The NBU has issued a warning that colony losses through starvation have already occurred this winter as a result of the unusually high temperatures that we have had for the time of year, encouraging the bees to be active. Several local beekeepers have reported the same, e.g. Peter Webb, who wrote: ‘Terrible weather for bees, lots flying and nothing to feed on.’ Another of our members, David Parker, has reported that one of his hives consumed roughly 400g of fondant in about 7-8 days. Do check your own bees for the state of their stores. Going into the hive has to be done very carefully indeed in January, but gentle hefting should give enough indication and will cause no problems. If in doubt, put a bag of fondant on the crown board.
Just like modern humans, honeybees avoid each other amid plagues
Just like modern humans, honeybees avoid each other amid plagues
Bees segregate behaviours in different parts of their hives to prevent parasites from spreading, in other words thay use social distancing. Humans, as we all very well know, have used social distancing to fight infectious disease, both currently, and for past centuries. This article from The Economist explains, with the aid of some remarkable photgraphs, how the bees practice social distancing to combat varroa and other diseases:
Use the link:
Thanks to David Parker and Peter Webb for this item.
Rare bees found in the woods at Blenheim Palace
“Thousands of rare forest honeybees that appear to be the last wild descendants of Britain’s native honeybees have been discovered in the ancient woodlands of Blenheim Palace. These bees appear to be resistant to the varroa mite. “The bees are very relaxed, and he (the beekeeper) does not need to wear any protective equipment” …“I can put my hand in the nest. They are very calm”… This finding is being taken very seriously, with DNA and cubital index (wing vein patterns) investigations proceeding. You can read this very interesting article, published in The Guardian, in full using the link;
Let us hope that there will be some very sensitive and unobtrusive management of these wild bees and that they are not ruthlesly exploited in the interest of commercially motivated beekeepers. It does not auger well that they have already been exposed in the national media. I imagine that BIBBA will have a great interest in this article as it seems to be in the same area as their much discussed British Black bee.
Thanks to Peter Webb and Claire Balla for making us aware of this.
Roger Patterson on You Tube
Roger Patterson who wrote Beekeeping A Practical Guide and BIBBA fame brings us his new You Tube how to videos. Login to the members area to find a link to the videos.
National Honey Show results 2021– Weybridge successes
Exhibitors listed in alphabetical order. Please let me know of any errors or omissions.
Geoff Cooper
1st One unusual container of liquid honey
Note – the container was a gift from Arran Taylor, so credit to him as well!
Marion Cooper
2nd Six small honey biscuits
2nd Limerick about bees or beekeeping (see below)
Andrew Halstead
1st Two jars naturally set or soft set honey (National class)
2nd Two jars naturally set or soft set honey (Surrey class)
2nd One jar naturally crystallised honey (Surrey gift class)
VHC Two jars liquid honey (Surrey class)
Dr Mark Hamilton
1st Two jars medium honey (Surrey class)
2nd One jar light / medium honey (Surrey gift class)
HC Two jars liquid honey (Surrey class)
David Parker
1st Two jars dark honey (Surrey class)
1st Frame suitable for extraction (Surrey class)
3rd Two jars naturally set or soft set honey (Surrey class)
HC Six small honey biscuits
Marion’s limerick Class: 106 Entry no: 10.
2nd prize
A beekeeper bottled his honey
Which he hoped would raise him some money But the yeasts did their worst
So the jars they all burst
And the poor man did not think it funny
The ‘fermentation’ was achieved by stirring bicarbonate of soda into honey and Geoff smashed the jar with a log-splitting wedge. All good fun.
Other successes achieved by our Chairman
It should be reported that our Chairman, Andrew Halstead, achieved successes – again – at two other local Shows in September. Here is his reply to my enquiry:
‘At the Chobham Agricultural and Horticultural Show I repeated my ”success” by having a first in the classes for two jars of set honey and two jars of medium or dark runny honey. The quote marks around success are because my honey was the only entry in those classes at the West End and Windlesham show.
Surrey Beekeepers Association AGM
Surrey Beekeepers Association AGM, Saturday 4th December 2021, 2.00 pm
This year the AGM will be hosted by the Kingston Division of Surrey Beekeepers Association. It will be held at The Richard Mayo Centre, Kingston United Reformed Church, Eden Street, Kingston KT1 1HZ. The AGM will be followed by light refreshments, after which there will be a talk at 3.00pm by Jack Siberrad, a Rural & Urban Beefarmer. His talk will be ‘Hygienic Bees – Varroa Resistance in your Hives’. The meeting will close at 4.30 pm.
There are plenty of buses and several large car parks in Kingston; the Eden Walk car park is next to the venue. Kingston Rail Station is 10 minutes walk away and there is secure bicycle parking there.
Surrey Honey Show, Saturday 11th September 2021 – Results!!
The Surrey Agricultural Show, which always includes the Bees and Honey Tent where the Honey Show is staged, was obviously not held last year or this year, but the SBKA Show Committee decided to run the event at the Reigate Division’s spacious and attractive apiary, way out in the Surrey countryside. Apart from the Show, this tree-lined site with its extensive area for hives, excellent wooden building with all facilities and large car park is always worth visiting – how envious we are!
There was a very friendly atmosphere, a good display of exhibits and tea and cake were available thoughout the afternoon. Special thanks go to the organisers, especially Mike Axford, Daphne Thomas and Julie Hogarth, as well as the many helpers on the day.
Now for the Weybridge contribution to the Show. We did VERY WELL, with a total of 82 points, second only to Reigate, with 87, BUT, 51 of Reigate’s points were won by one exhibitor, without whose points Reigate would have been fifth – and – Weybridge first! Now, NEXT year… how about it?
Marion Cooper Here are the details of the 18 Weybridge achievements, with the exhibitors given in alphabetical order:
(VHC = Very Highly Commended, HC = Highly Commended, C = Commended)
Leona Cobham
VHC – Single Jar of Honey, Novice Class
Geoff and Marion Cooper
1st – Two jars medium honey
1st – Honey cake
2nd – Interesting or Instructive Exhibit (heated tank for cleaning frames)
2nd – Honey biscuits
3rd – Lemon honey cake
Lisa Davis
1st – Honey and Beeswax Products
2nd – Single jar of honey, Novice Class
Vanessa Inwood
3rd – Colour Photo
David Parker
1st – Composite display of four items
1st – Two cut comb in containers, ColmanCup
2nd – Two jars light honey
2nd – Frame suitable for extraction
3rd – Two jars set honey
3rd – Two beeswax candles
VHC – Two jars dark honey
Alan Wells
3rd – Single jar of honey, Novice Class
C – Honey cake
Preparing your hives for Winter
Summer Meeting at Fairoaks Airport, 18th September 2021
The subject of this meeting was “Preparing your hives for Winter.”
As had been advised in David Parker’s notes that had been circulated in advance of the meeting, he winters his bees on two brood boxes with 8 frames in each thus closer simulating the colony nest in a hollow tree. The spare space either side is filled with insulating board to reduce heat loss during winter.
Disappointingly only 15 members turned up and 5 of those were committee members. The group was split into two groups and allocated 2 or 3 hives to go through. The plan was 1) to assess how much food each hive had, 2) to check that it was queenright and 3) to scratch the Apivar strips that were in the hives. The latter had been in for 3 weeks and the process of scratching the strips with a hive tool removes any wax or propolis and increases the effectiveness for the last three weeks. After inspecting each colony the estimated stores were recorded on the Hive record and the feeders filled up with appropriate additional sugar solution.
After we rejoined as one group away from the bees for tea, David showed us the mixing paddle and drill that he uses for mixing the sugar in his plastic containers. Using this he can prepare food and mix it into solution in three minutes.
We then had a picnic tea and talked about bees. An interesting meeting for those beginners who attended and everyone enjoyed the afternoon. Our thanks go to David for hosting the meeting.
Michael Main
Thanks for your report Michael. As you said, it’s a pity the attendance was so poor. David has sent details of the mixing paddle he uses for making up sugar syrup, as mentioned in the report above:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272030611555
Weybridge Division’s AGM Monday 8th November 2021
Formal Notice of Weybridge Division’s AGM
The Weybridge Beekeepers Annual General Meeting is scheduled to be held on Monday 8th November 2021 at 7.30 p.m.
We are currently considering a repeat of last year’s successful format of holding the meeting over Skype, with a physical venue a possible alternative. The final details will be in the November newsletter.
Our traditional honey tasting will not take place again this year, for obvious reasons.
It would be great to see you at the meeting.
Jane Hunter – Hon Secretary
An invitation for your bees (and yourself) to help with a research project by Coventry University into air pollution
We are looking for 60 beekeepers to take part in a project to record local air pollution. Working together we will collect small samples of bees to discover whether air pollutants are present in the hives.
Go to https://www.thrivinghive.co.uk/ to see how it works. Thanks to David Parker for this item.
This looks to be an interesting and worthwhile project. Do spend a few minutes reading the details even if you do not intend to be a volunteer. It gives an idea of our polluted environment.