My journey into beekeeping began over fifteen years ago while I was teaching biology. What started as a desire to better understand honey bees and share that understanding with students — soon became something much bigger.
Beekeeping moved from the occasional classroom lesson to a thriving after-school bee club, and eventually onto the formal timetable as a Scottish National Progression Award (GCSE level equivalent). I also had the privilege of supporting other schools in developing their own beekeeping programmes and qualifications. Watching young people work with living colonies — asking sharp questions, challenging assumptions, and learning to observe carefully — remains one of the most rewarding parts of my teaching career. Today, my work continues from my own apiary in the Scottish Borders.
My apiary is on our 4 acre flower farm/small holding, which provides a rich and varied foraging environment for the bees. The apiary is located on the right of the image. At the heart of the site is my dedicated bee house. This controlled space allows for detailed study and consistent monitoring throughout the season.
The three AZ hives provide a controlled space, designed specifically for observation, learning, and research into colony dynamics and hive debris.
The inspiration for Bottom Up Beekeeping came directly from working alongside students. During one session, while we were counting Varroa mites on an inspection board, their attention drifted away from the mites themselves to everything else in the debris. “What’s that?” “Why is this here?” “Does this mean something?” Those questions changed the direction of my work.
What we often sweep away from the hive floor tells a story — about brood cycles, forage, pest pressure, behaviour, and the hidden rhythms of colony life. That moment at school sparked a deeper fascination with hive debris as a source of insight, and it continues to shape my approach today.