Dunham Massey's Honeybees


A team of dedicated volunteer beekeepers look after the honeybees that call Dunham Massey home; some of the team have been caring for Dunham’s bees for over 10 years! Over that time Dunham’s bee population has grown from three hives to the eight we have today. Whilst six of the hives live outside of the visitor route in the walled garden, you’ll be able to spot two of the hives in the Rose Garden.
Looking after honeybees is a year-round job as unlike other types of bee; honeybees do not hibernate over the winter months. The beekeepers care for the bees come rain or shine throughout the year.
Did you know?
- Bees don’t fly until they’re around three weeks old and once grown take very little pollen.
- In the height of summer, one colony of bees can contain around 50,000 worker bees, 400 drones and one queen. That’s over 400,000 bees at Dunham!
- Worker bees only live for six-eight weeks.
- A bee will visit 50-100 flowers during one trip.
- Dunham's beekeepers are rarely stung (some have been stung once in 8-10 years!) If a sting does happen the bees start to release a pheromone, alerting the hive to potential danger so the beekeepers smoke the area to dispel the pheromone.

Thank you!
When you stop to smell the flowers in the garden, you help keep Dunham’s bee hives buzzing!