Bee sponsorship – Eshcon is buzzing!

Everybody loves bees, don’t they? We know how important they are for pollinating key plants and flowers. But, they are vulnerable, affected by our highly impactful lifestyles, use of pesticides and spreading urbanisation.

Beehive sponsor

I am pleased to sponsor a beehive with SW Honey Farms.

Set up by Stuart Weekes in 2019 with 10 hives, SW Honey Farms is still growing. Their apiaries are located on the south coast in West Sussex from Worthing to Chichester.

Stuart contacted me to offer the chance of sponsorship and I was intrigued. The idea certainly reflects my own environmental aspirations and I’m also pleased to support a local micro-business.

If you’re interested in adopting your own hive – check out their website, which also has a shop for goodies.

As a welcome gift I received a package of beeswax candles and two jars of delicious honey… these will go down very well in my family.

 

Bees in the garden

We love bees close to home too, with bee friendly planting in our garden. We have rhododendron and azalea plants that come out in May, roses in June and lavender in July.

I love sitting in the garden listening to the wildlife – the vibrant singing of the birds and of course the buzzing of the bees.

It’s great to spot different types of bee. Check out the bee identification chart from the Sussex Wildlife Trust.

Did you know there are 24 different species of bumblebee in the UK? How about these other bee fun facts…

– Bumblebees can beat their wings up to 11,400 times a minute.

– Bumblebees are capable of travelling over a mile from their nest in order to find food.

– Bumblebees have smelly feet! After visiting to feed on a flower they leave behind a chemical scent, which informs other individuals that the nectar has already been taken from that flower.