HONEYBEES RETURNED to the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin, Dublin, at the weekend with the installation of two hives in the garden’s new apiary.
Piper and president of the Federation of Irish Beekeepers’ Associations Dennis Ryan led a procession on Saturday from the front gates to bring the bees to the walled garden where the apiary has been installed.
Talks on the history of beekeeping, an exhibition of live bees, a honey show, displays of beekeeping equipment, a children’s art competition and a demonstration of how honey is extracted from the honeycomb all took place over the weekend.
Bees’ habitats and ecosystems have come under threat from intensive agriculture, diseases, use of pesticides and the elimination of hedgerows. Tillage farmers have been urged to spray crops after 6pm when the threat to bee colonies would be greatly reduced.
