Manchester - urban beekeepers + a city working with nature
Written by Emma KajiyamaPhotos by Emma Kajiyama
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| A beautiful tribute to those who lost their lives in the Manchester attack. There are 22 bees to represent each victim. The bee is also the symbol of Manchester. |
Bees evolved
100 millions of years ago in comparison to our relatively recent arrival a few
hundred thousand years ago. Beekeeping followed, and even the Ancient Egyptians
were drawn to the practise as evident from the pots of honey that have been found
in the tombs of pharaohs.
Humans are hugely
reliant on pollinators (such as the honeybee, solitary bees, bumblebees and
butterflies) for crop pollination. Unfortunately global land-use has changed dramatically,
resulting in drastic losses of vital natural habitats and reduced overall
biodiversity. A major factor has been the changes in farming practises, where
the expansion of monocultures and increased use of pesticides have had a negative
impact on wildlife.
The role of beekeepers
is a fascinating one. They ensure that diseases are kept in check which helps
to reduce the risk of them spreading to other pollinators, especially those in
the wild. The position also comes with the privilege of learning about these
insects who have complex social structures and are capable of forming beautiful
patterns in their hives like the honeycomb. It can also help us understand how
we can reduce the decline of other species of bees such as the bumblebee or
solitary bees.
Having had
very little experience with bees, I set off with slight trepidation as I collected
my first sample. The destination was Blackley golf course, north of the city
centre. It was a case of learning by experience as the poor beekeeper tried
valiantly to capture 30 bees in the insufficiently tiny sample tubes I had
brought. I also had my first lesson in bee behaviour, where after standing too
close to the hives I was rapidly chased around the golf course to the complete
astonishment and amusement of the golfers.
The stings did not deter me from my collections and thankfully I have
not been stung again!
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| As a beginner, these books are excellent. |
Learning
from those lessons I quickly bought larger containers which proved successful
in the trips that followed. Each bee collection has been immensely enjoyable, and
I have really loved meeting all the beekeepers, each with their own story of
why and how they started. I have visited busy allotments dotted around Greater
Manchester and beautiful wildlife gardens. One beekeeping couple have
transformed their front garden into a lovely flowering haven for wildlife, with
their hive and a pond which had recently seen the spawning of frogs.
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| A lovely beekeeper in Sale gave me some fresh honeycomb as a keepsake. The texture is a bit like gum or it can be melted into cooking. |
Another
garden in Heaton Moor was transformed from a large field that was once used as
a football pitch into a charming garden straight out of a fairy-tale. Vibrant
blooming blossoms tumbled over walls and archways. A pond, fruit and veg
patches were all obviously carefully tended and an orchard, chatty chickens and
beehives completed this magical outlook. It felt like we had stepped into
another world, a far cry from the urban sprawl and grey tarmac just minutes
away.
Manchester
city centre led me to explore the roof of the Printworks – a covered area which
had seen a much younger me stumbling out of their nightclubs. But on this particular
sunny day, armed with my containers, I was led by the chaplain of Manchester cathedral
who was also their beekeeper, to the hives at the top of the Printworks. Volunteers
had helped to create a wildlife garden and a comical looking scarecrow stood guard
watching over the busy bees flying from flower to flower.
I also took samples from
the roofs of Manchester cathedrals 6 hives. Balancing containers full of angry
bees in one arm was no mean feat and holding onto a rope with the other, I cautiously
descended the steep and narrow stone staircase back down to the chaplain’s
office. I made sure I packed the bees away quickly as the chaplain who shared
the office was deathly afraid of bees!
On my way to
these collections I have noticed pockets of wildlife that have been carefully
thought out and planted by people who are trying to make Manchester a greener
city. I think they are succeeding because as cities go, this one seems to
becoming more environmentally friendly each time I come back. It’s quite apt
that the symbol for Manchester is the worker bee, representing the Mancunians
hardworking nature but also the evident efforts to work with nature. Manchester
has a way to go to become a truly sustainable city but it is definitely going
in the right direction and it makes my heart glad to see it.
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| A wonderful initiative by Incredible Edible Manchester - spotted as I walked along from Fallowfield to Levenshulme. |
For anyone
interested in bees, there is currently an exhibition ‘After the bees’ on at
Manchester museum (3rd floor) on urban beekeeping by artist Megan
Powell. It is on until the 1st of July:
I have also found Stewart Spinks of 'The Norfolk Honey Company' to be a great help - his Youtube videos on beekeeping are very helpful and he has very kindly advised me on all sorts of bee-related questions:
