Author Archives: Jonathan Getty

About Jonathan Getty

Jonathan Getty is a former chair of Belfast & District branch of the Ulster Beekeepers Association which has over 250 members and is a current committee member. He is at least a fourth generation beekeeper in the Getty family. His main beekeeping interest is queen rearing based on our native bee Apis mellifera mellifera. He started up the Belfast Minnowburn queenrearing group in 2012 and is currently involved with a new queenrearing group in Co. Tyrone which started up in 2020. He manages over 100 colonies of his own spread over about a dozen apiary sites in NI. He also rears between 400-500 queens per season using 200 Apideas. Jonathan holds a BSc Hons in Psychology from Queens University Belfast and gained a postgraduate teaching qualification at Stranmillis Training College. He is a fluent Spanish speaker.

Orders for 2017 delivery now closed

Posted on September 9, 2017 by Jonathan Getty

Orders for 2017 have now closed so any queens ordered now will be for June 2018 delivery, weather permitting. I post out queens in the order they have been paid for and I always check first to arrange a suitable … Continue reading →

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bad weather

Posted on August 7, 2017 by Jonathan Getty

I am running about a week later than I planned with posting out queens due to recent poor weather. This week I am posting out orders which came in up to 15th July. If you ordered after that date, I’ll … Continue reading →

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Guidelines for introduction of a queen

Posted on June 19, 2017 by Jonathan Getty

Queen introduction.

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Queens emerging

Posted on June 8, 2017 by Jonathan Getty

Had a nice batch of queens emerge overnight in the incubator.   I mark the virgin queens as soon as they emerge Video – IMG_0268        

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Posting dates for queens June update

Posted on June 7, 2017 by Jonathan Getty

Queens ordered now will most likely be ready some time in the first half of July depending upon the weather . I post out queens in the order they have been paid for and I always check first to arrange … Continue reading →

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Posting dates for queens

Posted on May 21, 2017 by Jonathan Getty

Hi folks I will update posting times here on the website so no need to email re posting times. I did the first grafts on 2nd May and it usually takes 4-5 weeks after that date to have the first … Continue reading →

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Another batch of Apideas to the mating station

Posted on May 18, 2017 by Jonathan Getty

The  drone producing colonies arrived last weekend.

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New mating station

Posted on May 16, 2017 by Jonathan Getty

Set out the first batch of Apideas today at the new mating station It is at a remote location at an altitude of 1000 feet so hopefully not much chance of extraneous drones appearing. I have moved 10 colonies packed … Continue reading →

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Grafting started

Posted on May 8, 2017 by Jonathan Getty

Got some nice cells started last week and transferred them to the incubator at the weekend.

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