree pollen and Rowan is one of the more obvious; the flowers are a welcomed sight, as is the creamy coloured pollen visible on the bees at the entrance.

Today's brief inspection was to determine the honey in the supers and if there's still space for the bees. There is some honey but they are not at risk of running out of space.

I am not doing weekly inspections as I don't see any risk of swarming and don't want to disturb the bees just because I want to have a look. I've heard from more experienced beekeepers on the mainland who think that this year is going to be a short honey season. We shall see, it's different again here in the Outer Hebridees. We already have a shorter season than further South

Seeing how slow the bees are to expand half way into the year I wonder if they know far more about the season than we do...

In other news, fencing around the apiary has started in preparation for the arrival of sheep on Croft 5 later in the year!