Darragh Ennis, better known as The Menace on the popular ITV quiz show The Chase, balances his screen time with a completely different passion when off-air. The 44-year-old Irishman, who joined the lineup of ‘chasers’ on The Chase in April 2020, is also an avid beekeeper—a hobby he shares with fans on TikTok.
Darragh recently gave followers a glimpse into this buzzing world with a TikTok video capturing his first spring bee hive inspection. Decked out in the traditional white beekeeping suit and mesh veil, Darragh narrated the process to his viewers, saying: “Okay so it’s time for my first bee [hive] inspection of the season.” He pointed out the health of his hive, observing: “So my bees are just over here and they’re doing pretty well. There’s lots of flying bees and foraging collecting pollen so the colony seems to be in good shape.”
In preparation for the inspection, Darragh explained the crucial steps involved, starting with setting up a smoker to soothe the bees before handling the hive itself. He went on to describe how his next task was to rearrange the structure of the hive, switching the queen’s location from the top to the bottom for the warmer months.
He stated: “And I do that during the winter time because I want the insects to be on the top because it’s warmer and helps them to stay alive over the winter but I want to switch it around now and have the honey at the top so that’s how you do it during the summer, makes the hive more productive and just it’s better for the hive.” Darragh updated his followers on the latest with his beehive, saying: “Okay, so a very busy colony, they got really annoyed at me there for a bit but I’ve put them back into summer configuration in the hive and I couldn’t see the queen.
“I couldn’t find her but that’s not too unusual. There was babies so somebody’s laying eggs in there. So I’ll come back in a week or two and have another look; they seem to be doing okay.”
Beekeeping is essentially about caring for bees within colonies usually housed in man-made hives, allowing for the collection of honey as well as other products such as beeswax, propolis, pollen, and Royal jelly. On its website, Bee Built offers guidance for those looking to start beekeeping.
Its guide explains: “General maintenance requires periodic inspections during the warm months to make sure your queen is laying eggs, your workers are building up honey stores, and your colony has enough space to expand. In the cold months, the colony clusters and eats through their honey stores, only emerging when the temperature is above freezing to eliminate waste. Inspections are discouraged during this time to keep from releasing precious heat from the hive.”
Several comments have appeared on Darragh’s beekeeping clip on TikTok. One user remarked: “So good to see your bees are doing well. It is very interesting seeing your bee updates. Good luck with them this year.”
Another commented: “Brilliant so pleased for you and of course the bees.” Meanwhile, a curious follower inquired: “Have your bees stung you?”.
Darragh has not responded to the comment, but Bee Built has stated that “all beekeepers get stung at some point.” It further explained: “For example, a bee might end up in the fold of your clothing, go unnoticed, and be unable to get out. Honeybees are mostly very docile, and stinging is a last resort, since once they sting, they die.”