I make skeps to order from either wheat or oat straw or a native Irish grass known as Purple Moor Grass or Molinia caerulea. Click here for more on Purple Moor Grass.
Or click here for instructions how to make your own
Four Bee Skeps, small domed grass, small domed oaten straw, two swarm skeps
All skeps are bound with rattan lapping cane (which comes in the post) or local blackberry (Rubus fruticosus). If it’s blackberry you want, I’ll have to go out there and cut it from the hedges in winter then peel it,split it, de-pith it and strop it. Don’t get me wrong – I’m happy to go out and do that for you but it’s all much more time consuming and as you well know – time is money!
Traditional domed skep. purple moor grass with split blackberry binding
Purple moor grass swarm skep
Skeps take between 8 and 12 hours to make depending on size. Swarm skeps are traditionally 13-14″ in diameter and 10-11″ deep. This one below was a special for a window display but you could pick up a cast in it too.
Miniature (5.5″x5.5″) grass and rattan skep suitable for casts or shop window displays
This is my sun hive which is currently home to a very large colony of native Irish bees:
Click here for more about the sun hive including how to make one.
Sun Hive
Prices vary depending on size and postage. For further info or to order a skep click here.
For Skep History article click here. Or for instructions how make your own skep here.