Honeybee Histories

The Leader of the Hive Part 10 – The Queen Dissected

In the late 17th century, centuries of misconception about the sex of the leader bee was finally solved when Jan Swammerdam examined and dissected a Queen under the microscope.

Bees and Honey in the Ancient Laws of Britain and Ireland Part 2: Putting Bees on Trial!

Some of the most important knowledge we have about beekeeping in the early medieval era comes from the laws that were made to protect and control beekeeping.

Bee Keepers’ Supplies – The A.I. Root Catalgoue and G.L. Tinker

Part 3 of an irregular series about 19th century beekeeping expert and supplier, G.L. Tinker

Bees and Honey in the Ancient Laws of Britain and Ireland Part I: The Laws and their World

Some of the most important knowledge we have about beekeeping in the early medieval era comes from the laws that were made to protect and control beekeeping.

Thomas Hill – Chapter 7 – How bees work with care and diligence

Part 14 in a semi-regular series of essays examining the 1568, A Profitable Instruction of the perfect ordering of Bees, written by Thomas Hill.

Isidore of Seville – A Gateway to the Medieval Drone

One of the earliest medieval descriptions of the Drone (male) honeybee can be found in Isidore of Seville’s Etymologiae. It would be accepted as the true account for centuries.