Hive How-To’s

Essential UK beekeeping guides from Jurassic Bees — practical, seasonal, and proven in our own apiaries.

Step-by-step advice from Jurassic Bees — covering hive care, Varroa control, queen management, and seasonal preparation for British beekeepers.

Honey bee with visible Varroa mite

When to Treat for Varroa (UK)

Timing, triggers and treatments — plan effective, brood-aware control in British conditions.

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Preparing bees for winter in the UK

Preparing Bees for Winter (UK Guide)

Step-by-step UK timing for feeding, Varroa control, insulation, and final checks to raise strong winter bees.

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Essential beekeeping tools: hive tool, smoker, and protective gear

Essential Beekeeping Tools (UK Starter Kit)

Must-have hive tool, smoker, suits, and extras — what to buy first and why.

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Close-up of a mated Carniolan queen bee used to check hive queen status

How to Check if Your Hive is Queenless (UK)

Spot the signs of a queenless colony, use the test-frame method, and learn when and how to introduce a new queen safely.

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Two healthy beehives used to build self-sufficiency in year one

Become Self-Sufficient in Year 1

Run two hives, make splits, and confidently introduce or raise queens — a step-by-step plan to protect your investment.

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Flow Hive nuc installation

Set Up a Flow Hive Nuc

From installation to first inspections — start a Flow Hive the right way.

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Beekeeping Tools & Calculators

Handy online calculators and planning tools to support your beekeeping — designed for UK conditions and tested in our own apiaries.

Sugar syrup calculator for feeding bees

Sugar Syrup Calculator

Work out 1:1 or 2:1 syrup ratios — plus how much sugar and water you’ll need for any batch size.

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Queen rearing calendar tool with key dates and Gantt view

Queen Rearing Calendar Tool

Select the eggs-laid date and see all key queen-rearing dates in a simple Gantt view, with .ics calendar export.

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Honey jar calculator tool

Honey Jar Calculator

Convert jar sizes into honey weight — plan how many jars you’ll fill from your harvest.

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