Photos and notes from April 2011 meeting

Posted on by July 7, 2011

Photos from the Apiary meeting on 2nd April 2011 have been added to the gallery.  We had a balmy spring afternoon to inspect Joan and Julian’s bees.

We also had the chance to discuss and carry out a Bailey comb exchange, and a shook swarm.  These are two methods by which old comb can be removed from colonies, to reduce the pathogen load in a hive, and to improve the quality of broodcomb.  In both cases a bucket of heavy syrup was applied to facilitate the drawing of new comb.

In the shook swarm method, the old box and frames were moved to one side, a Queen excluder inserted below a new brood box containing frames of fresh foundation.  All the bees were shaken into the new box – despite our best efforts, the queen was not found.  With heavy feeding the bees should draw out the new frames.  All the current brood is lost, but colonies typically build up quickly from this procedure.

The Bailey comb exchange is less dramatic.  A new brood box with frames of fresh foundation is placed over the existing brood box, below the crown board.  With feeding the new frames will be drawn out.  Julian will need to assess the progress of the colony over the next 3 weeks – by which time all the brood in the lower chamber will have emerged as adult bees.  At this point the lower box can be removed, as the colony will typically have shifted its brood rearing efforts into the new, upper box.

Husbandry notes for March

Posted on by July 7, 2011

Early March is a critical time for honeybee colonies. We will now be getting warmer
weather and the queen will increase her laying. In consequence the bees need for
food will increase and because there is little food around they may run out and
starve. Therefore check the stores in your hive on a warmer day. If you have less
than two brood frames of stores you must feed them. Homemade candy or
purchased fondant is OK also feeding with sugar syrup in a slow contact feeder. A
honey or larger screw topped jar pierced with small holes 1/16”” or less will be fine
placed over the holes in the coverboard.

Once you start feeding you should continue to do so. In emergency feed sugar syrup either in a frame feeder or directly into an empty comb. Eggs laid now will become foraging bees in the middle of April – about the time that Oilseed rape makes its first appearance – weather dependent of course.  Make sure you have frames for your supers made up but I suggest you leave putting the foundation in until  just before the first super goes on at the beginning of April to keep your foundation in top condition.

March 2011 meeting on Wed 2nd

Posted on by November 10, 2011

NEXT MEETING –Wed 2nd March – “The Asian hornet – a threat to UK beekeeping”.

Speaker Michael Cooper – our Seasonal Bee Inspector

7.30 to 9.30 Stelling Minnis Village Hall

As you see we have changed the topic. This should be an interesting talk and also an opportunity to meet your seasonal Bee Inspector.

The Village Hall is in what was the old Methodist Chapel on Bossingham Rd. From Stone Street take Curtis Lane then turn right into Bossingham Rd and the Chapel is several hundred yards on the left hand side of the road.  Map/satnav CT4 6AG

Husbandry Notes for February

Posted on by July 21, 2011

Please continue to check that hives have not been damaged and that mouse guards are still in place. Do check levels of food stored since I have noticed a couple of my hives are getting a little light. Feeding options are candy/fondant or some people use a kilo bag of sugar with a 2cm hole made in one side water added until all moistened and then inverted over the hole in the coverboard. Once you start feeding you should continue to do so. In emergency feed sugar syrup either in a frame feeder or directly into an empty comb.

It’s not too late to treat with oxalic acid given the cold weather we’ve been having. Check the natural fall. Over 2 a day will mean some action will be required in the Spring.

Julian