Online Apps

There is quite a collection of beekeeping tools on the Internet so here is a selection of some of the best that you may find interesting and useful for your beekeeping.  
Hive Tracks is a good example of these internet tools. The site allows you to create an account for free and keep your apiary check data in a controlled format. Although built for US beekeepers, it has a fairly portable user interface that would suit beekeepers in the UK too. Well worth having a look at the demo. 
BeeTight has a similar application to Hive Tracks, but it also can be used as a Smart Phone App, so easier to take out to the apiary and use on site.  It even allows you to create barcodes so you can scan your hives to get to the information you need. 
BKeeping is another option for storing information about your hives. It is an Australian born application and is interesting to see what they do differently to the American applications. Mybeehives is another one! If you like the idea of these, take a look at them all before committing to the insertion of all your data. Many, like this one, are free too, where others will charge you for the service if you have more than a few hives. I have to admit to preferring to use a spreadsheet tool myself because I have total control over what information to store and display, and my information about by hives is not stored by a third party, so less secure. 
Beekeeping.com have a few useful internet tools, like the translation of beekeeping terms, which is interesting! More of their tools and gadgets at this link. 
DEFRA have a good site that is called BeeBase and it provides lots of information which is UK centric. It also encourages you to enter information about your hives so that DEFRA can understand more about the beekeepers in the UK, to help them help us. 
If you like using Internet forums then the Beekeepers Forum is worth a visit. It is very well populated with beekeepers from all over the world, so you can be assured of many different (probably contradictory) answers to your questions!

Beekeeping Podcasts

Podcasts are audio files which can be downloaded onto phones, laptops and audio devices like music files. There are thousands to choose from and cover hundreds and hundreds of different subjects - even beekeeping. They are cheap to produce and anyone can produce them, which leads to a variety of quality and reliability. So this is a guide to the genre for those who want to try the best of what is available. The vast majority are based in America, but still can include masses of good information for any beekeepers even if they are outside of America.

Podcasts are wonderful to listen to when you are busy in the garden, workshop or apiary; you can absorb a whole host of (usually) free information and not have to dedicate time to having to read it on the internet or in a book. 

I have been trying out a number of beekeeping podcasts as there seemed to be many out there. There is quite a mix and most of them are from beekeepers in the USA. Some are traditional, some advocate organic or 'natural' beekeeping, some are pretty political, but most are just beekeepers trying to share their experiences to help others. This post lists the ones worthy of comment in my opinion and describes each one. All of these are free to download.

There are a number of things I look for before I recommend a podcaster. The content needs to be good quality and relevant, something that actually shares information of use to the listener; many are just ramblings about what their apiaries are doing and it's ok to have a little of that, but it's not enough on it's own. I also look for a podcaster that has regularity and reliability, in other words someone that did not try podcasting for a few episodes and then got bored with the idea. Finally I look for good quality production and sound. The first four here I highly recommend you start with.

The Barefoot Beekeeper - Phil Chandler has presented the only British podcasting beekeeper since 2010. Phil is a top bar hive enthusiast and promotes strongly the natural beekeeping methods. He is also a campaigner for beekeeping. Even if you don't agree with what he thinks, this is a high quality podcast covering some very interesting subjects like propolis. Phil does a lot of teaching and has a determined style, he covers difficult and politically sensitive subjects and the podcast is certainly worth listening to in its entirety. Phil Chandler presents the philosophy, practices and politics that are well documented in his website. It is still current and it's worth a listen if only to understand what he feels is 'Natural Beekeeping' using top bar hives. I find these (usually 45 minute) podcasts really interesting, but his strong views against other forms of beekeeping might offend some of the traditional beekeepers out there. Recommend you give it a try though, at least the first couple of episodes.

Pragmatic Beekeeping with the SOMD Beekeeper - Craig Yerdon presents a very good podcast which has been running since 2009 and is still producing episodes. Craig is a 'natural' beekeeper who likes to avoid using chemicals on his bees. He has interviewed a number of prominent US beekeepers, like Michael Bush, on very interesting subjects and this podcast is very much recommended. He has a friendly, positive nature, but inquiring and determined, which makes for an entertaining and enjoyable podcast. He attempts to keep his bees as organically as possible and discusses the practicality of this at length in a few interviews too. There is a surprisingly good production quality on these home-made podcasts. Typically about an hour long for each episode and highly recommended.

The Beekeeper's Corner Podcast - Kevin Inglin is another US podcaster. Kevin has put a lot of effort into his podcast since he started in April 2010 and 'casts on a regular basis. He talks about many subjects like swarming and pests, mixes up episodes with local hive updates and really makes the podcast feel like a high quality programme. Kevin is also a very funny guy which makes his episodes very enjoyable to listen to as well as hugely informative. Typically an hour long each, Kevin shares his experiences as a 'Backyard Beekeeper'. Although the format is very informal, he is amiable and amusing as he describes his experiences with honesty and in useful detail. Like the other American podcasts, it is the similarities to UK beekeeping rather than the differences that are interesting and make you realise - they are all bees! These are regular folks, fascinated by honey bees and beekeeping and trying to do their bit to learn how to best look after these creatures. Kevin is engaging and fun to listen to for beginners as well as more experienced beekeepers and continues to podcast on a regular basis to date. Check out his website too.

Kiwimana Buzz Podcast - This podcast is presented by a couple from New Zealand who run a beekeeping business. They are regular 'casters and some of their episodes are very informative, although they do get off the subject now and then which can be funny. They have some great guests quite often though and it is very interesting to hear about beekeeping on their side of the planet. Recommended you give these guys a go. As a New Zealand based site with beekeepers from that area giving their advice on beekeeping, their views on beekeeping politics etc. may not always be relevant to you, but it is interesting. It's a great podcast, well recorded and clear to listen to. It is good to hear an alternative to the American podcasts, getting good advice from the other side of the world (from me, anyway!). You can see from their website that they are suppliers of beekeeping kit, but that is not the point of the podcast - it is clearly a national advice podcast, most of which is relevant to all of us. Well worth a try and totally free.

Those are by far the best available and every podcast they have produced is worth listening to. There are others out there too and have individual episodes worth listening too, if not the whole set. Here are some examples.

The Honey Bee Man - Through 2007 this American podcaster released 16 episodes of about 10 minutes each, focusing on very specific beekeeping subjects like protective clothing. Unfortunately he did not continue beyond these 16 episodes, but what is here is worth a listen to, especially for a beginner beekeeper. Mark is a traditional amateur beekeeper with an enthusiastic style. Intermediate beekeepers are likely to benefit from hearing how someone else does things though, and at ten minutes a go, you are not investing much time. 

The Wildlife Pro Network Beekeeping Podcast - Not a punchy title, but this is another American podcast that ran from 2009 to the end of 2011 and then seems to have died away, although their website is still active. Lengthy episodes are spoilt for me by a consistently poor recording quality which, frankly, started to give me a headache - a shame as there is a lot of good quality information in the podcasts which I intend to persevere with over time. Interesting though that there is some more detail about the commercial beekeeping side of our community on this podcast, with interviews that give insight into beekeeping as a profession rather than a hobby. Get some good earphones and give it a go.

Studio Bee Live - Dave and Sheri present this podcast as a couple who run their own beekeeping business. Another American podcast which has been running since 2009, although no podcasts this year yet. Maybe it is a consequence of couples presenting these shows together, but these guys really ramble off the subject and it is more like listening to them having a chat rather than presenting the topic at hand in a economical fashion, but they are easy going and you may well like their style. From Long Lane Honey Farms they have been podcasting now and then about different beekeeping subjects. Each episode is just under an hour and the production quality is very good. You do have to accept that type of informal style they have and they do get around to talking about bees eventually and there is a lot of good information based on their experiences with the usual issues like preparing for Winter and defending against pests. Try out an episode and see if you like their style; if so check out their website too, although I doubt they deliver to the UK!

There are other beekeeping podcasts out there, but most did not last long, some only releasing a handful of episodes before not bothering again, like the Suburban Beekeeper Podcast from 2010 who never really talks about anything other than local hive reports. It is a pity there are not more British beekeepers releasing podcasts of their experiences, as it is a great way to get to beginners and show them it's ok to make mistakes, we all do it, it's ok to ask silly questions, smoke yourself in your own suit, get stung, drop a frame, not find your queen, trip over the hive roof and everything else that makes you think 'maybe this is not for me' - it's a learning experience over a lifetime and worth persevering. Maybe I should give podcasting a go? 

iPhone Apps for Beekeepers

I have an iPhone and there seems to be an App for everything - but beekeeping? Here are some I have had a look at which might interest you. I have not included any that are games - these are all supposed to be educational and instructive...

Biobees - £1.79 from Wizzard Media - Brought to you from the people that put together the barefoot beekeeper podcasts and related website. They are very good and contain we lot of useful information, but do focus on the top bar method of keeping bees. The App has little to offer over the podcasts and website, to be honest, so in my opinion an ok App for top bar hive users, and even then with little long term use unless they provide some serious updates to expand the material. The money goes to a good cause though, so that's a bonus. Check out their website first to see if you like that; if you do, then the app will probably suit you.

RATING: Good.

Beekeeping Guide - £1.79 from PTAJ Marketing - As the other reviews on iTunes point out, this claims a lot but does not deliver; it's an unattractive app with text about beekeeping, but no more, not even any pictures and certainly no high value content like video, audio or interactive graphics. I believe it's a waste of money. The other apps reviewed here have more content, are better laid out and are cheaper!

Mysteries of Bee Keeping

RATING: Poor.

Mysteries of Bee Keeping Explained - £0.59 from DMBC - This is basically an American text book provided in app format. It has a very attractive front page picture of a cyber-style bee, but that is the only picture in the book that I found so far. However, for 59p, this is not a bad buy; it's an American text, so the language and the seasonal references might be a bit off for the non-American purchasers, but this is still a lot of information for 59p. It's also well split up into chapters and subchapters, so it's easy to quickly get to the information you want at any one time. Better to get the free version on iBooks though! Especially as this one seems to be a bit cut down from the original on iBooks and the Andrews UK Ltd version below.

RATING: Average.

Honeybees!

Honeybees! - £1.19 from Smiley Cat LLC - One of the best in terms of pictures; great full colour shots throughout the app, but the content is pretty light and certainly for absolute beginners only. The content within this app could easily be picked up from the internet for nothing and it offers very little help and advice for anyone that actually keeps bees; it's more for people interested in bees but don't intend to have any of their own.

RATING: Poor.

Bee Keeping - Learn how to keep bees successfully - £0.59 from AppWarrior - Impressive title and a very low price, but another to avoid, to be honest. This claims to be an eBook, but there is a disappointing amount of content in the text, would probably amount to no more than 30 pages of a real book. Once again, there are no pictures at all in the app, making it an unlikely aid to helping any beekeepers out there. Not bad if you want to learn a bit more about bees than Honeybees! gives you, but the lack of pictures earns it a low rating from me.

RATING: Poor.

Mysteries of BK M Quimby

Mysteries of Bee Keeping Explained by M Quimby - £0.59 from Andrews UK Ltd - Not to be mixed up with the Mysteries of Bee Keeping Explained provided by DBMC, although it is the same book! This seems to be a more complete version of that book which actually has a huge amount of content (claims the eBook has 720 pages) and lots of useful, if not somewhat dated, advice. It also lets you bookmark pages you want to refer to later. For 59p, its cheap and it even has some pictures, although they are line drawings and there are not many of them. However, if you use the free iBooks app (see below) you can download it for free.

RATING: Good - but get it on iBooks for free (see below).

Honey Health Free! - £free from mmajdi - This is less of a bee keepers app, more an app that explains where honey comes from, what it can be used for, etc. The user interface is a bit clunky and over elaborate in some areas, but there is useful content in here. Remember it is free, so worth downloading and trying out to go through it and see if you think it is worth keeping; I liked the remedies section, laid out alphabetically, although the data was limiting. The beauty section looked like a bit of an afterthought, but could give you inspiration to look on the internet for more information. For free, it's worth a try.

Honey Health Free!

RATING: Average.

Bee Sounds - £0.59 from Elastic Ventures - Seriously? This app claims to  provide 9 sounds that bees make, so you can play them as a 'bee lover'. There is no claim that this will help bee keepers, nor do they explain what the bee sounds mean, so all in all, even for 59p, an terrible waste of time and money for a bee keeper.

RATING: Laughable.

Bee Encyclopedia - £0.59 from Nellvii - A very slick looking product that has great colour photographs and could have been a really useful app, if it had much more content. This is a missed opportunity, to go to all that trouble and create something that looks this good, then put virtually no content in there at all? There is such a tiny amount of information in here, it is far from encyclopedic.

RATING: Poor.

iBooks - £free from Apple Inc. - A quick mention for this great app, especially seeing as so many of the 'true' apps reviewed above turned out to be no more than eBooks anyway. iBooks is a great way to get to lots of free titles (modern titles will need to be bought, please note). These include, if you look for them, some bee keeping volumes, like Langstroths 'The Hive and the Honey Bee', which you can download onto your iPhone in seconds. Also worth downloading for free using this app are 'an Introduction to Natural Beekeeping' and 'Mysteries of Bee Keeping Explained by M Quimby'.

RATING: Very Good.

Prices were right at time of writing and may change. 

Hot Bees and How Bees See Flowers

If you didn't see the BBC programme this week 'Richard Hammond's Invisible Worlds', then you might still be able see it on the BBC iPlayer (more here too). It was very interesting as it brought up two new facts for me. One was that there are special bees in each colony that are 'heater' bees which help keep the brood warm. They have to be fed extra food as they burn so much energy. They were picked up with thermal cameras and there is great footage in the programme; here is a screen shot that shows two of these heater bees amongst the other bees in the colony.

The other point raised (and illustrated very well) was the way that bees see flowers as opposed to how we see them. This bindweed flower looks totally white to us, but to the bees, they see this pattern and it leads them to the nectar.