Dan Basterfield - Handling Skills

Yesterday evening, Master beekeeper and examiner Dan Basterfield delivered an engaging and practical session on handling skill. Drawing on decades of experience, Dan focused on the core techniques that make hive inspections calm, efficient and safe. He demonstrated effective use of smoke to settle bees, careful manipulation of frames, and best practice for clipping and marking queens.

He emphasised minimal intervention and gentle handling, explaining how to use smoke before and during inspections and hive tools to break propolis seals and move frames without damage to bees or comb. Dan also discussed different inspection approaches, including quick tilt of brood boxes to check for queen cells.

A lively discussion followed, with members asking questions and sharing experiences. While views differed on how much smoke to use, the overall message was clear: there is no single right way to manage bees, but preferred methods that suit individual beekeepers and their colonies.

Joel Mannix