Scottish Bee Boles

Dear Sandy, I hope your article on Scottish bee boles interested readers. I suggest that you mention the website for the IBRA Register of Bee boles which records all those in the UK: www.ibra.org.uk/beeboles. Viewers can visit the site free and can search by county or place name to see individual records and photos.

The publication page on the website mentions an article I wrote in 1988 re bee boles in Scotland. I have recently written about winter bee houses in Scotland; see
"Recesses used by traditional beekeepers in Scotland to protect skeps in winter". Pp. 21–28 in: Vernacular Building 31. Scottish Vernacular Buildings Working Group. 2007–2008 (Edinburgh: SVBWG, 2008).

One point you ought to mention in your article is that almost all bee boles are on private property and owners must be asked for permission for a visit.

I don't know where you got your total figure for Scotland, but the Register now has records for 228 properties with bee boles (and I am investigating others)!

If any of your readers write in about bee boles they know of, I'd be interested to hear, they may be sites I don't know about! (But please don't publish my email address, there are contact details on our website.)

Penny Walker
Voluntary Curator, IBRA Bee Boles Register