PLYMOUTH BEEKEEPERS ’ Apiary Programme 2019btckstorage.blob.core.windows.net/site2056/Bee Brief July...Stoke Park Rd, Bristol BS9 1JG Bristol Beekeepers extend a warm welcome to

1

www.plymouthbeekeepers.btik.com

AUGUST (Bank Holiday: Mon 26th)

Sunday 4th Improvers Meeting 10am

Sunday 11th Beginners Meeting (11) 10am

Sunday 18th Apiary Maintenance Morning – all members welcome 10am

Sunday 25th Bank Holiday Weekend No Meeting

SEPTEMBER

Sunday 1st Improvers Meeting 10am

Sunday 8th Apiary Maintenance Morning – all members welcome 10am

OCTOBER

Tuesday 8th

Branch Honey Show: Blindmans Wood Scout Centre Judge: Jack Mummery

6.30pm for 7pm start

NOVEMBER

Tuesday 19th AGM: Blindmans Wood Scout Centre 7pm for 7.30 start

DECEMBER

Sunday 8th Branch Christmas Lunch – TO BE CONFIRMED

Saturday 14th DBKA AGM & Beekeepers Day – North Devon Venue TBC

Dates for your Diary 2020

(All confirmed at the Blindmans Wood Scout Centre) Tuesday 14th January – Quiz Night Tuesday 11th February – Talk Tuesday 13th October – Honey Show Tuesday 17th November – AGM

PLYMOUTH BEEKEEPERS’ Apiary Programme 2019

2

www.plymouthbeekeepers.btik.com

Turn left off the A38 at Lee Mill and follow the signs for Tesco

Drive past the Tesco entrance, take next right for Central Avenue on the industrial estate

Drive down the hill of Central Avenue, looking for East Way on your right

Drive along East Way, looking for Cadleigh Close on your left

Drive into Cadleigh Close; the apiary site is behind the big iron gates of the Bandvulc tyre factory

Park inside the gates, walk up the concrete path & the portacabin is on your right

The Blindmans Wood Scout Centre is on

Outland Road, Plymouth PL3 5TB

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Plymouth Branch NEWSFLASH

Your Facebook page is up and running

CLICK ON THIS LINK: www.facebook.com/Devon-Beekeepers-Association-Plymouth-Branch-

629481307562670

OR SEARCH ON FACEBOOK FOR: Devon Beekeepers’ Association – Plymouth Branch

Meetings will be held at the Branch Apiary Site, Lee Mill, Ivybridge Unless advised otherwise

3

www.plymouthbeekeepers.btik.com

CHAIRMAN’S BLOG

Hello Again,

My idea of including a puzzle in last month’s blog didn’t generate any response, so I get the message! At the last committee meeting a member told me that a version of the puzzle had featured on an episode of Dr Who, where, instead of drones, there were robots. I didn’t realise that because it’s a long time since I watched Dr Who! Anyway, for those who didn’t work out the answer and wish to know what it is, here is the explanation:

Our worn-out worker must point to one of the drones and then ask the other one; “which way would he tell me is the path back to my colony?” If she asks the liar, he will tell a lie and point to the right-hand path because he knows the other drone would tell her to take the left-hand path. If she asks the truthful drone, he (knowing that the other drone will tell a lie) also points her to the right-hand path. So whichever drone she asks, she will be told to take the right-hand path; being wise she knows she must take the opposite path to get back to her colony.

As we come to the end of what has been, at least for us, a very good beekeeping season, I can’t help but reflect at how beekeeping has changed our lives for the better in so many different, and sometimes surprising ways. Apart from enjoying the friendships that develop among branch members, we also have the immense privilege of being the main tutors for the beginners’ course. This year’s group has been exemplary in that quite a few have given 100% attendance at the sessions and, possibly for the first time, all 13 course members have stayed with us; some already have their bees. This is most unusual because we generally find that there is a drop-out rate of around 25% on most beginners’ courses as students realise that there is more to beekeeping than they imagined!

Apart from the general benefits of getting to know different, enthusiastic people, we gained an unexpected benefit this year. One of our beginner students has saved us a significant sum of money. I’ll explain. Our water heater had recently been showing signs of age, so when a fault developed we called in a technician from a major UK gas business with whom we had a maintenance contract. The technician duly arrived, looked at the water heater and gave Valerie the “sharp intake of breath” treatment. He told her that the flue was corroded and that a replacement was no longer available. Our water heater was on its last legs, it was impossible to source an equivalent replacement and we would do better to invest in a combi-boiler - and he asked if she would like someone to come and give her a quote for the work? Valerie said “thanks, but no thanks” and, knowing that we had a competent expert among our beginner students we asked him to come and have a look and give us a second opinion. When he did so, not only was he able to source the “unavailable” flue for us the very next day; he was also able to source an equivalent water heater which he ordered for us and fitted as soon as we came back from holiday. He did a first class job (I’ve never seen such neat pipework) and he charged a very fair price. I haven’t mentioned his name because I don’t have his permission to do so, but if any of our members out there ever feel that they are not getting a fair deal from their current gas installation provider do let me know and I’ll give you our student’s details. He may well be able to help and save you a lot of money in the process.

4

www.plymouthbeekeepers.btik.com

A big thank you to Dawn, our editor who has agreed to set up and moderate a Facebook group for Plymouth Branch. In these days of increasing use of social media, I’m sure it will be a great way for branch members to exchange ideas. We look forward to seeing the Facebook group soon.

The next Bee Brief will not be published until just before the branch honey show so please can I appeal to you to make sure you enter some of your honey or your cookery or craft skills in one of the categories. Your Branch Committee realises that many beekeepers now sell their honey in 340g (12oz) jars. Don’t let this put you off exhibiting because the committee has authorised the purchase of sufficient 450g (1lb) jars to supply those members who don’t have their own. A small charge will be made for each jar and lid. If you wish to take advantage of this offer, please contact Ian Staples at [email protected]

Beginners especially take note; do not be deterred from entering and competing with more experienced beekeepers. Anyone’s honey can be preferred by the judge and from my perspective, experience doesn’t confer much, if any advantage. But if beginners really are reluctant, why not enter the Novice Class? Then you will only be competing against other beginners and branch members who have never won a first prize before. We have recently enjoyed sufficient support to be able to continue to run an annual, independent Plymouth Branch Honey Show, but unless it is properly supported by branch members, we may be forced to do what a number of other branches are currently doing and that is to combine forces with another branch and have a joint honey show. I do hope that doesn’t have to happen.

Until October,

All the best,

Terry

2019 BRANCH HONEY SHOW Tuesday 8th October – Blindmans Wood Scout Centre

5

www.plymouthbeekeepers.btik.com

DEVON BEEKEEPERS’ ASSOCIATION (PLYMOUTH BRANCH)

ERNESETTLE COMMUNITY SCHOOL SCIENCE PRIZE Plymouth Branch Committee has sponsored an annual Science Prize for the two pupils at Ernesettle Community School, Plymouth, who show the most enthusiasm for science and environmental studies. The prize consists of:

A visit (accompanied by a teacher) to one of Valerie and Terry McAuliffe’s apiaries to take part in a colony inspection

A specially designed certificate

A DBKA (Plymouth Branch) mug

And of course; an afternoon off school to enjoy the prize! This year, the head teacher selected two Year 6 pupils, Esme Morgan and Jack Jones. Esme and Jack arrived at our house along with teacher Miss Sarah Jewell on Wednesday 12 June. The weather had been very poor on Monday and Tuesday, so we were lucky to find a fine window between the showers. Esme, Jack and Miss Jewell all donned bee suits and we set off for the apiary. After a safety briefing, Terry lit the smoker and opened the first colony. Neither Esme nor Jack had been to an apiary before but they were both very brave and even handled the frames as the attached photos show. They were completely calm as they helped with the colony inspection and would quite clearly make competent beekeepers in the future. After the apiary visit, the school party returned to Valerie and Terry’s house for lemonade and biscuits followed by presentation of their certificates and Plymouth Branch mugs. Following the event, head teacher Aaron Meredith wrote:

“What an amazing experience for any child (or adult!) I think you have clearly inspired two future beekeepers. If we are able to make this an annual event, we would be extremely grateful please; we pride ourselves on providing fantastic experiences for the children, but I think this one takes the biscuit!”

6

www.plymouthbeekeepers.btik.com

Jean French,

Plymouth Branch

Secretary, enjoying

her apiary

7

www.plymouthbeekeepers.btik.com

8

www.plymouthbeekeepers.btik.com

9

www.plymouthbeekeepers.btik.com

Bristol Bee and Pollination Festival

31st August - 1st September

University of Bristol Botanic Garden

Stoke Park Rd, Bristol BS9 1JG

Bristol Beekeepers extend a warm welcome to beekeepers in other associations, come

and enjoy two days of “Bee talk” and activities, and of course – the Bristol Honey Show!

This year our Silver Queen celebrates her 90th

Anniversary, awarded for the first time in 1929, to

Miss A.B. Flower of Salisbury, who won the class

consisting of 4 jars of honey and 4 sections of

honey. To celebrate this, we are holding a

special Silver Queen Class, of 2 jars of honey

and 2 sections of cut comb. The Bronze Queen

this year will substitute for the Silver Queen and

will be awarded to the entrant with most points in

the honey and hive products classes. Bristol

Blue Glass commemorative trophies will be awarded for the Silver

and Bronze Queens, Runner up and Best Exhibit in Show.

The show has something for everyone, with 21 categories including artwork, photography, honey cake and honey fudge, alongside the more traditional honey, mead and wax classes. We have a novice class to encourage new beekeepers, school clubs etc. to start showing their honey, and a “Taste Only” class where the skill is down to the bees – not the presentation work of the beekeeper!

Exhibitors only will have the opportunity to sell their honey (with a taster table) and other hive products such as wax & candles.

As well as a great honey show, which has achieved Blue Ribbon status for the last 2 years, the Bee and Pollination festival will be a 2 day extravaganza of bee related activity, exhibitions and talks.

We have an excellent lecture programme being put together, with something for everyone from just interested in bees, to the latest research from the University's pollinator research group.

10

www.plymouthbeekeepers.btik.com

A feature of this year's show will be the opportunity to try your skill at identifying the honey

in honey cakes. We will have a display of honey cakes for everyone to taste and learn

about the cultural significance of honey cakes. Another new attraction is the fascinating

exhibition by Michael Darby, entitled "Insect Armageddon!!!" Also, people can enjoy our

new fascinating South African rondavel and our developing tea garden in the Chinese

Cultural Garden.

Experience the secret treasures of the Amazon rainforest

in the exotic glasshouses; enjoy enchanting orchids,

bromeliads and a magical world of tropical food and

medicinal plants.

Lecture Programme: The provisional programme includes:

• Prof Jane Memmott, Director of the pollinator research team and Botanic Garden.

(TBC)

• Phil Savoie: "Wild Bees in my Garden – Biologist and award winning nature

photographer Phil Savoie will take you on a photo safari peeking into the private lives of

native bees."

• Lynne Ingram: Master beekeeper from Somerset has been working with scientists from

Exeter University and Jersey beekeepers in the fight against deadly Asian hornets

which are wreaking havoc on honeybees in the Channel Isles. She will give us the latest

updates on the perils of the Asian Hornet.

• Matt Cracknell (Feed Bristol, Avon Wildlife Trust). He is talking about Feed Bristol

project.

• Dr. Andy Higginson, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, University of Exeter, will be talking

on "what bees want": what influences there are on their foraging behaviour (energy,

predation risk, body damage, and heat).

• Paul Moorhouse, a novice beekeeper's experience of the first year or so of life as a

beekeeper.

• Monica Barlow, from the global Bees for Development charity, will talk about current

research in natural beekeeping with examples from their work in Africa and research

being undertaken in Europe and America.

• Dr. Rowena Jenkins, a lecturer in Microbiology and Infectious Disease in the College

of Medicine at Swansea University in 2017, will be talking about her research on the

antimicrobial activity of Manuka Honey against antibiotic-resistant strains of certain

bacteria.

Exhibitors:

We have a wide range of organisations exhibiting at the festival including University of

Bristol Biological Science researchers, Wanborough Herb Nursery, Tynings

Climbers (Chelsea Flower Show gold medal winners), Bee Depot (everything a

beekeeper could dream of), Bristol Naturalists Society, Friends of the Downs and

Avon Gorge, Kelvin Bush Orchids, Writhlington School Orchids, Mad Apple Cider

(tastings), Bees for Development. A Skep Maker giving demonstrations and sales &

Maya Wolfe (willow weaver): everyone can try their hand at weaving willow insects etc.

11

www.plymouthbeekeepers.btik.com

If you are a keen gardener, then you will find several nurseries selling their wares and the

opportunity for guided tours of the Botanic Gardens by the very knowledgeable Garden

volunteers. Bristol Beekeepers do both open hive demonstrations and have a glass

fronted observation hive for viewing close up by the public. Honey will be sold by Bristol

Beekeepers, only exhibitors in the show may sell their honey and hive products, through

the “Taste and Buy” table.

Show Entries:

We particularly welcome show entrants from other associations, who have historically

been very successful in winning the top prizes. We are now open for entries!

For information about the Honey Show, show schedule and entry form, contact:

www.bristolhoneyshow.co.uk or Email: [email protected]

For information in hard copy, contact:

The Show Secretary

Fulligrove House

Woodwell Rd

Shirehampton

Bristol BS11 9UG

Tel: 0117 9826455

For information about the Botanic Garden and their particular events, contact:

http://www.bristol.ac.uk/botanic-garden/events/

Late-summer flowers for Autumn Nectar

angelica buddleia ivy

aster cardoon lavender

cornflower dahlia (single-flowered)

penstemon

eryngium fuchsia scabious

globe thistle heather Sedum

Verbena bonariensis

12

www.plymouthbeekeepers.btik.com

PLYMOUTH BEEKEEPERS LIBRARY

Library books and DVDs are permanently kept at the

apiary site. Books are separated into three categories

(Novices; General; Specialised) and numbered with a

colour-coded system to help you choose the right

book. The numbers are on the website

If you have a request on a particular topic and would like

help to choose the right book please contact me and I’ll be

happy to help. If you read one of the books and can recommend it (or otherwise)

then please let me have your feedback.

Liz Wallis, Windlestraw, Penquit, Ivybridge PL21 0LU

Tel: 01752 698384 Email: [email protected]

Link to PBKA Library

www.plymouthbeekeepers.btik.com/LibraryBooks

Contact Details – Plymouth Branch

Chairman

Terry McAuliffe

219573

[email protected]

Vice Chair Neil Downing-Waite

309483 [email protected]

Secretary Jean French 338279 [email protected]

Treasurer Bernie Talling 709470 [email protected]

Editor Dawn Clarke 309483 [email protected]

Branch Librarian

Liz Wallis 698384 [email protected]

Apiary Manager

Patrick Mansfield

07887 997764

[email protected]

Social Secretaries

Jean & Steve Russell

215827 [email protected]

Microscopist Vacant

Spray Liaison Officer

Jo Jones [email protected]

DBKA Website - Members Area Password:

If you have forgotten the password, contact Terry McAuliffe or Jean French.

Member Advert

13

www.plymouthbeekeepers.btik.com

Bee Craft webinar dates for 2019 No need to sign in or register. Click on this link or go to the website (www.bee-craft.com) and click on the Bee Craft Live link on the home page. You can email questions, watch live or watch a recording of previous webinars going back to 2014!

Dates are: - all start at 8pm.

August 14th September 18th October 30th November 20th December 19th

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DUE FOR RELEASE SEPTEMBER 13TH The last female beehunter in Europe must save the bees and return the natural balance in Honeyland, when a family of nomadic beekeepers invade her land and threaten her livelihood. This film is an exploration of an observational Indigenous visual narrative that deeply impacts our behaviour towards natural resources and the human condition.

Official Trailer on You Tube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B27ORUHlp6E

An Epic Bee Tale, A Young Actor’s Life

https://www.smdp.com/an-epic-bee-tale-a-young-actors-life/178088

14

www.plymouthbeekeepers.btik.com

The Buzz – Honeybees & Beekeeping

Bees and Beekeepers Feel the Sting of Trump Administration’s Anti-Science Efforts

It's been a particularly terrible summer for bees. Recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it is allowing the bee-killing pesticide sulfoxaflor back on the market. And just a few weeks prior, the USDA announced it is suspending data collection for its annual honeybee survey, which tracks honeybee populations across the U.S., providing critical information to farmers and scientists.

The Trump administration pushed for these two anti-bee actions, even though our nation's honeybee populations have been nosediving for years. Last winter, beekeepers reported a record 40 percent loss of their colonies.

Read more on the EcoWatch website:

https://www.ecowatch.com/bees-beekeepers-trump-administration-2639218870.html

ApisProtect brings beekeeping into the 21st Century

Dr Murphy, who holds a PhD in electrical engineering from University College Cork, believes a technological approach to beekeeping can update the centuries old practice in order to meet the demands of the modern world.

Her company’s core product is "a platform that goes inside the beehive" with "a variety of different sensors on board" measuring things like "temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide, sound and movement" - data that captures a complete picture of what goes on in the hive.

Machine learning then takes the raw data and turns it into useful information for the beekeeper.

Read more on the Raidió Teilifís Éireann, Ireland's National Public Service Broadcaster’s website:

https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2019/0717/1063634-apisprotect/

15

www.plymouthbeekeepers.btik.com

Limpopo born beekeeper talks to us about all things honey “The intention was never to be a beekeeper. I was always selling honey because my father was a beekeeper and honey was always available at home. When more and more people started needing honey from me, my father suggested that I get my own beehive in order to make my own honey. The rest is history,” says 32-year-old Mokgadi Mabela.

Read more on the Sowetan Live website:

https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/s-mag/2019-07-25-limpopo-born-beekeeper-talks-to-us-about-all-things-honey/

“The collapse of nature”: Proposal submitted to EU calling for pesticide control Various civil society organizations across the EU are calling for pesticides to be phased out, biodiversity to be restored and farmers to be supported during a food and farming system transformation. This is detailed in a proposal submitted to the European Commission (EC) for a European Citizens’ Initiative asking for new legislation. The EC now has two months to approve the proposal before campaigners try to gather a million signatures, which then triggers the EC to decide on follow-up action. Read more on the Food Ingredients website:

https://www.foodingredientsfirst.com/news/the-collapse-of-nature-proposal-submitted-to-eu-calling-for-pesticide-control.html

MEMBER ADVERT FOR SALE Manual plastic 4 frame honey spinner £20 Medium straw skep £15 X2 smokers £5 each Nylon bee brush £2 The spinner is in good used condition

Contact Ian Staples on 07564877736

16

www.plymouthbeekeepers.btik.com

HEMBURY BEE SUPPLIES

Agents for the main manufacturers We can supply all your

Beekeeping needs Foundation – Hives – Frames - Jars

And many, many more

We can be found at:

John Harler Outer Finches

Hembury Cock Hill, Buckfast, Devon,

TQ11 0HN Tel/Fax: 01364 642517 Mobile: 07769 878476 Email: [email protected] Please Phone before you make a visit