Dear Beekeeper
A splendid attendance for the April venture outdoors, turned out to be the first good day of a very warm spell. Over 50 present, including 2 new visitors. Please remember mugs this month [Mavis says!] The hot weather kick started bees into activity, rapidly expanding the brood & starting to fill supers. It also brought the rape fields into prominence.
I expected queen cells, but none of mine have made any yet. But we have had some at the apiary, & you will too. Have your equipment [spare boxes, nuc boxes, made up frames, feeders etc ] ready, it should not take you by surprise. Also have in mind how you are to tackle the queen cells – carry out an artificial swarm to avoid increasing your number of colonies; make nucs with the cells; remove the queen into a nuc as an insurance policy.
Don’t do nothing, swarms are a nuisance & worry to the public.
All options need a supply of frames with foundation.
EFB
Those who were at the April meeting learned about the discovery of EFB in Worth on April 30th. The Bee Inspector looked at hives in Eythorne, Folkestone & found a mild case of EFB in Worth. She returned the following week & performed a shook swarm which is doing well. She also learned of some badly neglected hives in the Worth area, & as is her legal right, examined them, found EFB as well as the serious neglect & destroyed them.
So be vigilant when carrying out your weekly inspections!
Exam Success!
7 candidates from DDBKA sat Module 3 in March [Bee diseases & poisoning]. All 7 passed, an excellent result, Polly, Sue, Philip, Jackie, Pat, Rowena & Maggie deserve our congratulations.
The full results will be published in BBKA News later.
Jackie, our Exam Secretary, says the next module sitting is Nov. and then March 2017.
Look on the BBKA website for syllabus details and examples of past exam papers.
Anyone interested could talk with Mary about joining a Study group.
Annual Summer Visit
Our problem over siting a summer visit in July has been solved by Aniela, who generously offered her apiary at Capel for us to come & see. I am very grateful for her kindness.
It is a lovely open area, with plenty of parking.
Drone Marking
All the Bee Associations in Kent took part last weekend in an experimental drone marking session to see how far they travel. Each Association had 2 colours to put on 100 drones’ thoraxes. No easy task!
Well done to Dick, Dougal & Jackie & teams for undertaking such a job.
NOW This is your turn – please report to me any drones you see in your hives which have 2 colours on them & which colours. Then I can collate the info & relay it to Bob Smith whose idea it was!
Will there be any/none? Who knows!
Best wishes
Maggie
A splendid attendance for the April venture outdoors, turned out to be the first good day of a very warm spell. Over 50 present, including 2 new visitors. Please remember mugs this month [Mavis says!] The hot weather kick started bees into activity, rapidly expanding the brood & starting to fill supers. It also brought the rape fields into prominence.
I expected queen cells, but none of mine have made any yet. But we have had some at the apiary, & you will too. Have your equipment [spare boxes, nuc boxes, made up frames, feeders etc ] ready, it should not take you by surprise. Also have in mind how you are to tackle the queen cells – carry out an artificial swarm to avoid increasing your number of colonies; make nucs with the cells; remove the queen into a nuc as an insurance policy.
Don’t do nothing, swarms are a nuisance & worry to the public.
All options need a supply of frames with foundation.
EFB
Those who were at the April meeting learned about the discovery of EFB in Worth on April 30th. The Bee Inspector looked at hives in Eythorne, Folkestone & found a mild case of EFB in Worth. She returned the following week & performed a shook swarm which is doing well. She also learned of some badly neglected hives in the Worth area, & as is her legal right, examined them, found EFB as well as the serious neglect & destroyed them.
So be vigilant when carrying out your weekly inspections!
Exam Success!
7 candidates from DDBKA sat Module 3 in March [Bee diseases & poisoning]. All 7 passed, an excellent result, Polly, Sue, Philip, Jackie, Pat, Rowena & Maggie deserve our congratulations.
The full results will be published in BBKA News later.
Jackie, our Exam Secretary, says the next module sitting is Nov. and then March 2017.
Look on the BBKA website for syllabus details and examples of past exam papers.
Anyone interested could talk with Mary about joining a Study group.
Annual Summer Visit
Our problem over siting a summer visit in July has been solved by Aniela, who generously offered her apiary at Capel for us to come & see. I am very grateful for her kindness.
It is a lovely open area, with plenty of parking.
Drone Marking
All the Bee Associations in Kent took part last weekend in an experimental drone marking session to see how far they travel. Each Association had 2 colours to put on 100 drones’ thoraxes. No easy task!
Well done to Dick, Dougal & Jackie & teams for undertaking such a job.
NOW This is your turn – please report to me any drones you see in your hives which have 2 colours on them & which colours. Then I can collate the info & relay it to Bob Smith whose idea it was!
Will there be any/none? Who knows!
Best wishes
Maggie
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