The Syntech Bees Weren’t the Only Things Buzzing This Week!

Happy Friday Friends.

This week marked a personal milestone, my first real step into the world of beekeeping. After months of preparation, endless YouTube tutorials, reading books, watching and driving other seasoned beekeepers mad with questions, it was finally time to move the bees from their nucleus box into their full hive.

Let me tell you, it’s one thing to talk about bees and quite another to stand amidst thousands of them, listening to that low, collective hum as they swarm and settle.

The nucleus box is essentially a small starter colony, and the goal was to transfer them into a larger hive where they’ll have more space to grow and thrive. Sounds straightforward, right?

In practice, it’s a delicate operation that requires a puff of smoke to calm them, a steady hand, a bit of nerve, and a lot of respect for these incredible little creatures. Especially when it’s your first time!

As I lifted each frame and gently placed it into the new hive, I couldn’t help but marvel at the activity. I didn’t see her but it was clear the queen was already laying, the workers were busy building comb, and everything seemed in motion with purpose.

The overwintered nucleus we’d bought from Laurence at Black Mountain Honey was everything he’d promised –  and the colony was thriving.

Despite the nerves, mine, not theirs, it felt deeply rewarding to see them begin to explore their new home. I’ve worked on environmental  and business challenges of all scales throughout my career, but this felt refreshingly immediate.

There’s something powerfully humbling about taking responsibility for a living colony. You realise quite quickly that stewardship isn’t an abstract concept, it’s a real commitment.

As the bees adjusted, so did the weather. What started as a gentle spring surged into something much more intense. While the bees settled into their hive, the weather had plans of its own and what started out as a mild spring week turned rapidly into a burst of early summer.

By midweek we were seeing temperatures in the high twenties, and Thursday soared to a blistering 29°C. That’s well above what we’d normally expect for April, and it didn’t go unnoticed, not by me, nor the bees.

The warm weather certainly accelerated the nectar flow, which is great for foraging, but it also raised some environmental flags. Unseasonal temperature spikes like this one are becoming less of a surprise and more of a pattern.

Whether it’s longer, hotter summers, wetter winters, or increasing weather unpredictability, we’re seeing the effects play out in real time.

So is this week’s heat a symptom of climate change? Or are we just getting lucky with a bit of sunshine? For some, particularly the climate change sceptics, the jury’s still out.

There’s always debate, always someone waiting for absolute certainty before taking action. But to me, the cause is less important than the responsibility. Whether this is a natural anomaly or a warning signal, our duty remains the same.

At Syntech we don’t wait around for consensus before acting responsibly. Our approach has always been rooted in sustainability, not because it’s fashionable, but because it’s necessary.

Responsible behaviour toward the environment is non-negotiable if we’re serious about securing a future for the next generations. That principle doesn’t stop when we clock out, it shapes our personal choices, our hobbies, and even how we care for something as small, yet vital, as a beehive.

This first week of beekeeping has been a gentle, buzzing reminder of why we do what we do. Every bee has its role, its rhythm, and its reason. They don’t question the science, they just get on with the work. Maybe we could learn something from them.

Here’s to the bees, the unexpected heatwave, and the daily choice to protect and preserve the world we live in. Because in the end, it’s not about waiting for certainty, it’s about doing what’s right, regardless.

Until next time, thanks for reading, have a beautiful weekend.

Mike.

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