Copper Bee Apiaries
2014 Copper Bee Apiary established, CB4.
2017 Addition of an out apiary at the Farm for the summer.
2017 All colonies moved to the Orchard.
2018 Colonies moved to our current apiary.
The original Copper Bee Apiary site in CB4, 2014 - 2017
Copper Bee Apiary was founded in summer 2014 by me and a colony of local bees in my back garden in Cambridge city, UK.
The first beehive, the "Cedar Hive", was set up on the so-called gin terrace - the south facing flat roof of our utility room.
Gin terrace with sun shade
Hives (left to right): Disc Hive, Smith Hive, Cedar Hive
Over the next few years the rest of the garden filled up with beehives and the lawn became a wild flower meadow.
The City Beehives
CEDAR HIVE
Established: 2014
Queens: Anne (2014-15); Chance (2015-16); Eve (2016-17); Jasmine (2017); Lois (2017-)
COPPER HIVE
Established: 2016
Queens: Dawn (2016-17); Mab (2017-)
Watching the oxidation of the copper roof over time:
OK, when I started that gallery, I thought it was going to turn green faster.
POND HIVE
Established: 2016
Queens: Felicity (2016-17); Katherine (2017); Nefertiti (2017-)
DISC HIVE
Established: 2016
Queens: Gretchen (2016); Honey (2016-17); Irene (2017)
Arial shot: a bee enters the Disc Hive
Thermosolar hive
Established: 2017
Queens: Nefertiti (2017)
SMITH HIVE
Established: 2015
Queens: Beatrice (2015-16); Eve (2016)
Photograph Album (CB4 city apiary 2014-2017)
See also A Cast Swarm in a Plum Tree, in which I collect a swarm from my long-suffering next door neighbours' garden.
The Farm
The Orchard
In 2017 we left the city, taking 3 colonies on the back of our trailer. The colonies were those of Queen Lois, Queen Mab, and Queen Nefertiti.