Just to confirm that we will have our first apiary meeting of the season on Saturday 20th April, 2-4pm, at our Palmsted Wood apiary.  Hopefully you have already seen the date on our website, or on our Facebook page.

As well as early season inspections of a few weak colonies, we will be demonstrating some or all of the following colony management techniques

• shook swarm or drone brood culling, on a colony that seems badly infested with varroa
• a colony split of a large colony, using the nucleus method
• uniting of two colonies, where one has a poorly laying queen

As usual, please come with clean suits and gloves. Continuing Kent BKA’s policy from 2023, we will ask folks to sign a disclaimer form, acknowledging the (small) risks inherent in beekeeping.

For any newbees, we will show you the principles of opening a beehive, and looking for signs of health, and any swarming preparations.  If you don’t have a suit, we have a small selection from which you can borrow for the afternoon.  We don’t like leather gloves, but kitchen marigolds are fine, as are hospital/surgeons’ gloves.  Wear wellie boots (to keep the bees from your ankles), and preferably avoid woollen/hairy clothing, as bees can get caught up in the fibres. 

Any questions about visiting the apiary, just drop a line to Adrian at chairman@canterburybeekeepers.org.uk