Apiary meeting, 26th April 2-4pm

Mark Hobday has invited the branch to visit his apiary in Chilham on 26th April, from 2-4pm.  He’s got 6 colonies in place at the moment, and with the good weather through March and April, they all should be developing nicely, and I imagine Mark will be looking for signs of congestion that might lead to swarming.

You will find joining details in the email sent to all members. If you want to come along as a a visitor, you are very welcome, just drop us an email at chairman@canterburybeekeepers.org.uk, and we’ll provide the precise location information.

As usual, please come with clean suits and gloves. Continuing Kent BKA’s policy from 2024, we will ask folks to sign a disclaimer form, acknowledging the (small) risks inherent in beekeeping.

If you don’t have a suit, please let us know ahead of time so we can arrange to bring loaner suits.  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. 

branch meeting, 2nd April 2025

Littlebourne Village Hall, 7.30-9.30pm

Adrian Davis and Julian Audsley will lead a conversation about the key operations and manipulations that come up in the Spring.  A quick refresher about swarm management and swarm control is always helpful, as are various strategies for comb replacement, making increase, and ensuring colonies are building up in good health.

This is the last indoor meeting until the autumn – as soon as the branch apiary has the “all-clear” from its standstill notice, following the elimination of an EFB infected hive, we will arrange apiary meetings there.  In the meantime, if anyone wants to host a meeting in their own apiary please let Adrian, or the committee know.

Asian Hornets 2025

here are the monitoring trap instructions that Mark Hobday, our Asian Hornet coordinator, presented at the branch meeting on 19th February.

There is also an accompanying pdf presentation, with lots more information, that has been sent to all members by email, and can be requested by email to asianhornet@canterburybeekeepers.org.uk

branch meeting, Wed 5th March

“The Drone”

Guest speaker Margaret Murdin (Margaret is a Master Beekeeper and holds the National Diploma in Beekeeping. She enjoys teaching all levels of beekeeping and gives talks and workshops all over the UK. She holds a degree in biological sciences and was principal of a Further and Higher Education College before retirement. Margaret is an examiner and assessor for the British Beekeepers Association and is currently Chair of the BBKA Trustees.

Littlebourne Village Hall 19:30-2130
(lounge, door on left side of building looking over playing fields)
///exacts.spud.trickled