beekeeping for beginners course 2018 -...
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BEEKEEPING FOR BEGINNERS COURSE 2018
The first of eleven 2-hour sessions of the Beekeeping for Beginners Course 2018 took place on Sunday 11 March 2018 at the branch teaching apiary at Lee Mill.
Twelve new members have signed up for the course this year and we welcome them into the Plymouth Branch of the Devon Beekeepers’ Association.
They are Brian French, Chris Roch, Claire Law, Gary Mullen, Peter Greene, Ian Staples, Liz Hill, Matthew Elmes, Tim Olssen, Owen Finnie, Heather Weaver Allen and Sean Allen.
Apologies to Sean for obscuring your face in the photograph!
Valerie McAuliffe Education Officer 1
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APRIL
Sunday 8th Beginners Meeting (3) - Valerie & Terry McAuliffe 10 am
Tuesday 10th Committee Meeting at Blindman’s Wood Scout Centre 7 pm
Sunday 15th Improvers Meeting – David Milford Topics: Frame Changes/Shook Swarms/Swarming
10 am
Sunday 22nd Beginners Meeting (4) - Valerie & Terry McAuliffe 10 am
Sunday 29th Apiary Maintenance Morning – all members welcome 10 am MAY (Bank Holidays: Mon 7th + Mon 27th)
Sunday 6th Improvers Meeting – David Milford 10 am
Sunday 13th Beginners Meeting (5) - Valerie & Terry McAuliffe 10 am
Sunday 20th Beginners Meeting (6) – Jean French 10 am
Sunday 27th No Meeting (Bank Holiday Weekend)
JUNE
Sunday 3rd Improvers Meeting – David Milford 10 am
Sunday 10th Beginners Meeting (7) – Martin Hann 10 am
Sunday 17th General Meeting – Jean French 10 am
Sunday 24th Beginners Meeting (8) - Valerie & Terry McAuliffe 10 am JULY
Sunday 1st Improvers Meeting – Tutor tbc 10 am
Sunday 8th Beginners Meeting (9) – Jean French 10 am
Sunday 15th General Meeting – Jean French 10 am
Sunday 22nd Beginners Meeting (10) – Neil Downing-Waite 10 am
Sunday 29th Apiary Maintenance Morning – all members welcome 10 am AUGUST (Bank Holiday: Mon 27th)
Sunday 5th Improvers Meeting – David Milford 10 am
Sunday 12th Beginners Meeting (11) – Patrick Mansfield & Terry McA 10 am
Sunday 19th General Meeting – Jean French 10 am
Sunday 26th No Meeting - Bank Holiday Weekend
SEPTEMBER
Sunday 2nd Improvers Meeting – David Milford 10 am
Sunday 9th Apiary Maintenance Morning – all members welcome 10 am OCTOBER
Tuesday 9th Branch Honey Show, Blindmans Wood Scout Centre Doors open 7pm NOVEMBER
Thursday 15th Branch AGM – Blindmans Wood Scout Centre 7.30 pm DECEMBER
Sunday 9th Branch Christmas Lunch – to be confirmed
Turn left off the A38 at Lee Mill and follow the signs for Tesco
Drive past the Tesco entrance, take next right for Central Avenue on the industrial estate
Drive down the hill of Central Avenue, looking for East Way on your right
Drive along East Way, looking for Cadleigh Close on your left
Drive into Cadleigh Close; the apiary site is behind the big iron gates of the Bandvulc tyre factory
Park inside the gates, walk up the concrete path & the portacabin is on your right
PLYMOUTH BEEKEEPERS’ Apiary Programme 2018
Meetings will be held at the Branch Apiary Site, Lee Mill, Ivybridge unless advised otherwise
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CHAIRMAN’S BLOG
Hello again. After a long damp and cold winter it’s good to be writing the first chairman’s blog of the new season, although at the time of writing (mid-March) the weather is cold and wet, and we have not yet opened our bees. However, as it will be April before you read this, I expect that most of us will by then have carried out our first spring inspection. But do beware: the collective sigh of relief at the realisation that our colonies have come through the winter can quickly turn to sighs of despair if we are not very careful to ensure that every colony has sufficient stores to sustain them through a sudden cold or wet spell. Spring is the season when the brood starts to expand and perhaps it would be a good idea at this time of the year to repeat the mantra “brood needs food.” If the food isn’t there, the brood, and ultimately the colony will die.
And it’s not just sudden cold or wet spells that can bring on colony starvation. The sight of spring flowers and bees visiting them, can make the inexperienced beekeeper think that the bees will now feed themselves. Sadly, in spring this is rarely true. Cold nights limit the hours bees can work. They cannot start until it warms up, sometimes in late morning. Early morning frosts can actually kill the blossoms, so the bees can get no benefit from them. Overcast skies inhibit photosynthesis, and reduce nectar production. Often, the first real nectar flow is several days or even weeks after the first spring flowers appear. It generally takes sustained warm weather, moisture and plenty of sunshine for most flowers to yield nectar. Do remember, if in doubt about the quantity of stores in the frames, feed your bees.
It was good to welcome Plymouth Branch’s 2018 intake of beginners to the Lee Mill apiary classroom on 11 March. We have twelve people who have registered for this year’s Beekeeping for Beginners course and at their very first session they were able to don bee suits and walk among the hives. As it happened, Patrick was putting a feed onto one of the colonies, which resulted in quite a few bees flying around. This was a gentle start to what we all hope will be a rewarding and satisfying learning experience for the newbies, especially when they open hives themselves and handle populated frames. Look elsewhere in this Bee Brief for a picture of this enthusiastic group. Looking county-wide, I have to report the sad news that Graham Jones, Chairman of Holsworthy Branch died on 1st March. Less than one week prior to that, Graham was busy chairing the Holsworthy Spring Convention for beekeepers, always an extremely busy event. He was also a tutor on the Holsworthy Beginners’ Course and a swarm collector so he will be much missed by his branch. I appreciate that many Plymouth members will not have met Graham, but those of you who did know him, most likely those who have been involved at county level at any time, will doubtless be saddened by this news. I have sent condolences on behalf of Plymouth Branch.
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Our teaching apiary at Lee Mill has undergone something of a transformation in recent weeks. After John O’ Connell had raised his concern about the fire risk that our two wooden storage sheds presented, the committee undertook to replace them with a metal storage container as soon as possible. Once again, our apiary management team swung into action, and the branch owes them a big thank you. In particular, I want to thank Allen Blight who took the trouble to track down a second-hand metal unit and, once we had surmounted Elliott’s bureaucracy, arranged for transport of the unit to Lee Mill. Now in position, the unit (a former portable works canteen) makes an ideal fire-resistant store for the apiary equipment and the added bonus is that it is very spacious.
At the time of writing, work is continuing to improve access throughout the apiary and a hard-working team has already completed the laying of weed proof membrane and gravel chippings along the access path to the hives. A huge thank you is owed to Allen and the team of willing volunteers who turned up on the morning of the 21st March to load and transport far too many wheelbarrow loads of chippings to count. The fact that we had so many willing helpers meant that the task was completed in under an hour. Thanks too to Freddie Poole who assembled the new bookcase to give the Branch Library more visibility – and of course to Jean French who made us all much needed refreshments. I hope the editor has enough room in this issue for the photographs I managed to take on that morning. To top all of this off, we have also purchased a set of twenty plastic stacking chairs for the apiary classroom to replace the hard, wooden ones that we have used for years. Feedback from users suggests that they are very comfortable. Until June, All the best,
Terry
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WHY IMPORT QUEENS – A RESPONSE
It is strange that this old chestnut has raised its head again, as it has been discussed
in beekeeping circles for longer than I can remember. It started after the Isle of
Wight disease decimated the UK bee population early in the 19th century, over 100
years ago! Queens were imported from all over Europe and Brother Adam set out on
his quest to rear better queens, using Apis mellifera ligustica, the Italian bee, as the
catalyst.
However, I have been importing queens for a number of years now, having taken
over the role from Henry Morris in Tavistock, who is sadly no longer with us. Also,
contrary to accusations levied against me in the past, I have never forced anyone to
buy my queens. I have beekeepers far more experienced than me who buy up to 25
queens, others who want just one. For many years these came from New Zealand,
but the costs became prohibitive, so I switched to a breeder in Gozo, an island near
Malta.
The easiest way to respond to Mark’s paper is to answer his points in the same
order.
1) It may be against best practice and I was surprised at the DBKA’s resolution. The
problem in the UK is our climate. We cannot breed enough queens in this country to
satisfy demand. In a good summer we may get near it, but 2017 was a very difficult
year for queen rearing. Numerous beekeepers have lost colonies due to inadequate
or late mating.
2) I do not support the importation of package bees, but I see no harm in importing
queens and receiving the checks on arrival. In fact, it was down to me and Martin
Hann that the procedure was changed a couple of years ago, so that the queens,
their attendants and the packaging were all checked on arrival. In addition, I advise
people to destroy the workers before introducing the queen. We had to do this for
imports from “third” countries and the dead workers and their cages were sent to
the NBU. The arrival of the Asian hornet was not down to a beekeeper importing
queens! It is not known how the varroa mite arrived in Britain, but although it was
discovered first in the Torbay branch apiary, (they knew what they were looking for),
within days it was found all along the South coast of England. Its arrival in New
Zealand, with their strict laws, was also a mystery. The small hive beetle is more likely
to arrive in a box of imported fruit or vegetables than in a queen cage. As for the
comment about introducing new pathogens and pests, this can just as easily happen
if queens or nucs are bought sources in the UK! CONT’d
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3) Yes, many of us breed queens and it is not possible to breed pure strains in this
country, unless it is by artificial insemination. There are two problems. We live on an
over- populated island which has a vast variety of honeybees, most of which are
mongrels. The virgin queens mate with drones from all walks of life. Some come
from nasty tempered colonies and pass those genes on. Too many beekeepers leave
nasty colonies alone instead of sorting out the problem. Buying a couple of nucs as
a novice and discovering that they are bad tempered is not the best way to start
beekeeping. Mark’s comment about not being able to breed a pure Ligustica or
Buckfast bee may be true, so why are the black bee enthusiasts stating that they can
breed a pure strain?
4) The argument about not adapting to our climate is rubbish. The Italian bee, A.m.
ligustica, has been exported all over the world! USA 1859, Australia 1862, Finland
1866 and New Zealand 1880 are just a few examples and their climates experience a
lot of extremes! My breeder in Gozo exports thousands of queens annually to
Poland, France, Sweden and Finland as well as the UK. If the queens were not any
good, they would not re-order each year!
5) The importation of quiet tempered, productive queens should be a good thing.
6) I agree with Mark’s comment, but generally it is the genes in drones from nastier
colonies that cause this. Selection is the key.
7) I raise my own queens from my best colonies. I have tried all sorts of bees over
years, not only from New Zealand and Gozo, but also from other sources. Carniolan
bees are great, but swarm at the drop of a hat, the Greek ones were frisky and did
not perform well and A.m.mellifera from Ireland were very disappointing. This is the
“British Black Bee”, which BIBBA is working on. R.O. B. Manley stated in his book,
Beekeeping in Britain, that “a great deal of sentimental stuff has been written about
these bees, but I think that much of it has been dictated more by certain patriotic
obsessions than by consideration of the facts”. This view is fully supported by Clive
de Bruyn in his more recent book, Practical Beekeeping.
In conclusion, I will state what I have always said – there is no such thing as a perfect
queen, but some are better than others! Also, you may be interested to know that
the bees at Buckingham Palace are A.m.Ligustica. I rest my case!
David Milford
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Please don’t forget to share your photos for inclusion in the next issue of Bee Brief. DEADLINE: 31st May 2018
NEW VENUE FOR WINTER MEETINGS
Could members please note that from October 2018 winter meetings will no longer be held at Elburton Village Hall. The new venue for winter meetings, including the AGM and Honey Show, will be The Scout Hall, Blindman’s Wood, 324 Outland Road, PLYMOUTH, PL3 5TB. The new venue is more central, has better parking facilities and a more spacious hall. The committee would like to thank our Honorary President, Bill Finnemore and the Elburton Village Hall Committee for all their help over recent years.
Bees are such important and beautiful insects. And with over 270 species recorded in Britain there are lots of different ones to find. Join the Great British Bee Count this summer for a chance to discover the wonderful world of bees in our gardens, streets and green spaces. Click below to visit the FOE information Friends of the Earth Great British Bee Count
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PLYMOUTH BEEKEEPERS LIBRARY - UPDATE
The branch library books are now much easier to view – the
books are no longer in the plastic crates but on a new
bookshelf unit in the classroom at Lee Mill. Borrowing books
is now so much easier. The same rules apply – you can borrow
books for up to a month, after which they must be returned or
renewed. Failure to return you book will incur a fine of £1 for
each week overdue. Books can be renewed by contacting the
branch librarian, or at the classroom.
Our books cover a comprehensive range of topics including a recently added volume
about the Asian Hornet. For more details and a review of this book see page 99 of the
March edition of BBKA news.
A full list of the books is on the branch website.
If you have a request on a particular topic and would like help to choose the right book
please contact me and I’ll be happy to help.
If you read one of the books and can recommend it (or otherwise) then please let me
have your feedback.
Liz Wallis, Windlestraw, Penquit, Ivybridge PL21 0LU
01752 698384
Link to PBKA Library
www.plymouthbeekeepers.btik.com/LibraryBooks
REQUEST FROM CLAUDE POOL
Does anyone have a heather press I could borrow please?
TEL: 787212 Email: [email protected]
Thanks Claude
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Contact Details – Plymouth Branch
MEMBER ADVERT
Chairman
Terry McAuliffe
219573
Acting Vice Chair
Neil Downing-Waite
309483 [email protected]
Secretary Jean French 338279 [email protected]
Treasurer Bernie Talling 709470 [email protected]
Editor Dawn Clarke 309483 [email protected]
Branch Librarian
Liz Wallis 698384 [email protected]
Apiary Manager
Patrick Mansfield
07887 997764
Social Secretaries
Jean & Steve Russell
215827 [email protected]
DBKA Website - Members Area Password:
If you have forgotten the password, contact Terry McAuliffe or Jean French.
Member Advert
For Sale
Colonies of overwintered Bees £110
6 Frame Nucleuses with first cross Italian Queens ready from
June onward £85.
8+ frame colonies £110
First cross Italian Queens £18 ready from June onwards.
Contact Roger Round.
7 Buena Vista Close, Glenholt, Plymouth PL6 7JH
Telephone 01752 701945
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Thanks to Anne Blight for sharing this item Why spring smelt sweeter in past AS the garden returns to bloom, you may have found yourself lamenting how the scents of spring are not as vivid as they once were.
But while claiming things were better in your day is usually dismissed as nostalgia, it seems flowers really did smell sweeter in the past. A British scientist says pollution, especially from diesel fumes, is damaging the scent of plants in towns and cities and making them harder to detect from a distance. Five of the most common floral aromas in our gardens – lavender, daffodils, roses, snapdragons and lilies – are affected. Nitrogen oxide (NOx), mainly from diesel cars, harms the compounds that create their scents.
The phenomenon of pollution snuffing out floral scents was described in the New Scientist last month, which described how pollinating insects distinguish between plants using the unique bouquet of chemicals they release. Dr Robbie Girling, from the University of Reading who is leading a study on diesel emissions, believes bees’ difficulty in sniffing out flowers may be contributing to their decline. He said: ‘I have spoken to amateur beekeepers in the past who insist during rush hour they cannot smell the flowers in their garden.’ Guy Barter of the Royal Horticultural Society described the study’s findings as ‘concerning’ but ‘not surprising’.
Daily Mail; 17 Mar 2018 By Victoria Allen Science Correspondent
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UPDATE
1. Healthy Bees are Happy Bees by Pam Gregory. The 2nd edition of this
hugely popular book will be in stock soon. Save your money to buy this excellent publication covering health and sickness when it becomes available.
2. The digital downloads of Bee Craft booklets are in the final stages of
production. When these go live, as promised before, I will let you know. If you prefer the printed booklets, we will still be producing the most popular titles in this way for purchase through our online shop and at shows.
3. By now you will have received four hard copy editions of your 2018 subscription to Bee Craft, so how about treating yourself to a couple of Bee Craft binders for just £12.50? Each binder holds a full year’s issues, keeps them in pristine condition and will stand neatly on a bookshelf, looking smarter than a pile of magazines!
4. BBKA Spring Convention. Trade stands will only be there on Saturday 14 April for you to renew your Bee Craft subscription, collect back copies for
your new beekeeper training courses and say hello to us all! This is also your opportunity to top up your frames and foundation in preparation for the beekeeping season ahead.
5. The following Saturday 21 April is the Northern Beekeepers Convention in Newcastle entitled 'Inspiring Northern Beekeepers' with registration via their website.
6. Advance notice of our April Bee Craft Live event on 25th at 8pm when the
topic will be Spring Build Up. Rhodri is looking to have another terrific guest for our May event, so keep your eyes open for further news on this.
I hope you find at least some of the above of interest, but don't forget we also use our Facebook page to pass on even more information we think you might like to know. So check us out there too and please Like our page and follow us. Until next time Wendy and the Bee Craft team
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The Buzz – Honeybees & Beekeeping
US Retail Corporation Files Patent For Autonomous Robot Bees
Like an episode out of Black Mirror, Walmart has filed a patent for autonomous robotic bees, technically called pollination drones that could potentially pollinate crops just like real bees. The drones will carry pollen from one plant to another, using sensors and cameras to detect the locations of the crops.
First spotted by CB Insights, the robot bee patent appears along five other patents for farming drones, including one that would identify pests and another that would monitor crop health.
Read more on the Science Alert website:
www.sciencealert.com/walmart-has-filed-a-patent-for-robot-bees-pollination-drones?perpetual=yes&limitstart=1
The Big Sting: UK beekeepers stung by a spate of hive thefts
Since 2011, hundreds of thousands of bees have been stolen from apiaries across England and Wales. A total of 135 hives have been reported stolen, with West Mercia and Lincolnshire proving hotspots for bee burglaries.
Why are thieves targeting hives? Hayward says there’s big money in it. A good colony is worth about £500 and a few particularly fertile queen bees could bring in up to £180.
Read more on the i News website:
https://inews.co.uk/news/environment/bee-theft-beekeeping-hives-uk-stealing/
Norman Walsh obituary
Norman Walsh, who has died aged 83, won the world cup at the National Honey Show twice with his bell heather honey, from the bees he transported into the Mourne Mountains of Northern Ireland on a custom-built wheelbarrow.
Read his obituary on the Guardian website:
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/feb/19/norman-walsh-obituary
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HEMBURY BEE SUPPLIES
Agents for the main manufacturers We can supply all your
Beekeeping needs Foundation – Hives – Frames - Jars
And many, many more
We can be found at:
John Harler Outer Finches
Hembury Cock Hill, Buckfast, Devon,
TQ11 0HN Tel/Fax: 01364 642517 Mobile: 07769 878476 Email: [email protected] Please Phone before you make a visit