Newsletter July 2020

Posted on1st July 20201st July 2020Leave a comment

Summary of contents: Devastating Fire for Peter Hutton, Asian Hornet Success, Waiting for a Swarm? In the Apiary: July to Read More …

Newsletter July 2020

Posted on30th March 20201st July 20203 Comments

Summary of contents: Devastating Fire for Peter Hutton, Asian Hornet Success, Waiting for a Swarm? In the Apiary: July to Read More …

Previous Newsletters in 2020

Posted on1st January 20201st July 2020Leave a comment

Newsletter June 2020 Newsletter May 2020 Newsletter April 2020 Newsletter March 2020 Newsletter February 2020 ; Newsletter January 2020

NOTICE BOARD.

Apiary Meetings – All 2020 outdoor apiary meetings are temporarily postponed.

Hilbert Road: All meetings start at 10 am and will be held on most Sundays from March through to June. 😎👍Check with Vic Webb or here for late cancellations due to weather.😂

Barrwood: All meetings start at 2.00 pm and will be held on most Saturdays from March through to June. 😎👍Check with Cliff Hayward or here for late cancellations due to weather. 😂

Our MEETINGS page gives exact dates & more complete detail.

Website Editors:

John Farrow assisted by Sarah Rapley.

Site Visits since 1st Jan. 2019:

Topical Tips for July & August.

Swarming should be over by early July, allowing the colony to concentrate on collecting nectar.
Set up wasp traps a few metres from your hives (jam jars containing water and a spoonful of jam work well).
Honey can be harvested in early August allowing the bees to keep what more they make for themselves.
After the honey has been harvested, remove the queen excluder, and put a crown board below any supers that you are leaving on to be cleaned out.
Treat the brood box for varroa. MAQS strips, Apiguard gel or ApiLife Var strips are curently recommended. (Make sure your hives are well ventilated when using MAQ strips. Read Wally Shaw’s article on varroa control.) Record the varroa drop in the following two weeks so that you know how badly your colonies are infested.
In early August reduce the size width of the entrance so the diminishing colony can defend itself against wasps.

Topical Tips for September

Time to feed the colony for the winter, replacing the honey taken. Feed continuously with standard strength sugar syrup (1 kg added to one pint of water). The colony will need at least 15kg of syrup (more for the bigger hives) to take it through the cold months ahead.
Feeding needs to be completed before the end of the month to give the colony time to drive off the excess water.
Remove varroa gel or strips when treatment is completed.
Reduce entrances to 8mm or fit mouse guards to the hive entrance.

Swarms: If you have a swarm of honeybees land in your garden, and they look like this:

go to our SWARM PAGE to check if in fact they are honeybees and to find a list of beekeepers who are prepared to collect them.

Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells Beekeepers

A branch of the Kent Bee-Keepers Association

Author: John Farrow

Newsletter July 2020

Newsletter July 2020

Previous Newsletters in 2020