Why make up a nucleus colony?
We can use this to aid swarm control, make increase in colonies, a spare colony to overwinter or to re-queen a colony. We will go over the equipment needed, the techniques used and the follow on care.
As we will be moving frames and material from hive to hive we will look at the disease risk and apiary hygiene, and the all important record keeping.
Nowton Apiary 1400
Do you have trouble finding the queen in your hive? Come and see some techniques to make it easier.
Do you clip and mark your queens? We will look at advantages and the different techniques and equipment available – have a go, it really is easy!
In case you can’t find the queen we will go over what do you if you suspect your colony is queen less.
Nowton Apiary at 1400 – weather permitting.
Just a quick update to say that unfortunately it is looking like there will be too much rain to carry out normal inspections tomorrow, so the association apiary at Nowton Park will not be open. We look forward to seeing you all again next Sunday!
This meeting is aimed at beginners, with or without bees, and experienced beekeepers .
We have looked at trying to prevent our bees from swarming but how do we deal with a swarm when it all goes wrong?
As beekeepers we have a responsibility to collect our own, or other beekeepers swarms. The public expect us to be the experts when we arrive to collect a swarm, so be prepared.
Come along to see how to deal with the public, the equipment needed, avoiding risks, and how to make swarm collecting easy. We will go on to hive the swarm in the apiary.
Last week we discussed swarming and how to delay this by under supering, and carried out part one of an Artificial Swarm. This week Jon and Marion will look to see how the colonies have responded to our management. They will also be carrying out a routine inspection. Come along to support the apiary meetings.
Apparently Honey Bees can distinguish Between odd and even numbers – have a read!
The swarming season is upon us early this year. Come along to the apiary at Nowton Park on Sunday 8th May at 1400.
We will have a discussion first to explain the process of swarming, what we do to try to deter the bees from swarming and the equipment needed. We will also explore the technique of artificially swarming the bees (and so satisfying that natural urge they have) whilst maintaining good honey production. A practical demonstration will follow, a chance for questions and then refreshments and a general chat aiming to finish by 1530.
The meeting is aimed at those who have already have bees and that intend to start this season. As it follows the beginners practical session all are welcome to stay on
This year’s class were treated to their first experience of swarm collection on Sunday, as a small swarm dropped in while the members were arriving at the association apiary. Fortunately our Education Secretary and course leader, Jane, is supremely well versed in the bee keeping arts and was on hand to re-house the errant ladies in swift order, demonstrating the techniques to the gathering crowd.
The bees had settled onto a small wooden post, so no quick easy shake-off here but Jane showed how they could be carefully scooped up by hand and/or smoked upwards into a suitable container (ideally a cardboard box, skep or nuc, rather than the plastic bucket shown here but you’ve got to work with what you have to hand!).
With the queen safely moved into a box it did not take long for the rest of the swarm to follow her, they are remarkably passive and easy to work with at this point. From there and now on new frames of foundation they were transferred to a waiting ‘poly nuc’, which will be their home for the next while.
With the girls secure in their new home they were moved into the apiary and will be fed some syrup in a couple of days, to assist them in drawing out the comb. For everyone else it was back to lessons as usual, inspecting the association colonies.
We had an interesting time at the weekend, a call out to a colony that we guess was a swarm from last year that had set up home inside the cavity for a street fire hydrant, one which is under the payment with a rectangular metal cover on top. We think someone had gone to open it and got a surprise, which meant that all the combs had become detached and deformed and they were open to the elements. We did our best at transferring what was recoverable and giving the bees something to work with. Will take a while to make it ‘orderly’ however the key thing was to make them safe and relocate them.
This Sunday, 24th at 1400 weather permitting we are looking at Spring cleaning your hive and checking for disease as a theme.
For – members with bees or beginners
Why – After the winter when the weather is warm enough to allow full inspections is an ideal time to spring clean the hive, clean debris from the floor, clean propolis from the frames and brood box and sterilise the equipment. All subsequent inspections will easer for you and easier on the bees. This is also an ideal time to check for brood diseases and identify combs for replacement.