PLYMOUTH BEEKEEPERS’ Apiary Programme 2019btckstorage.blob.core.windows.net/site2056/Bee Brief Sept Oct 2019.… · have built their pit to pupate. The most obvious sign of infestation

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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 at the Blindmans Wood Scout Centre, Outland Road, Plymouth PL3 5TB)

Tuesday 14th January – Quiz Night Tuesday 11th February – Talk Tuesday 13th October – Honey Show Tuesday 17th November – AGM

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 righ

PLYMOUTH BEEKEEPERS’ Apiary Programme 2019

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

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CHAIRMAN’S BLOG

Hello Again, Well, that’s the end of another season. I hope your honey crop was as good as ours was this year. We’ve even had to buy a new freezer to store the surplus. Most people react with astonishment when you talk of freezing honey, but it is the very best way of storing it in tip top condition. It’s quite safe to store it in the glass jars, packed ready for sale. Again, many people express astonishment about this so let me explain. Those of us who didn’t ‘switch off’ during physics lessons at secondary school may possibly remember being taught about the anomalous expansion of water. It’s anomalous because as it cools and freezes into ice, it actually expands; in contravention of what we know about cooling leading to contraction. Because of this, if we put a glass bottle of water in the freezer the contents will expand as it turns to ice and will quite likely break the glass bottle in the process; very dangerous. This doesn’t happen with honey because, as you all know, to be legally saleable as honey it must not contain any more than 20% water; some has less than 17%. This makes honey quite safe to freeze because this small proportion of water homogenously mixed throughout the honey does not expand in the same way as 100% water. In other words, it does not become a solid block of sweet ice. But it does keep the honey in perfect condition, slowing down any granulation to a very slow rate. The honey that I won first prize with at our honey show last year had been frozen for five months prior to exhibiting it. The judge did not know this, but he clearly didn’t think the flavour was in any way impaired! On that subject, Plymouth Branch Honey show is on 8 October; 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

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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. Now an appeal for a volunteer. At the time of writing this, I have been a trustee of Devon Beekeepers’ Association for over three years, but for family reasons I have decided that it is now time for me to stand down. Every Branch in Devon is entitled to send one representative to the DBKA Executive Committee as a trustee and it doesn’t need to be the chairman. Trusteeship is open to any registered member, partner member or honorary member of DBKA, except that an honorary member must have been a registered member or partner member before being given honorary status. In simple terms, this means that pretty well everyone who is reading this magazine is eligible! In the past, it has always been the position that if no member comes forward to be a DBKA trustee, the role is automatically assumed by the Branch Chairman. But as I stated earlier, after three years in this role, I believe it is time for someone else to take a turn. Although it is not a particularly onerous role, trustees are expected to attend DBKA Executive Committee meetings. There are around six meetings per year and most of them are held in Meldon Village Hall near Okehampton (travel expenses will be paid). Some votes at the EC, usually related to finances, are for trustees only so the role is important. If no-one comes forward, this will mean that Plymouth Branch will no longer be represented at County level. So if there is anyone in the Branch who would like to become a DBKA trustee, please let me know. Despite the previous paragraph, I confirm that I will seek re-election as your Branch Chairman at the AGM in November. Until December (provided that I am re-elected),

All the best,

Terry 🐝

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

629481307562670

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

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Backyard Nature is helping children to make a real difference to the planet. A campaign grown by Semble and powered by Iceland Foods, aims to sign up an army of Backyard Nature Guardians to protect a patch of nature near their home. Throw it to grow it Bees need our help and Backyard Nature are giving away FREE seedballs, available from your local Iceland store. Your mission - should you choose to accept it - is to help save the bees by planting wildflower seedballs on your patch! It's easy to do and anyone can get involved - seedballs can be planted in a garden, pot or window box. If you don’t have a store nearby or they’ve run out, don’t worry! Find out how to make your own at: www.backyardnature.org Make sure you have signed up to become a Backyard Nature Guardian too so you can share your photos with progress on social media using #BackyardNature

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BEEKEEPERS NEWS We have just started stocking VarroMed from BeeVital. This is the successor

to the incredibly popular Hive Clean. VarroMed is a natural product made

from oxalic acid dihydrate and formic acid. It comes in a 555ml bottle,

costs £30 and can be easily trickled on to the bees.

Ask the Expert – Wax Moth Unfortunately, Certan has been withdrawn from sale until further notice.

The manufacturer, Vita, are currently developing a new product that we

hope will be available soon. The choices to combat wax moth are therefore

very limited. A brief description of wax moth and a couple of different

treatment options are shown below.

Wax Moth There are two types of wax moth that can cause problems within the

beehive, the lesser and the greater wax moth. They are not generally a big

problem for strong, healthy colonies but can be problematic for weaker

colonies. The larvae of both species can cause damage to comb by

burrowing through the wax and feeding on impurities, especially in old

brood combs. Greater Wax Moth will also make furrows in wood where they

have built their pit to pupate. The most obvious sign of infestation is a

white silk trail left by the larvae who travel below the brood cappings. It is

possible to catch these larvae but you have to be quick because they move

fast!

In extreme cases the whole of the comb will be destroyed. Boxes that are

lightly infested may be placed on top of a strong colony to clean out but

combs that are heavily infested and beyond treatment should be burned.

Infestations are generally caused by unhygienic beekeeping practices, such as leaving burr comb and exposed supers or broods with drawn comb lying around the apiary.

Now Certan is no longer an option there are only two treatment options available within the UK. Both treatments can be used on drawn honeycomb supers or brood. The most common is to treat supers as brood boxes tend to have bees in over winter.

These methods are outlined below:

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Sulphur strips (sulphur dioxide)

Burning sulphur strips will kill all stages of wax moth present at

the time but does not guarantee long lasting protection. It will

also prevent stored pollen from going mouldy.

HOW TO USE:

1. Place a piece of newspaper on a concrete or wooden floor, preferably outside.

2. Stack 6 supers with empty combs on top of the paper and seal round the sides with tape.

3. Place an empty brood body on top of the stack. 4. Place a sulphur burner inside the brood body on top of the super

frames. 5. Hang 2 sulphur strips in the sulphur burner and fold the strips in half. 6. Light the strips and quickly close the burner. When lit, the sulphur

dioxide sinks through stacks of supers, treating all super frames. 7. Place a sealed hive roof over the brood body and leave quickly. 8. Repeat every 4 weeks whilst in storage and leave for a few days

before putting into use.

Safety warning

Sulphur dioxide is toxic when inhaled so only use sulphur strips outside or in a well-ventilated area. Causes burns. Keep out of reach of children. Use protective clothing and seek medical assistance in case of an accident or feeling unwell.

Acetic acid

Acetic acid can be used to sterilise combs against wax moth, Nosema and chalkbrood. 80% acetic acid should be used with absorbent fume pads as well as proper protective clothing and containers because it is highly corrosive and will burn skin and corrode metal hive parts. Acetic acid cannot be sent but must be collected from one of our branches.

HOW TO USE:

1. Place an absorbent fume pad saturated with ¼ pint/125ml 80% acetic acid onto the floor. This can be a solid wooden hive floor or any timber or earth floor. Avoid concrete as acetic acid will corrode it. Remove or coat with Vaseline any metal ends or frame runners as it will corrode these parts too.

2. Place a brood box with frames to be fumigated on top of the fume pad. Then place another saturated fume pad on top of the frames. Do this for each box of frames you wish to treat.

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3. Place a lid on the stack and seal the joints between the boxes with gaffer tape. As an easier alternative, it is possible to stack the boxes inside a wheelie bin liner which provides a good airtight seal.

4. Leave for 1 week. 5. Remove the acid-soaked pads carefully and air the boxes and frames

for a few days before putting into use.

Safety warning

Acetic acid is highly corrosive and will easily corrode concrete and burn

skin. Avoid contact with the eyes and fumes being inhaled into the lungs.

Always wear overalls, protective gloves and goggles when using this acid.

PBKA Beginners

Congratulations to all 13 of this year's beginners who stayed the course

through from March to August and are now proud holders of their completion

certificates.

Well done

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An Asian hornet sighting has been confirmed near Christchurch on 1 October 2019. This follows earlier confirmed sightings south west of Ashford in Kent on 9 September 2019 and the Tamworth area of Staffordshire on 2 September 2019, where a nest was subsequently located and destroyed. Earlier in the year a single hornet was confirmed in New Milton, Hampshire.

In all cases the hornets were spotted and reported by a member of the public.

Since 2016, there have been a total of 17 confirmed sightings of the Asian hornet in England and seven nests have been destroyed.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/asian-hornet-uk-sightings-in-2018

What are the collective nouns for bees and drones? There are many collective nouns for a group of bees: A bike of bees A charm of bees A cluster of bees An erst of bees A game of bees

A grist of bees A hive of bees A hum of bees A nest of bees A rabble of bees A swarm of bees Which one do you prefer?

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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

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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.

November 20th December 19th

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The Buzz – Honeybees & Beekeeping

Something unusual is happening on top of Plymouth's landmarks

Pollenize, a community interest company, is setting up beehives on top of Plymouth buildings to help protect bees.

Read more on the Plymouth Herald website:

Plymouth Herald

Australian Stingless Bees Build Stunning Spiral Hives and No One's Quite Sure Why

Dr. Tim Heard, through his research and documentation efforts over the years, is determined to increase public awareness about the truly unique sugarbag honeybee.

Read more on the Interesting Engineering website:

Interesting Engineering

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HONEY BEES REMEMBER HAPPY AND SAD TIMES, SCIENTISTS DISCOVER While the brains of honey bees are tiny compared to those of humans, the insects are capable of some surprisingly advanced thinking. A study published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences has now cast new light on the insects' cognitive abilities. A team of researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that honey bees can remember positive and negative experiences—such as taking care of their young or fending off an enemy. These memories are then stored in specific areas of their brains, according to how good or bad the experience was. Read more on the Newsweek website:

https://www.newsweek.com/honey-bees-happy-sad-scientists-1458562

Welsh bees threatened by deadly disease American Foulbrood

Concern has been growing over the spread of a deadly disease among the Welsh bee population. Gruffydd Rees, who has been keeping bees for almost 10 years at Dryslwyn, Carmarthenshire, said he was devastated by the loss of one of his hives last week. "I've had training in spotting disease and infection, so I knew straight away that something wasn't right," he said. "It was a really strong colony but I could tell there was a problem." Mr Rees said destroying the hive was one of the hardest things he has had to do.

Read more on the BBC website

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-49365140

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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