from Western Morning News 16.10.17 Thanks to the NU newsletters/nov17.pdfthe meeting. athy is...
Transcript of from Western Morning News 16.10.17 Thanks to the NU newsletters/nov17.pdfthe meeting. athy is...
Thanks to the NBU
On October 8th, a warm sunny day, I was visited by prearrangement by two NBU members.
After the discovery of the Asian Hornet in North Devon a team of inspectors have been touring the ar-ea to check our trees for more nests. Two of the team made their way through my village, Combe Martin, and called in to set up a trap by my bees; they were pleased to see that our club had made our own traps. Their trap will be monitored by our local Bee Inspectors.
Have they found any more nests? Not so far.
The team was about twenty strong, but is now winding down with ten remaining checking the sur-rounding area.
My visitors were Dhonn Atkinson a Bee Inspector from Yorkshire, and David Burns a Bee Inspector from Suffolk and Norfolk. We had a very pleasant chat about beekeeping in their own Counties and how very different it is from here in Devon.
They left me with a very positive feeling that all that could be done, was getting done. It’s good to know that the NBU is working so hard on our behalf, with time, man power and hands on coordina-tion.
Thank you NBU, I feel happy in the knowledge that ‘a safe pair of hands’ is doing all it can for our bees.
Barbara Carlyle – Combe Martin
NOVEMBER 2017
USEFUL LINKS
DEVON BEEKEEPERS’
ASSOCIATION
www.devonbeekeepers.org.uk
BRITISH BEEKEEPERS’
ASSOCIATION
www.bbka.org.uk
DEVON APICULTURAL
RESEARCH GROUP
www.dargbees.org.uk
from Western Morning News 16.10.17
My favourite bee flower...DANDELION
I hate winter. The short daylight hours the long dark
nights. The cold, the wet, the rain even the frost is not my
delight. A tee shirt, shorts and sandals have to be replaced
by thick heavy clothes to keep warm. If possible I do what
the birds do and fly south to find the sunshine. I yearn to
play with my bees and potter in the garden and share a
cool drink on the patio with a mate. I keep an eye on the
calendar wishing away those depressing days. My spirit is
raised when the snowdrops show their tiny white heads. I
know that winter is behind me when the first dandelions
show themselves. Heralds confirming a forthcoming
summer. I know that the risk of starvation problems with
my bees when the dandelion is available is unlikely as it is
such a good provider of both pollen and nectar. I am not
concerned with the honey crop as I read that Dandelion
has a strong taste, flowery scent and coarse grained. They
are very sensible plants as the flowers stare up at the sun
and follow it round. When the sum stops shining or night
comes the flowers close up which protects the pollen and
nectar. It is described by Geoffrey Grigson in ‘The
Englishmen’s Flora’ as a brave plant as it survives in rough
industrial areas and derelict sites.
Chris Utting
above photo by Chris Utting
photo below and pollen photo from ‘ Plants for Bees’
by Kirk & Howes
drawing from ‘Pollen Loads
of the Honeybee’ by Hodges
From Mathew Oates—Nature Notebook-
The Times 21.10.17
Reminiscences and 2018 - a talk by Richard Ball
The first indoor meeting of the winter 2017 season
was held on 18th October at the Castle Centre,
Barnstaple and was attended by around twenty
members.
Zara and Chris wanted a report from the
perspective of someone new to beekeeping and, as I
have only been involved with the association since
early this year and have yet to acquire a colony of
bees, I seemed to fit the requirements.
Richard has been keeping bees for over 50 years and
took up the hobby when he became a police officer.
He explained that in those days many policemen,
firemen and railwaymen kept bees to produce and
sell honey in order to supplement their low wages. The shift
patterns enabled them to attend to their bees on a regular basis.
He pointed out that throughout his working life he only had one day
sick due to bee stings. That occurred when he visited his apiary but forgot his wellies but decided to tuck his
trousers in his socks and continue. This was a big mistake as the bees were a bit grumpy, to say the least, and
took it out on his ankles. On returning home he decided to remove any remaining stings and started to count
them as he did so but gave up when he got to forty just on one side of one ankle! The following day he could
barely walk - be warned.
Changes to working practices, more leisure time and more awareness of the challenges facing the natural world
have significantly changed the mix of people that now keep bees, and their reasons for keeping them.
Richard discussed some of the challenges that have faced beekeepers over the years, the most significant to
date being the appearance of the Varroa Mite. The changes this necessitated caused many of the older,
established beekeepers to give-up and this further changed the mix.
One very interesting point he made was that beekeepers should consider more carefully the type of hive they
use to ensure that it matches their reasons for keeping bees, and their physical abilities, rather than just using
the type of hive they learnt on.
Whilst explaining some of the different types of hive and their attributes he mentioned a type of hive that could
be inverted on a regular basis which reduced swarming as each time the hive was inverted the bees tore down
the queen cells which were then pointing up and built new ones pointing down. As long as the hive was invert-
ed every seven to ten days this prevented swarming. From the comments and questions that followed this was
a new technique to many of the experienced members and one that I have certainly not come across in my lim-
ited reading to date.
As for the future, Richard sees the Asian Hornet as the biggest threat yet to beekeeping and stresses that we all
need to be vigilant and take steps to detect the invaders at the earliest opportunity in order to protect our bees.
Following a brief question and answer session, Mave thanked Richard on behalf of the audience.
Kim Beaver
Richard chats with Alan Barrow over a cuppa
photo by Chris Utting
Branch Committee Summary October 30th 2017
The October committee meeting was late in the month due to half-term commitments. We abandoned Hore-stone for a cosy room in The Cedars, Bickington.
Our main discussions were concerning the AGM on 5th November. This will be Zara’s first AGM as secretary since she took on the role last November. She has been a most enthusiastic and efficient secretary for the past year. For the AGM, Zara has to organise the agenda and the reports from the other committee members. Following our AGM the reports are forwarded to the DBKA .
Barbara ensures that the trophies are engraved and Lynda has to have the accounts scrutinised. Lynda has also arranged for our Honey Show photos to be turned into a calendar. This will be ready for you to see at the meeting. Cathy is responsible for organising the 2018 Beginners course which will start on February 26th. Brian will have a supply of membership renewal forms ready for 2018.
We have various ideas about holding weekend workshops as the Honey study day was so well attended in July. Blind Honey tasting, with or without cheese and wine? And a Wax processing workshop have been suggested. However, the ‘new’ committee needs to be proposed and seconded before plans for next year can be actioned.
Mave, on behalf of the 2017 committee.
Chair Chat
You may not have read through this month’s NLs before the AGM on Sunday 5th November at 2.00 in
the Castle Centre, Barnstaple. For the AGM the committee members have to have reports ready, there are
certificates and trophies to organise, and the accounts need to have been scrutinised. At this meeting the
new Branch committee is elected by the members for the coming year. Of course, all the official business is
followed by tea, cake and the exchange of general beekeeping matters.
Our last official day, Mince pie day, at Horestone is on Tuesday 14th November from 11.00-2.00. Cathy is
sorting out a fiendish quiz and she has a mystery prize for the talented winner. Do come along for a sociable
gathering.
Mince pie day is closely followed by our Skittles Night at 7.00 on Saturday 25th November in The Plough, Bick-
ington. Barbara has a few spare places so do contact her asap. as numbers are limited.
The apiary will continue to be visited during the winter months by committee members to ensure that all is
well. The Tuesday beekeeping meetings will resume in the spring and the details will be sent out in the New
Year.
I hope all your colonies will over-winter in good health.
Very best wishes,
Mave
MAVE’S PAGE
from The Times 13.10.17
BRANCH EVENTS FOR YOUR DIARY
The Branch AGM is at the Castle Centre
as usual from 2.00-4-00pm on
Sunday, 5th November.
MINCE PIE DAY is at Horestone Apiary
on Tuesday 14th November at 11.00am
SKITTLES EVENING
Saturday 25 November AT 7.00pm the
annual skittling evening at The Plough in
Bickington
Edited by Chris Utting e-mail [email protected] The views expressed in the articles are the author’s and not necessarily those of the
North Devon Branch of the Devon Beekeepers’ Association.
Member’s contributions are extremely welcome: by 23rd of the month prior to publication please
photo by Frans Maenhout
from Vlaamse Imkersbond 10.17
This is how Peter Auger and
Chris Utting move their
hives. A very useful tool.
Good news for Bee Eaters
Good news for Bees
from The Times 24 July and 14 August