As we head to this year's shortest day (21 December) my mind starts to turn to the jobs still waiting to be done before the bees start busying themselves in the spring. It may sound a fair way yet, but with the speed at which this year has gone by, I need to get a wriggle on. So where am I with beekeeping?

Working full-time and carrying out weekly inspections of my 12 colonies during the swarming season is challenging, but by sticking to a rigid routine its helping me to balance both work and beekeeping.

At last, the long cold days are over and we're enjoying the warmth of the spring sunshine. We may be living through Covid-19 lockdown but our honey bees are going about their business as normal. And at this time of year, colonies are increasing in size and the nectar flow has begun in earnest.

When choosing an apiary site, there’s a list of things we need to consider to make sure it fits the criteria for both the bees and the beekeeper. However, when you think you’ve chosen well, along comes Storm Ciara and Storm Dennis and makes you rethink.

This one I've been keeping under wraps for the best part of this year as wasn't sure if it would work, but after months of doing my best not to disturb things, I finally bottled my first attempt at making honey mead.

With my bees now hunkered down in their beehives, weathering out the miserable October weather, what now occupies a beekeeper? There is of course all the equipment to clean and make ready for next spring, which seems ages away. I'll put it off another week.

For some beekeepers, the honey crop seems to be the most important goal of their beekeeping year but for me, I only take any surplus honey leaving a good store of honey for the bees. This year was no exception. While others were taking honey off their colonies in the springtime, I chose to leave their stores. There's good reason for doing this and it's all about the changing climate and helping the bees to get through their year.

This week we've seen a big rise in the temperature and the sun is shining in a glorious blue sky. That's good news for our pollinators and other insects because it means those buds on trees and flowers that have been just on the edge of opening are in full bloom. There's nothing like standing in front of a hive and watching honey bees darting out of the entrance and on their way to reap the benefits.

Three years ago to this day was when I officially became a beekeeper. It hardly seems like yesterday but here I am with five colonies, a couple of nucs raising new queens as well as a couple of beekeeping qualifications along the way. So, how have I been spending the day?

While out walking our dog along the country lanes, a certain whiff in the air caught my nose at the weekend and it's one that you don't easily forget - it was the distinct smell of Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum) growing in the hedgerows. Looking closer, the flowers were covered in honey bees and other insects gathering pollen and nectar as their reward.