South coast of Hampshire
Passionate about the bees
I keep around 30 colonies in three apiaries, rear my own queens, and teach beekeepers at every level from my teaching apiary.
⚠ Threat alert
Tropilaelaps: at the gate of your apiary
Tropilaelaps is a parasitic mite of honey bees and a notifiable pest in the UK. It is not here yet, but if it arrives it could do even more damage than varroa, so every beekeeper needs to know what to look for.
Watch this BBKA talk by Maggie Gill of APHA, and report any suspicion straight away to your local bee inspector or the National Bee Unit.
What I do
Teaching and talking about bees
Education & training
Education Officer for my local association. My teaching apiary runs courses at all levels through the season, from first hives to queen rearing.
The Asian hornet
Until recently Hampshire’s Asian Hornet Coordinator. Adviser to the BBKA Asian Hornet Committee and a trustee of the Hampshire Beekeepers Association.
Talks & public speaking
Talks for associations, garden clubs and groups: bees and beekeeping, the Asian hornet, the secret wines of the Loire Valley, and the Falklands War.
Watch
At the apiary
Field exam, recorded at the apiary in June 2026.
The book · Second edition
Fit2Fight: how I learnt to manage the Asian hornet in my apiary
The second edition of my book, a practical guide to managing the Asian hornet, is available on Amazon UK.
News from the apiary
Latest blogs and articles
Presentations
Slides from my talks
Free to view and download: bee biology, swarming, winter preparation, pests and diseases, and the Asian hornet.
Resources
Guides and useful links
Practical guides and references for beekeepers at every stage.
Local Hampshire honey
From my own apiaries on the south coast. New season’s premium honey: just £10 for a 454g jar.
A little about me
From the Loire Valley to the Hampshire coast
I lived in France’s Loire Valley for 23 years before coming to England after marrying Penny Melville-Brown OBE, disability advocate, writer, speaker and the Blind Baker.
News from the apiary, by email
New posts straight to your inbox.
