Belfast beekeepers Association

14th Nov. 2011

Who is here?

• Preliminary Course 2012

• Preliminary Course 2011

• 2nd - 3rd year beekeepers

• Please speak to some of us at the end, there are many people here who will help and give {loads of} advice

Sources of Equipment

• Alan Jones – local Thornes agent• Philip Earle – wax and acetic acid• Thornes - http://www.thorne.co.uk/• http://fragile-planet.co.uk/• http://www.peak-hives.co.uk/• http://www.parkbeekeeping.com/• Maisemore Apiaries http://www.bees-

online.co.uk/

Other Sources

• Ebay – beware but some are very good– Email me and I will try to find out if someone

has used them

• Omlet

• http://www.paynesbeefarm.co.uk/

• http://www.ridgeway-online.com/

• http://belfastbees.wordpress.com/general-information/glassware/

2012 Preliminary Course

• Minimum – nothing just turn up

• Next level – practical course– Gloves: leather, marigolds, blue nitrile– Veil or half jacket and veil– Ebay a great source for these– £50 budget

• I want to keep bees – see next slide

2012 – Ready for bees

• Make sure you have a site. Speak to some of us for advice

• You will need– A hive: floor, brood, queen excluder, super{s},

frames, wax, crown board, roof– Gloves and jacket/veil– Hive tool– Smoker– Plus: brush, feeder, smoker material

2012 – Ready for bees

• Thornes catalog has a bewildering range

• Look for “Bees on a Budget”

• 3 major options {and some minor}1. The hive: 2 supers all the frames

2. The hive and starter kit: jacket, gloves, hive tool, feeder, mouse guard

3. Option 2 plus honey extraction starter kit

2012 – Ready for bees

• Prices:1. £117

2. £167

3. £250

• Plus VAT and P&P – N.I. supplement

2012 – Ready for bees

• Don’t need:– Extraction kit – get some buckets from fragile

planet and borrow the association extractor– Most things that sound expensive

• Do need:– Spare kit: brood, super, frames, crown board– A Nuc.

2011 Increasing Colonies

• Easy option – buy more “Bees on a Budget” hives

• Thornes Sale

2011 Increasing Colonies

• Thornes Sale starts next week

• Mostly BS kit - some other options?

• Popular items sell out – should have a few days but!!!

• Very busy – up to 2 months delivery

• Non sale items may come separately

• > £100 postage is free – group up tonight

2011 Increasing Colonies

• Key items {2010 prices}:– Brood £16– Super £12– Frames x 50 DN1, DN4, SN1, SN4 £28– Frames x 50 Manley £32– Crown £7– Economy floor £12– Roof £16

• Plus VAT

Small Items

• Don’t forget its a good time to buy small items like:– Frame pins– Plastic queen excluders– frame ends/spacers– Spare hive tool

2011 Increasing Colonies

• Thornes also sponsor Greenmount conference:– Friday after lunch, seconds available but sell

out within an hour or two– Pre order first quality or main catalog items –

no postage.

Winter Work

• Assemble new hive– flat pack: £50 assembly charge– Thorne’s instructions are ok– Floor and roof - simplest– Brood and super – dry assemble and check,

bottom bee space

• Partial assembly of frames