Chris makes beeline for unusual teenage hobby

From the archive, first published Sunday 9th Oct 2005.

MOST teenagers spend their spare time playing football or staring at a computer screen, but 15-year-old Chris Wickham gets a real buzz out of his beehive.

Chris, a Year 10 pupil at St Augustine's School, Trow- bridge, tends to four active hives during the summer, producing homemade honey for the new village shop in Steeple Ashton.

Chris's interest in beekeeping began three years ago when a swarm enveloped the family home in Butts Lane, Keevil.

When an inspector from the Melksham & District Beekeeping Association went to remove the bees, mum Suzanne, a keen beekeeper in her own school days, asked whether they could keep them.

She was told they would need to purchase a hive, so the family joined the association and, after six months of intensive training, bought four hives in the spring of 2003.

"I got a small colony of bees for my 14th birthday," said Chris.

"Some people might think that's an unusual present for a teenager but I thought it could be quite lucrative.

"The bees produce lots of honey and this summer we've had two main flows, one in June and one in August."

Where his friends might pick up injuries on the football field, Chris's hobby carries dangers of a different kind.

"I remember the first time I got stung. A bee inspector came to check our hives for disease and the bees flew out and stung me through my jeans ­ apparently they don't like the denim colour," he said.

"Now I wear thick combat trousers and I have an upper body suit for protection.

"I've been stung about seven or eight times but after a while you become immune to it."

Mum Suzanne, 50, who works from home, said she was pleased her son had taken an active interest in one of her favourite hobbies.

"Both my husband Jeremy and I are keen beekeepers and we have our own full-length body suits," she said.

"We will buy one for Chris soon, but for now he'll have to wait because he's still growing.

"We are very pleased Chris is taking an interest in this and want to encourage him as much as we can."

Terry Goley, chairman of the Melksham and District Beekeeping Association, said she was happy to see a young face at the club, which has 69 members.

"Most people associate beekeeping with old pensioners but it can be a fun hobby for people of all ages," he said.

"Chris is by far our youngest member and he is very enthusiastic and always willing to learn. We are currently on the lookout for new members and are especially keen to recruit more youngsters like Chris."

Honey factfile

Bees take nectar from flowers and mix it with enzymes from glands in their mouths.

This nectar/enzyme mix is stored in hexagonal wax honeycomb until the water content has been reduced to 17percent.

The cell is capped over with a thin layer of wax to seal it.

This capping indicates to the beekeeper that the honey can be harvested.

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