Newsletter March 2021

Posted on1st March 20211st March 20213 Comments

Summary of contents: Acrobatic Bees, Colony Losses, Hidden Queens, Time to Think about Swarming, Sweetness and Light, Helping Bees to Read More …

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Posted on1st January 20201st March 2021Leave a comment

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NOTICE BOARD.

Website Editors:

John Farrow: stweditor@sevenoaksbeekeepers.org.uk

Sarah Rapley: stweditor2@sevenoaksbeekeepers.org.uk

BDI AGM via Zoom Friday 4th June 2.00pm + Kirsty Stainton on Bee Viruses

The link to this Zoom meeting is:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88329044894?pwd=WURVbDFMS0RtZjdjS05QSExSek1xdz09

KBKA Newsletter April 2021

Importing Honey Bees into GB
[A major new risk to the health of the bee population.]

President’s Letter March’21

Site Visits since 1st Jan. 2019:

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All our autumn & winter indoor meetings previously held at Weald Memorial Hall TN14 6PT are now to be held on Zoom.

Notice of these will be given to members a few days before, with the direct link to connect on line.

Also all our 2021 outdoor apiary meetings are temporarily postponed.

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Topical Tips for April.

The colony should be growing very quickly now so food supply will need to be maintained. If the hives are light feed with syrup until forage becomes available.
On a warm day remove the eke, entrance block and mouse guard if fitted. Check the floor, and clear or replace it with a clean one as necessary.
Put on a queen excluder and at least one super to give space for the growing numbers. If your bees can reach oil seed rape, they will start foraging on it towards the end of the month and will need storage space.
If the weather is mild, regular brood box inspections can begin: every 14 days if the queen is clipped, every 7 days if she is not.
Be vigilant. Swarming can begin in late April!

Topical Tips for May.

Begin thorough and regular inspections of the brood comb.
Work old comb to the outside so that it can be removed and replaced. Old comb harbours disease and should be replaced systematically, as good practice. Aim to change one third of the frames each year.
Place new frames and foundation either side of the brood nest to allow the queen to increase her nest size.
Congestion can cause swarming. If necessary remove outside frames, but ensure enough food and pollen remains. (Frames with food can be given back in the Autumn after storing in a freezer.)
Check whether your bees are making honey from oil seed rape: if so remove and extract the supers as soon as they are full. (Oil Seed Rape honey will crystallise very quickly in the comb and become impossible to spin out.)
Additional supers may now be required.

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Honey Harvest 2020

The honey harvest at the Barrwood and Hilbert Rd apiaries is now complete. The very hot dry weather this summer has reduced the volume of honey produced, but the quality is excellent. Both batches are quite dark in colour with an intense flavour. The Barrwood honey has a caramel note, while the Hilbert Rd honey is slightly more floral.

The honey is now available for sale at a price of £6.50 for a 16oz jar (Hilbert Rd), or £5 for a 12oz jar (Barrwood). Please note the honey is not pasteurised, and therefore unsuitable for infants under 12 months or expectant mothers. The honey is not for resale.

If you wish to buy any of the branch honey, please contact the treasurer on: treasurer@sevenoaksbeekeepers.org.uk

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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.

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Apiary Meetings – All our 2021 outdoor apiary meetings are temporarily postponed.

In more normal times, these are the operational arrangements for our two apiary sites.

Hilbert Road: Normally 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: Normally 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.

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Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells Beekeepers

A branch of the Kent Bee-Keepers Association

Author: John Farrow

Newsletter March 2021

Previous Newsletters in 2020/21