There's just a week to go before the next meeting, but after a day of incessant rain yesterday, rain that we all agree was desperately needed, the sun is now blazing across the fields here, so I should be outside instead of sitting here typing these notes. However, they have to be done for I know if I leave them till later all sorts of 'problems' will prevent me from picking them up again and there will then be a mad dash to finish at the last minute. What a glorious few weeks we have had though, bees flying as though there is no tomorrow and bringing in lots of nectar and pollen. My hives have increased in weight since returning from the heather and a recent check showed a considerable amount of new honey in the supers I put on for cleaning after removal of the summer honey. Any honey brought ‘home’ at this time of the year is honey the bees use during the winter and is much better than sugar, except for Ivy honey. If possible Ivy nectar should be avoided and one of the best ways of preventing too much of it getting into your supers is to feed sugar as an alternative. The more space taken up by sugar the less space there is for the bees to store Ivy. So if you live in an area where Ivy could cause problems later (such as here in Grindon) then feed your bees lots sugar before the end of September so that there is then little room in the brood box for the bees to store Ivy. Ivy honey sets very hard and goes very dry during the winter and the bees are unable to use it. Colonies die of starvation even though they’re surrounded by frames full of ‘honey’ they can’t use. It is generally said that bees that have been to the heather moors do not need feeding when they return home, for the brood box will have enough heather honey to last them until the spring, but if in doubt, feed sugar. However, by the time you read these notes it will be far too late to attempt any more feeding, for food given now is unlikely to be capped and will quickly ferment in the frames giving bees dysentery and almost certain death. Simply make sure your bees are in a safe winter situation and leave them alone until well into the New Year. Safe winter situation means; not under dripping trees, raised off the ground sufficient to prevent snow blocking the entrances, not in frost pockets, lids that don’t let in water, mouse guards securely fitted and with a heavy stone placed on the lid to prevent the wind blowing it away. As most of you now know I also have my bees on open mesh floors raised 500mm off the ground, and with very small entrances to help prevent robbing. You can do no more now other than sit down, relax, read some good beekeeping books and make up your minds what you are going to do different in the coming year to increase your honey yield.
Talking of books, I recently come across two totally different ones that I found very interesting and that you may wish to obtain. "The Man Who Planted Trees" by Jean Giono, (ISBN 0-7206-1021-4) is a delightful little story of an exceptional character with a dogged determination (he kept bees too), which must appeal to any lover of the land. The second is "The Science Of Cooking" by Peter Barham, (ISBN 3-540-67466-7), and helps to explain why your home-made bread doesn’t rise or your honey cake win first prize. It is science made simple and once picked up is not easily put down again. Two excellent books that will help while away the long winter evenings. Our new beekeepers, and I feel sure some of the older ones too, should take advantage of the extensive range of books in our library. There is also an interesting selection of video tapes all of which may be borrowed by members.
What an interesting lecture we had at Hexham a couple of weeks ago. Margaret Thomas is one of the finest beekeepers and speakers we have at the present time and there can be no doubt that everyone left that day having learned something. She has had bees for 30 years and quote "can still make mistakes", but she stressed once more that only quality bees, maintained at maximum strength throughout the season, working quality forage will make for profitable beekeeping. Honey production, she stressed, is not just a function of the number of colonies a beekeeper may own but the quality of those colonies. Super early, even to the extent of putting the first super over a sheet of newspaper - the bees will chew through it when they want more space. Use swarms, she said, to draw new brood comb so that it is ready for the queen to lay in when placed in the brood chamber. Particularly important to easier beekeeping is queen marking and clipping and she stressed record keeping as a must. I feel it is rather sad that so few of our beekeepers attend these lectures for there is a tremendous amount to be learned from such experienced people who give of their time so freely and so readily for our benefit. To be able to talk to such people on a one to one basis is both stimulating and helpful for they give of their knowledge freely.
The next joint annual meeting of Richmond, Northallerton and Cleveland beekeepers takes place on the 6th of November and will be held at Gilling Village Hall near Richmond. Our guest speaker will be Mr. Jeremy Owen, Marketing & Finance Director of Vita (Europe) Ltd, the people who have developed Apistan and many other bee related products. To get to Gilling, travel to the A1 / A66 junction at Scotch Corner and follow the A66 westbound. After approximately two miles turn left for Gilling at a crossroads. The Village Hall is about ¾ of a mile down the hill on the left hand side. Car sharing should be possible. Do try to attend, you are all welcome. People intending to go are requested to please advise our secretary, Ian Brown (01287 632851), who will then advise the Richmond secretary.
The beekeeping class set to run at Longfield School in Darlington did not take off due to lack of numbers. It is accepted that insufficient advertising prior to running the class may have been the reason for its failure. As there seems to be some interest now, I have accepted a request to try once more and will run it again early in the New Year. It is important that folks give a clear commitment to attend before the class can start. As before it will be a four week practical class dealing with just basic beekeeping.
Many of you will by now have heard the news that Rob Wigin died three weeks ago. It is always a sad moment when any member of the Association passes away, but for a man who has always been so fit, so active and so well it’s particularly distressing. Rob acquired his bees almost 30 years ago and straight away joined the Association. He set about beekeeping with considerable energy and enthusiasm and immediately started a course of study for the BBKA examinations. He was awarded the Senior Beekeeping qualification in 1983, no mean achievement in so short a time and an obvious measure of his determination to succeed. During his time with us he has been an active member of our committee, addressed our meetings on several topics and has recently helped with the BBKA intermediate and senior examinations. We are all grateful for his contribution to the Association and I feel sure he would have given more in times to come. We will always remember the interesting summer meetings, with his wife Gill at their home in both Middlesbrough and Stokesley. A measure of Rob’s popularity was the over-full church at his funeral two weeks ago last Saturday with many people unable to find a seat. We offer to Gill and her family our heartfelt sympathy and good wishes for the future.
I wonder how many of you spotted the article in the July issue of Thornes Beekeepers News entitled ‘Vet Rule Puts Animals At Risk’ ?; A new EU directive 2001/82, will ban the sale of any animal health products except on prescription by a vet. Animal health products includes Bayvarol and Apistan. The ruling has been under discussion for several years, and I mentioned it to our vet some time ago when we visited him with our dog. He was mortified at the thought of having to inspect bees and I fancy many more vets will feel about the same. They may feel less hostile at the thought that folks will no longer be able to buy ear drops for their cat or dog at the local pet shop for say £2-75, but will have visit him and pay £27-50 a visit. The article concludes "Yet thanks to the vets insisting that Brussels should pass yet another law requiring that only they should be allowed to sell flea powders, animal owners will soon have even more cause to praise Big Brother in Brussels for looking after us so well". This must surely be a case for writing to your MP. In addition I suggest that the BBKA be urgently asked to take this matter up with the powers-that-be to get such nonsense stopped before it’s too late. Nonsense of this kind creeps up on us and once it becomes Law it’s unlikely to ever be repealed. The most likely outcome is that beekeepers would have to go on a training course to learn how to use medicaments and have a qualification certificate before being able to purchase such items.
Kindest regards to you all,
Bryan Hateley
