When it comes to sustainable and efficient beekeeping, few approaches are as thoughtful – or as locally grounded – as that of Irish beekeeper Colm O’Neill. His philosophy combines scientific observation, traditional wisdom, and an unwavering focus on continual improvement.
Listening to the Bees
Colm O’Neill began beekeeping as a child under the guidance of his father, but credits his greatest lessons to the bees themselves. “By listening to what the bees tell you,” he explained, “you learn what you’re doing right – and where you need to correct your mistakes.”
That philosophy shapes every part of his management system. O’Neill’s colonies are made up exclusively of native honey bees, carefully selected and bred for their adaptation to local conditions. The result? Bees that thrive in Ireland’s variable climate and forage conditions without the need for imported genetics.
What “Production” Really Means
When O’Neill talks about maximising production, he’s not referring to honey alone. His operation produces multiple outputs:
- Run honey (his main commercial crop)
- Comb honey, though only in small batches for special requests
- Queens, specifically native Amm queens
- Drones and worker bees, which support breeding and honey production
- Nucleus colonies (nucs), many of which are overwintered and sold in spring
Each of these is interconnected. His colonies are not just honey producers—they are the foundation of a sustainable, self-supporting beekeeping system.
Core Management Principles
O’Neill’s approach is built on a few core principles that underpin his entire operation:
- Keep strong, healthy colonies of locally adapted bees.
Weather, not genetics, is the main determinant of annual yield. - Maximise population before and during nectar flow.
“More brood means more bees, and more bees mean more production.” - Continually improve through queen selection.
Each generation should outperform the last in health, productivity, and temperament. - Maintain detailed records.
Every inspection is recorded and scored, allowing him to identify and propagate his top-performing colonies. - Minimise swarming through smart management.
His system ensures queens always have ample space to lay, greatly reducing swarm pressure.
Double Brood Box System: The Heart of O’Neill’s Success
O’Neill runs National hives, each with two deep brood boxes – the lower box for the queen and the upper for expansion. This configuration provides 24 frames of brood space and allows for population explosions without triggering swarming.
Here’s how it works:
- Once the lower brood box reaches seven or eight frames of brood, he moves one or two sealed brood frames up above the queen excluder.
- These are placed between two frames of stores (usually ivy honey) to help retain warmth.
- New drawn comb replaces the moved frames, always placed outside the brood nest, never splitting it.
This method encourages constant renewal of brood combs, maintains massive populations (16–18 frames of brood in peak season), and allows for ongoing selection of the most vigorous colonies.
The Benefits
- Reduced swarming thanks to ample laying space
- Healthier colonies through annual comb rotation (removing disease reservoirs)
- Stronger populations capable of larger honey crops
- Simplified management – only two extra frames inspected weekly despite double boxes
By mid-summer, O’Neill’s colonies can exceed 80,000 bees – far beyond the 50,000 often cited in textbooks. That’s the workforce behind his exceptional production.
Turning Colonies into “Brood Factories”
O’Neill refers to certain hives as brood factories – colonies managed specifically to produce frames of ready-to-emerge brood. These are used to:
- Boost honey production colonies
- Support queen-rearing starter and finisher hives
- Populate mating nucs without sacrificing honey yields
By rotating brood between colonies, O’Neill maintains a constant influx of young bees – keeping populations dynamic, productive, and swarm-resistant.
Queen and Drone Rearing Strategy
Every year, O’Neill breeds queens only from his best-performing colonies, using detailed inspection records to identify superior genetics. Equally crucial is his drone management strategy.
Rather than allowing poor-performing colonies to contribute genetically, he uses them as “maternity wards.” Frames of sealed drone brood from top colonies are transferred into lower-performing colonies to hatch. This ensures the drones in the area carry only elite genetics while keeping poor colonies occupied and less likely to raise inferior drones themselves.
Comb Renewal and Wax Production
A vital part of his system is annual comb replacement. Roughly half of all brood combs are replaced each year. Old, dark combs are melted down, producing substantial amounts of clean beeswax – often enough to exchange for new foundation, eliminating the cost entirely.
Sustainable Varroa Management
O’Neill avoids chemical treatments, relying on drone brood removal in spring and oxalic acid sublimation in winter when colonies are broodless. Regular inspections for deformities or visible mites determine which colonies receive treatment. His integrated pest management approach maintains healthy colonies without contaminating honey or wax.
Feeding and Overwintering
Rather than relying heavily on sugar syrup, O’Neill prefers his bees to overwinter on their own honey, especially ivy and heather. For emergencies, stored frames of honey are reintroduced into colonies. Queen excluders are removed for winter, allowing the cluster to move freely as it consumes stores.
The Maths Behind Productivity
By continually adding frames of emerging brood, O’Neill dramatically alters colony demographics. More young bees become available for foraging sooner, leading to exponential increases in honey yield. His calculations show how even adding two frames of brood weekly can double the number of foragers within weeks – translating directly to more nectar collected and more honey stored.
Why Native Bees Matter
O’Neill’s success hinges on his dedication to Apis mellifera mellifera. Native bees:
- Forage at lower temperatures
- Are frugal with stores
- Overwinter more efficiently
- Have evolved with local flora and weather patterns
By working with these traits instead of against them, O’Neill achieves both high production and long-term sustainability.
Final Thoughts: Beekeeping That Listens and Learns
Colm O’Neill’s system is a masterclass in adaptive, data-driven beekeeping rooted in local ecology. His integration of queen selection, brood management, and natural genetics shows that high productivity doesn’t require imported stock or chemical dependence – it requires observation, consistency, and respect for the bees’ natural instincts.
As he summed up during his talk:
“Keep strong colonies of native bees, give them space, keep good records, and let the bees teach you. They’ll show you what works – if you listen.”