We plan to demonstrate the operations involved in removing supers from colonies, and extracting honey from frames, at Debbie’s home in Stanford (bottom of Stone Street)
2-4.30pm (see emails for more joining instructions)
Our next apiary meeting will be at our Palmsted Wood apiary on Saturday July 1st between 2-4pm.
Many colonies will reach their maximum size around the summer solstice, so we’ll be looking at uniting smaller colonies to make a big colony for honey production, doing a comb change procedure on weak and strong colonies (to reduce the burden of infective diseases and varroa), and possibly requeening. We’ll also discuss care of colonies started from swarms.
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.
As usual, please come with clean suits and gloves. Per Kent BKA requirements, we will ask folks to sign a disclaimer form, acknowledging the (small) risks inherent in beekeeping. Any questions about visiting the apiary, just drop a line to Adrian at chairman@canterburybeekeepers.org.uk
Here are a few different ways to locate the apiary entrance – it’s a shared driveway, and you should enter the wood using the left-hand gate. People should already be present when you arrive – expect to drive down about 100 yards and we will indicate where to park.
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If you find yourself at Highfield nursing home, you are close! The apiary entrance is the other side of the road, approximately 50m towards the woods
On this occasion we will be doing a “Bee Safari”, wherein we visit 4 different apiaries in the company of our excellent Seasonal Bee Inspector, Lisa Jenkins. We will start at 1300 in St Nicholas-at-Wade, where Bob Heddle has 5 hives, including a Zest hive. Then we will move onto our Bekesbourne apiary (approx start 1415), where Lisa will show us the sugar roll technique, which is great for detecting exotic species such as Tropilaelaps, and also counting varroa. Next stop will be Bridge at ~1505, in a typical home-based apiary with 2 colonies. Our last stop will be in Chartham Hatch, at 1540, where there will be double brood hives, and refreshments.
Full joining instructions will be found in a recent email, including the important w3w locations, and parking instructions.
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
The first of our 2024 meetings will be held on Wednesday 7th February, at 7.30-9.30pm in the Lounge at Littlebourne War Memorial Hall Complex (w3w link), High St, Littlebourne, Canterbury CT3 1ST
You will all be aware of the threat that Asian Hornets pose to beekeeping, and insect life generally. The hibernating queens will soon be emerging to try to establish nests this Spring. We need to intercept these. Mark Hobday has been preparing plans for the Canterbury branch to do its part in combatting this threat to beekeeping, so do try to come along.
We will be providing monitoring traps, and attractant liquids to everyone who can join us at the meeting. If you could bring an empty liquid container (recycled drinks bottles would be ideal, 500-1000mL) that would be great. Mark also sent out a newsletter recently, and it would be helpful if you could review that, and bring any questions you might have.
No need to let us know if you are coming; however, it’s always nice to accompany a cup of tea/coffee with cakes/biscuits, if any of you have the time to make/bake.
Other Dates for your diary:
March branch meeting (Littlebourne Village Hall); Wed 6th March 7.30pm
April branch meeting (Littlebourne Village Hall); Wed 3rd April 7.30pm