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Plymouth Branch Newsletter June 2017
Another ‘first’ for Plymouth Branch – a summer ‘social’ in the form of a Barbeque........ Date: Saturday 29th July, 2017 Venue: Plume of Feathers, Princetown Time: Arrive 6 pm to eat at 7 pm. Cost: £9.95 Deposit: A non-refundable deposit of £5 per person is required.
This can be paid direct to Jean/Steve Russell or given to the person(s) heading up the Sunday apiary meetings.
Menu: 1 x 4 oz. burger / 1 x hotdog in a roll / 1x chicken leg Plus salad
Please come and support this event –
family members and friends are welcome.
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JUNE
Sunday 18th
Sunday 25th
General Meeting
Novice Meeting
10 am
10 am
JULY
Sunday 2nd
Improvers Meeting
10 am
Sunday 9th Novice Meeting 10 am
Sunday 16th General Meeting
10 am
Sunday 23rd Novice Meeting
10 am
Sunday 30th Novice Meeting
10 am
AUGUST (Bank Holiday: Mon 28th)
Sunday 6th
Improvers Meeting
10 am
Sunday 13th Novice Meeting 10 am
Sunday 20th General Meeting 10 am
Sunday 27th No Meeting (Bank Holiday Weekend)
SEPTEMBER
Sunday 3rd
Improvers Meeting
10 am
Sunday 10th
Novice Meeting
10 am
Sunday 17th
General Meeting inc. Apiary Maintenance – all members
10 am
OCTOBER
Thursday 12th
Branch Honey Show – Elburton Village Hall – Judge: Jack Mummery
7 pm
NOVEMBER
Thursday 23rd
Branch AGM - Elburton Village Hall
7.30 pm
DECEMBER
Sunday 10th
Branch Christmas Lunch – Boringdon Golf Club (sit down 12.30 pm / £5 deposit) TBC
12.30 pm
PLYMOUTH BEEKEEPERS’ Apiary Programme 2017
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Directions to Branch Apiary at Lee Mill, Ivybridge:
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 tyre factory
Park inside the gates, walk up the concrete path & the portacabin is on your right
…………………………………………………………………………
Meetings will be held at the Branch Apiary Site unless advised otherwise
Morris the class mascot came home
with mini bee keeper Josh this weekend
for good behaviour, writing and being
Star of the Week.
He came to visit the allotment and
apiary, check on the bees and look at
some honey so he can feed back his
experiences to the rest of the class next
week.
Claude Pool m
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CHAIRMAN’S BLOG
Hello again Plymouth (and district) beekeepers
One of my regular monthly tasks is writing this blog. It takes a fair while to complete each month, and I’m never really sure how many branch members actually read it. So it was a pleasant surprise when, during one of Kathy’s winter study groups this year, in the course of a break time conversation with a long-established member (who shall remain nameless) the subject of my monthly blog was raised. He said (yes it was a ‘he’) that he looked forward to the blog each month and always enjoyed reading it. Then he congratulated me on the quality of the blog, and just as I was starting to feel highly pleased with myself he said, “does Valerie ghost-write it for you?” Now I know what a tyre with a fast puncture feels like! To be fair to my wife, she quickly disabused the member of the ghost-writing notion (although I like to think he was teasing anyway) but she did admit to checking it over each month for typos. So I now know that I have at least two readers among the general membership (David Milford sometimes makes constructive criticisms which are always welcome). And of course, I’m sure that every member of the committee is an avid reader! Speaking of avid readers, most London commuters fall into that category, as reading makes an otherwise intolerable experience (the journey to and from work) just about bearable. Any member who has been to London in the last ten years or so and has travelled on the underground will almost certainly not see any of these commuters reading Bee Brief. However, what they might hear on stations with curved platforms, such as Bank on the Central Line, are the stentorian male tones of the loudspeaker system exhorting everybody to “MIND THE GAP.” Well that is advice well worth following for those who don’t wish to fall between the train and the platform but its continuous repetition must drive the station staff to distraction. I’m sure they hear it in their sleep! In a totally different context, those same stentorian tones could well be addressed to beekeepers. Most of you more seasoned beekeepers will already know where this is going, but for the less experienced out there, I am alluding to the temporary loss of most pollen and nectar-bearing plants at this time of the year. It’s known as the June Gap. Last year we didn’t get a June Gap because Spring arrived so late but it’s always best to assume that we will get one. That’s why when June arrives you should carefully check your colonies for levels of stores and if low, then feed with a 2:1 mixture of sugar syrup. Failure to take this action could mean colony starvation or at least a significant reduction in your honey crop. Remember colony population is at its highest at this time of year so the need for food is also high. So then, please do MIND THE GAP and ensure that your bees have enough food to tide them over until the main nectar flow starts in July. And if you’re not sure whether your colonies’ stores are sufficient, do remember David Milford’s oft-repeated words, “if in doubt, feed.” I always say that it’s less distressing to dispose of a few gallons of unwanted feed in July than it is to clear up a hive full of bees that have died of starvation. Until next month,
All the best, Terry
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Beekeeping and the Law
Terry usually starts the Improvers' meetings by introducing a topical area of
beekeeping before opening the discussion up to members' general questions.
Today he decided to dip into a less practical aspect, but one that relates to all of
us: Beekeeping and the Law.
Flashing a copy of the Bees Act 1980 in front of us, Terry got us to think about
how something like this document came about. His question was “Where do laws
come from?” After our speculative answers he explained how we have developed
a complicated system in this country – and then gave us the simplified version!
The connection with beekeeping was made in an entertaining account of the case
of Miss Donaghue who became ill after drinking locally-made ginger beer from a
source that had been contaminated by a decomposing snail! This led to the
formation of The Neighbour Principle – the view that we all have a duty of care
not to affect injury to our neighbours e.g. through negligence. The law that
developed from this means that we have to keep bees on our property in a
responsible way and ensure our honey is safe for consumption.
Terry kept our total attention for the rest of his talk with this mixture of facts and
anecdotes, using humour and audience participation. He ran through the
background and practical issues of topics such as:
the rights of bee inspectors to access your property to control disease;
whose fault it is if someone trespassing on your land/in your apiary is
injured;
what constitutes 'responsible beekeeping' if neighbours get stung; and
who “owns” a swarm!
The session ended with Terry giving accounts of interesting case studies and we
responded with our own experiences. Despite the rain pouring down outside and
no possibility of opening the branch hives, the Improvers had an enjoyable
session that put our beekeeping efforts into a legal perspective.
Kathy Lovegrove
4th
June 2017
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Thank you for the photos sent in so far –
keep them coming
Claude Pool
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This is my Apiary at Cadleigh, the old
carpet does away with the need to cut
the grass.
The hives are strapped down as I was
warned that there were deer using the
area, I am glad I did as three got
knocked over two years ago but it just
gave them a few more entrances until I
stood them up and twisted them
straight again with no damage done.
The wasp traps, on top of most of the
hives, are now redundant this year.
The local farmer, decided last year, to
use the barn over the road, that
housed a lot of wasp nests, which were
plaguing my hives for the last three
years, and had to get the wasp nests
cleared out to do so. I had one hive
destroyed on the 18th January 2015,
would you believe, (I have a video if
you don't!) but this year I have only
seen a couple of wasps so far.
I have five hives and three bait / spare
ones.
I have read with interest, in the last
couple of briefs, the subject of a
collective name for beekeepers, I hope
this is open to other suggestions as I
would like to make one.
These names usually make you think of the collective group activity and I
would like to suggest "An Inspection of Beekeepers" which, simply, is
what we do, is it not?
Keith Preston
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Basic Beekeeping Skills
Have you been keeping bees for at least 12 months?
Have you enjoyed it so far?
Do you see yourself keeping bees for several years to come?
If you have answered, “Yes!” to these questions then you really should be thinking
about taking the BBKA Basic Assessment.
Consider your beekeeping journey so far...
Step 1: Signing up for the Novice Course and attending the branch meetings regularly
Step 2: Learning the practical skills alongside the knowledge shared with you by the
course tutors
Step 3: Buying all that equipment and sorting out a place for your hive(s)
Step 4: Acquiring your first colony and nursing them through the seasons
Step 5: Growing in experience and confidence by learning from successes and mistakes
So, you must be a reasonably competent beekeeper to get this far. It is, however, one
thing to be competent and another to be a good beekeeper.
Obviously, passing a test doesn't automatically make you a good beekeeper – and there
are many good beekeepers who have never taken their Basic. But there are also many
bad beekeepers who get by on their own resources, fall into poor habits and become
set in their ways.
Although, at first, you may not be keen on the idea of taking an assessment when
beekeeping is just a hobby, you may find that it helps to have a goal to aim for. We all
have aspects of beekeeping that we enjoy more, and weak areas that we avoid.
Following a syllabus may give you a chance to iron out the unevenness. It is also a
huge boost to your self-esteem when you pass and see that milestone marking your
progress.
You won't be alone. This is what the Education Team can do to support you:
Put applicants in touch with each other so there can be mutual help and
encouragement
Give individual tuition in your own or a tutor's apiary
Run coaching sessions to boost the more theoretical aspects e.g. disease, swarm
control
Organise a visit from a trained BBKA Assessor to give you tips on how to avoid
the pitfalls and be successful.
Cont’d
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For more details, check out the webpage below. If you are interested in taking
the assessment, contact Terry and Val McAuliffe who run the Improvers'
programme or myself.
https://www.bbka.org.uk/learn/examinations__assessments/basic_assessment
The Basic Assessment syllabus can appear daunting at first glance but closer
inspection will show that it merely lists the basic things which all beekeepers
should know.
The assessment is completely practical/oral and usually takes place at a local
branch apiary.
Kathy Lovegrove
Education Team Leader
On Tuesday 13th June at 8.00pm all beekeepers are invited to join members of
the Bee Craft team on our Hangout.
We will be pleased to introduce our new host, or should I say, hostess, Clair
Harwood, so please log in and give her a warm beekeepers welcome.
We will be covering re-queening, swarming/prevention and anything else you
would like.
Simply click on this link, or go to our website, www.bee-craft.com and click on the
hangout/webinar tab and follow the instructions.
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Opening Ceremony England’s First Black Bee Reserve at Mount
Edgcumbe Country Park, 25th
May
On a glorious sunny day in one of
our most beautiful country parks
in the grounds of Mount
Edgcumbe House, Cornwall, a
crowd gathered to celebrate the
opening of England’s first Black
Bee Reserve
The tape was cut by Tim Smit,
famous for creating the Eden
Project and restoring the Lost
Garden of Heligan.
http://www.mountedgcumbe.gov.uk/englands-first-native-honey-bee-
reserve
The spacious public viewing room
allows close observation of the
bees in the apiary, while educating
the visitor about our native
Northern European Bee, Apis
mellifera mellifera. Referred to as
the Black Bee, it has been found to
be thriving in Mount Edgcumbe
Park and the surrounding Rame
Peninsular, as well as in other parts
of Cornwall.
Dr Mairi Knight of Plymouth
University spoke of current
research by her Department of Molecular Sciences into local adaptation in
UK populations of the black honey bee. The academic research draws on
the bees from Mount Edgcumbe as well as from other sites including The
Eden Project and Paignton Zoo.
Lord Teverson (currently serving on the EU Energy and Environment
Committee) told us of the importance of conservation of specific honey
bee species, and the hope that work with the native black bee will
increase the survival potential of pollinators for the future.
Nick Bentham-Green, Chairman of BIBBA http://www.bibba.com and also
of BIPCo http://www.bipco.co.uk said that the Mount Edgcumbe Black Bee
Reserve is an important step on the journey to gain some protection for
the native honey bee.
Cont’d
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The collaboration between beekeepers and Plymouth University has been
facilitated by B4 http://www.b4project.co.uk for which Tim Smit is a
patron, with money generously donated by NERChttp://www.nerc.ac.uk
for a PhD, Tesco’s Bags of Help initiative for the Mount Edgcumbe Black
Bee Reserve, and the Heritage Lottery Fund for preliminary genetic
research looking at the degree of hybridisation of honey bees in Cornwall.
Maggie Freegard, Secretary West Cornwall Beekeepers Association
This article has been taken from the West Cornwall BKA newsletter – An Hes - with permission from Maggie Freegard.
Plymouth BKA members attending the event share their thoughts:
The black bees of Mount Edgcumbe enjoy deluxe accommodation in a very
spacious apiary situated close to the Garden Battery. Extensive forestry,
landscaping and planting work has been undertaken to generate a dry, sunny
site encircled by a shelter belt of mature trees. The latter were being
buffeted by a strong east wind on opening day. The bees are separated from
marauding Homo sapiens by a stout stockade fence and copious quantities of
fine mesh green netting. The apiary complex includes a generous viewing
and interpretation area for the instruction of mankind.
It was officially opened shortly before 2pm on Thursday 25 May, when the
ribbon was cut with a pair of garden shears. Previously the press and VIP's had
been fed and educated, presumably by Tesco. Largess extended to tea and biscuits
for the plebs, amongst whom numbered beekeepers from Plymouth and Liskeard.
Since it was a sunny day I went for a general wander round the park and
gardens. Numerous bumble bees were spotted undertaking pollination duties
but no honey bees. I could only conclude they were too busy showing
visitors round their magnificent apiary.
Annette Quartly
Alan and I went. I do not call them Cornish black bees, they are the British
black bee. I understand the politic of calling them Cornish for the county
council grants, etc but there are pockets of black bees all over the British
Isles. The Scottish Isles have black bees, I do not think they wear kilts,
perhaps they buzz with an accent!! The apiary site is good and hopefully
some good research will come from it. It highlights bees for the U.K and
provides a good focus for visitors to the Southwest. Would that we would
have such investment for all beekeepers.
Patrick Mansfield
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Bee Improvement Courses
BIPCo (Bee Improvement Programme for Cornwall) are
running two-day courses at three localities in June.
The tutor is Roger Patterson, an experienced practical beekeeper
who is the Apiary Manager of his local BKA in West Sussex and is
the Conference & Workshop Secretary for BIBBA.
The Course
The course is aimed at beekeepers who wish to improve the
quality of their bees with emphasis on suitability to the
environment, docility, calmness on the comb, ease of
management, good use of stores etc. - all aspects that concern the
caring beekeeper but which are not often included in tuition.
During the two days we will cover many of the topics and
techniques that will suit the "ordinary" beekeeper, with a large
practical element that is easy to understand. Both natural and
artificial methods of queen rearing will be covered. The course is
intended to be fun, not packed with intense technical information.
Dates
Sun 25th June / Mon 26th June at Harrowbarrow, Cornwall
Tues 27th June / Wed 28th June at Mount Edgcumbe, Cornwall
Thurs 29th June / Fri 30th June at Exeter, Devon
Cost
£85 includes lunch and refreshments
Booking
For further details and booking see http://bibba.com/event-list/
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Martha Kearney and Bill Turnbull invite you to join them at this year’s Bee Garden Party:
5-8pm on Thursday 29 June
in the private gardens of Marlborough House, in London's Mall It will be a fun evening, focussed on bees, with gin-fizz, wines and delightful food. A wonderful opportunity to meet beekeeping friends.
With kind permission from the household of HM the Queen, and in the presence of the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Baroness Scotland.
Raising funds to support the Charity Bees for Development. Tickets are £50 and available here BBKA events and here Bee Garden Party, or call 01600 714848 to book. Special rates for BBKA groups - please call.
Hoping to see you there!
Dr Nicola Bradbear Director, Bees for Development www.beesfordevelopment.org
We help vulnerable communities in poor countries to achieve
self-sufficiency through beekeeping
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PLYMOUTH BEEKEEPERS LIBRARY
A complete list of the books is available on the website, so please spare a few
minutes to look at the available titles. The library also has a small quantity of
DVDs. Books and DVDs can be borrowed for one calendar month, after which
they should be returned or renewed. Renewal can be by telephone or by email. Failure to
return or renew results in a small fine.
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
http://www.plymouthbeekeepers.btik.com/LibraryBooks
…………………………………………………………………………
Join Friends of the Earth's Great British Bee Count from 19 May to 30 June, and our free app will get you off to a flying start in identifying and recording different species.
By taking part, you'll learn more about our brilliant bees and easy ways to help them. It’s also a great nature activity to do with children - encouraging them to get up close with these wonderful insects.
https://www.foe.co.uk/bee-count
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The Buzz – Honeybees & Beekeeping
Honey, I love you: our 40,000-year relationship with the humble bee Humans have always had a special relationship with bees. And while the archaeological evidence is sparse, what does exist shows the richness of ancient human activities. The archaeological evidence for bee keeping, not just wild honey collecting, is sparse, but what does exist is geographically broad.
Read more on the Guardian website:
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/may/24/honey-i-love-you-our-40000-year-relationship-with-the-humble-bee
Southill Solar farm group say its thermosolar beehive – the first in the UK – could save the honeybee from vanishing
WHO would have thought the solution to the UK's vanishing bees might be double-glazing?
That is the answer being proffered by a community solar farm group which thinks it has found a second way to use the power of the sun's rays to save the environment. The Southill Solar group in Charlbury believes it is the proud owner of the UK's very first thermosolar beehive. It sounds high-tech, but basically it's an ordinary beehive with two double-glazed windows. Why, you might ask? The answer – the deadly varroa mite.
Read more on the Oxford Times website:
http://www.oxfordtimes.co.uk/news/yourtown/wallingford/15338231.Solar_farm_group_say_its_double_glazed_hive_could_save_our_bees/
Arson-hit apiary returns to form with open day A Devon bee club hit by arsonists last year has risen from the ashes.
The Newton Abbot Beekeepers lost £10,000 of hive equipment and a storage shed at the start of the swarming season in May last year.
Read more on the Devon Live website:
http://www.devonlive.com/all-welcome-to-celebrate-the-honeybee-with-arson-hit-apiary/story-30342840-detail/story.html
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Contact Details – Plymouth Branch
Chairman
Terry McAuliffe
219573
Vice Chair Claude Pool 787212 [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
DBKA Website - Members Area Password:
If you have forgotten the password, contact Terry McAuliffe or Jean French.
Member Advert
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Roger Round. [email protected] Telephone 01752 701945
FOR SALE
Double Hive Stand
Made out of
4” x 2” wood
£10
Contact:
Bill Finnemore
Tel: 01752 404184
For Sale New (unused) National Brood box with 11 new frames and foundation
£45 New National Super with castellated spacers and 10 frames and foundation
£39 Roger Round Tel: (01752) 701945
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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 TQ11 0HN
Tel/Fax: 01364 642517 Mobile: 07769878476 Email: [email protected]
Please phone before you visit
