The Bees have landed at Co-op Live
Co‑op Live is about to get a whole lot buzzier. This summer, two thriving new bee colonies, cared for by master beekeeper Damson from Hive 5, will make their home right here on our site.
With around 50,000 bees in each hive, a blue‑marked queen leading the colony, and an expected 80 jars of honey each year, our canal-side residents will play a vital role in supporting the 2,790 sq metres of nature, filled with trees, shrubs and bulbs that surrounds the venue. From wildflowers to green walls, our Bee Ring biosphere gives them everything they need to forage, pollinate and thrive. Honeybees can forage up to three miles, but with so much nectar and pollen right here on site, they won’t need to travel far. In return, these bees will help strengthen local biodiversity and keep our ecosystem buzzing.
Did you know...
Our Queen is Blue
With one queen per hive, our Co-op Live queen bee is BLUE! As part of the international queen marking system, our beekeeper marks the queens so we can see what year they are. Last year was blue so our queens are a year old and can live up to 5 years. We're buzzing to have them as part of our ecosystem around the venue!
Did you know...
- Bees lay up to 2,000 eggs a day and the 49,999 worker bees keep the hive running.
- They live for about six weeks and take on every job from cleaning to foraging.
- Around 100 male bees whose sole purpose is to mate with the queen.
- Successful drones die after mating; unsuccessful ones are politely…evicted.
Bees communicate through dance
Bees don’t talk, they dance! Through the famous waggle dance, they move in patterns signposting to tell other bees exactly where to find the best nectar and pollen. This behaviour, known as forage fidelity, helps the whole colony work efficiently and keeps our Bee Ring buzzing with activity.
Perfect new additions to our buzzing atmosphere at Co-op Live!
Our Beekeeper
Our bees will be well looked after with Damson, Founder of Hive5, checking in on our bees once a week to help them settle into their new ecosystem.
Hive 5 is a local bee keeping company providing and maintaining bee hives across the city.
You can support bees too!
Whether you’ve got a garden, balcony or just a windowsill, you've got a perfect ecosystem for bees to thrive. Top tip! Plant flowers that bloom from March to October so bees have food throughout the season. They especially love:
- Primrose
- Foxgloves
- Marigolds
- Wildflowers
- Native British species