Pollinating the City

Using our resident honey bees as a learning tool, a group of six local people came together to explore the world of both managed and wild pollinators, their essential role in keeping the city colourful, productive, and ecologically healthy, and the plants that support them in urban environments. Under the guidance of Rebecca Teare, London Beekeepers Association Coordinator, the group learned that while our bees do produce honey, the sessions were to be focused on understanding pollinators and biodiversity rather than commercial beekeeping – with honey as a pleasant by-product.

The programme covered topics including bee biology, colony structure, pollination, hive components, flight paths and orientation, queen behaviour and swarming, responsible beekeeping practices, bee health and diseases, threats such as the Asian and yellow-legged hornets, and planting for pollinators. Practical activities included learning how to smoke colonies before inspection, recognising signs of agitation, drawing the first honey of the year (in frames rather than extracted), building frames, applying disease treatments, and maintaining records.

With the final session taking place in October, Postcode Gardening will continue supporting the group in 2026 through mentoring and by funding their basic beekeeping certificates, preparing them to take over from Rebecca in managing the hives.