The past president of Fife Beekeepers Association, Robert Baird Simpson, has died aged 74.

* By Craig McManamon
* Published in the Courier : 15.07.10
* Published online : 15.07.10 @ 05.22pm

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Born in Crail in 1936, Mr Simpson worked in the St Andrews area as a nursery man and gardener.

This was a private venture before getting a job at St Andrews University's grounds department.

He went on to work with Fife Council at Cairngreen near Cupar before retiring due to ill health in the early 1980s.

At a young age, Mr Simpson displayed a keen interest in bees, having got his first hive when he was seven.

From that point on he developed a passion for the creatures, and at one stage had more than 60 hives.

The hobby grew to a more serious level when he started an agency for beekeeping equipment called Flower of May Apiaries.

Along with his wife Joan, Mr Simpson promoted beekeeping and its products to the public.

The couple had a stand at several agricultural shows throughout central Scotland and the borders.

Over a number of years Mr Simpson carried out numerous talks and displays at schools, guilds and other organisations.

He also demonstrated to beekeeping associations across the country spanning from Wick to the borders and from Oban to St Andrews.

He was a lifelong member of the Fife Beekeepers Association and a long-standing member of the Scottish Beekeeping Association, serving several years on its committee.

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http://youtu.be/LFtcD8zWwK4

is to a link about beekeeping at our place. A stronger hive attacked our weaker hive for its honey and pollen...many bees were killed and slaughtered defending and attacking the hive. It was heartbreaking to see that unfolf.

DeeBee,
So, a stronger hive is robbing its neighboring, weaker hive? Why does that happen, a typical "survival of the fittest" type deal? How can this be prevented, other than narrowing the hole that is?

Dee, I had no idea this sort of thing happens. Though it is heartbreaking to see the deaths of the bees, I thank you for sharing.

And I wonder, as Jabber did, how can this be prevented? Why does it happen? Etc?

How terrible Dee do you habve to start over or do you still have some bees left? Here in Vegas the Killer Bees attack the Honey bees hives and destroy everything from what I read in our newspaper.Some exterminators are always destroying the hives of the Killer bees because they are so dangerous.

Not killer bees...honey bees do this a lot from what James tell us...James is a beekeeper we found when a tree next to our was cut down and found to be full of bees. Honey bees only want to do one thing...be left in peace to manufacture honey to feed their hive. The sad thing is this is mine and Larry's fault. We had removed some frames that had hive beetles in them along with a frame of honey...it was left uncovered and the hive next to the weaker hive found it and that got them started. Then Larry removed from beetles from a couple of the frames returned to the hive which meant honey dripped down onto the floor of the hive and that attracted the neighboring bees, too. We didn't know this of course or we would not have done it...we're still learning. Makes me heartsick knowing this. But, leading into fall weaker hives will get attacked for their honey by other bees so it's just how nature works. We just helped it along and didn't know it.
We're going to go into the hive when Larry's home this weekend and clean up the hive...we're certain the queen was killed and the hive is so weak now (decreased numbers) that there's no way they'll survive the winter months.
Yesterday while I was filming the bees a pretty young bee landed on my glove and allowed me to watch her prune herself...who would have known that these tiny little creatures would captivate me in such a way that I would cry watching them do what nature geared them to do. A good friend of mine said it yesterday....'nature is beautiful and sad.' Thanks for letting me get this off my chest, ya'll.

DeeBee,
The way you refer to Bees is amazing to me. I'd never refer to
a bee as being "pretty." But each to her own!!!

LOLOL....Only a beekeeper, I think, could refer to them as such...LOL.

We haven't talked here about bees and the benefits of honey for quite awhile, so I hope that means that Dee's bees are all well and happy.

I just came across this article by Dr. Mercola that indicates honey is a great way to heal wounds.

Found it fascinating, so I thought I'd share. I'm not familiar with Manuka honey, but I'm delighted to read that he says any RAW honey is effective here...

All I know is when I get a sore throat, a spoonful of honey soothes the pain and clears up the ailment. I'll tell Deebee to check this out! Thanks Anne.