Newsletter December 2008

Shropshire Beekeepers' Association

Newsletter : December 2008

1. Editor's Notes

I write these notes wearing my hat as representative of SBKA to the BBKA’s annual policy making meeting which will take place in January. Last month I referred to the discussion that our committee planned to have about the BBKA’s policy on pesticide endorsement, which currently generates an income of around £15000 per annum and which so far has been used to improve the Bee Centre at Stoneleigh. Following a renewed campaign of criticism, particularly from individuals or groups who would wish to see all uses of chemicals in agriculture banned, the Executive will provide another opportunity to member associations to vote on the issue. (It was previously supported by a two-thirds majority of Associations). The details of the ‘graded’ propositions to be presented were published in BBKA News last October (p21). In summary they are:

Prop. 1: that BBKA may have regular discussions with agricultural chemical companies with the object of improving the health & welfare of bees

Prop. 2: that BBKA may make representations to such companies and appropriate regulatory authorities in order to improve the safety of such products in relation to bees

Prop. 3: that BBKA may, after appropriate and satisfactory appraisal of the such companies’ stewardship of the methodology of application and use of products, allow them to use such wording as may be agreed with the Executive, including use of the BKA logo, to describe the BBKA’s opinion as to the proper use of such products as regards the health and safety of bees.

Prop. 4: That the BBKA may accept payment for granting a licence for use of its logo as described in prop. 3 above.

Prop. 5: That any money received by the BBKA as a condition of granting a licence for use of the BBKA logo, as set out in proposition 4 above, shall be ring-fenced for bee research.

Proposition 4 above represents the status quo. In our own committee discussion the minority view was that while there were no objections to BBKA working with the agrochemical companies to influence their efforts to protect bees, no money should change hands (i.e. Proposition 3). The majority view (75%) favoured accepting the current approach of BBKA but ring-fencing the money for research or charitable purposes (i.e. Proposition 5).

I intend to vote in favour of Proposition 5 but may yet be influenced by anything said to me beforehand or brought up at the ADM. Please feel free to contact me on this issue during December.

2. Invitation from North Shropshire BKA

Jo Schup writes:
The North Shropshire BKA is running a food hygiene course, the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health Level 2 Food Safety Award in Manufacturing with specific relevance to Honey preparation. We have a few places free if any SBKA members are interested in attending. This is a one-day course with a multi-choice test at the end (which 99% of people pass) and you then are certificated for 3 years.

The General Food Regulations 2004 make it an offence for anyone to sell or process for sale food that is harmful to health. They also place an obligation on businesses to ensure that their activities are carried out in a hygienic way.

The Level 2 Award is now required by anyone supervising or training people who handle food for the public, e.g. working in pubs, organising teas and coffees at a school fete, organising a farmers market - so it is something well worth having even if you don't process honey for sale (yet!). Whilst small scale beekeepers do not (currently) require this qualification by law, having it would show that you have taken your responsibility to the public seriously - much in the same way as having your BBKA Basic Assessment. If you are a larger scale beekeeper (selling more than 10-20 jars of honey/week) then Environmental Health recommends you have this qualification.

We have sourced a local trainer who will run the one- day course for us and will tailor it to make it pertinent to beekeepers (she has spent a day with me watching how honey is extracted, stored, bottled and sold so she really is keen to make it work for us).

The cost would be £27.50/per person and we require an upfront £15 deposit to confirm a place. Cheques should be made payable to NSBKA please and posted to Jo Schup (Address: Fields Farm, Maltkin Lane, Dobson's Bridge, Whixall). Date is Sunday 28th February 2009. Location: Market Drayton.

3. Diseases of Beekeepers.(Seen in Mongomeryshire BKA, Courtesy of BEES)

Whilst we are bombarded with information and advice on diseases of bees (which is all very well and proper) there seems to be an alarming lack of knowledge concerning diseases of beekeepers and I consider it to be high time this deficiency was addressed. Now it is known that B.S.E. in cattle may lead to C.J.D. in humans, it behoves us to consider that such ailments may be and possibly may have already been transmitted to humanity via its livestock.

One of the most serious of bee diseases is, of course, ACARINE or ISLE OF WIGHT DISEASE and the corresponding ailment among beekeepers is APIATHY or I'M ALRIGHT DISEASE. The symptoms create an inability to take heed or warnings of impending danger, followed by a total failure to do anything about it when it arrives.

It is almost inevitably followed by the human equivalent of FOUL BROOD - to wit, FOUL MOOD characterised by a tendency to plead being allergic to bee venom as a face-saving way of throwing in the towel.

Then there is AMOEBA, the beekeeping variety of which is I'M EAGER, a common affliction of novices who just can't wait to get stuck into beekeeping and make all sorts of errors such as buying different types of hive to find which type suits them best, only to discover themselves unable to transfer frames. This can lead to the illness opposed to SACBROOD which is BLACK MOOD, an ailment which can also be developed from the alternative to NOSEMA which in the beekeepers' case is spelt NO SEE MA, a variation of CLOUDY WING VIRUS, or, in this case CLOUDY EYE VIRUS - resulting in a complete inability to ever spot the queen.

KASHMIR VIRUS has its correlation in CASH FEAR VIRUS a dreadful condition of Association members when they see the treasurer approaching with a list of overdue subscriptions in hand closely followed by the Raffle Secretary with that predatory look in her eye. It's a horrible sight, only to be equalled at the same function by the rictus of BEEKEEPERS' PARALYSIS VIRUS, which smites the entire membership when it reaches the item on the Agenda “Election of Officers”.

Well I think that's enough to be getting on with, except to observe that knowing every one of us to have been hit by one or the other of these ills at one time or another and yet continue to keep bees, it can only be assumed that we are all afflicted with possibly the worst malaise of all - APIMANIA. This is a malady which can probably be diagnosed only by a beeopsy and in any case it's doubtful that a cure exists.

4. Christmas Quiz 2008 (Roy White: Somerton BKA News: Courtesy BEES)

Approximately, what is the specific gravity of floral honey?

How many wings has a drone honeybee?

What are mandibles used for?

Name the only UK Professor of Apiculture.

What is the colour of asparagus pollen?

Generally, what are the temperatures at which honey will not ferment?

Where is the flabellum of the honeybee?

What was the name of the man who invented the WBC hive?

What is royal jelly?

Could honeybees survive on nothing but honey and pollen?

What simple sugars do the honeybees create when turning nectar into honey?

In a honeybee honeycomb, is the point of the hexagon or the flat of the hexagon on the top?

Do aeroplanes use honeycombs?

For a worker honeybee, how many days from laying the egg to cell sealed?

What is the average length of life of a worker in summer?

What is the common name of hedera helix?

Can bees fly backwards in still air?

How many frames fully populate a Modified Commercial Hive?

And for the older beekeeper who can never find his hive tool, can’t see eggs and dare not kneel down for fear of being unable to get up again, from what song are the following words taken, who sung the definitive version and approximately, when?

“When you see, a gentleman bee, around a lady bee buzzin’
Just count to ten then count again,
There’s sure to be an even dozen….”
[Answers next month.....]

5. Next Meeting

Our next meeting will be our Christmas ‘get-together: 10th December at Shirehall, 7.30 p.m. We can rely upon some seasonal presentation to interest and amuse and afterwards some light refreshment. Members are asked to bring along something to share with each other - mince pies/sausage rolls/wine or mead etc - you know the sort of thing

6. 2008/9 Subscriptions

Please note that in order to continue receiving the Newsletter you must have paid your SBKA subscription by the end of this month at the latest. Contact the treasurer (details on the Committee page) if you have any queries.

7. Crossword Puzzle

For anyone who would like to spend some time tackling a beekeeping crossword during the Christmas break, there is one to try here. The solution (for those up-to-date with their subscriptions!) will be in next month's Newsletter.

8 And Finally .......

What did the spider say to the bee?	Your honey or your life!
Why did the bee start talking poetry?	He was waxing lyrical!
What's a bee’s favourite novel?	The Great Gats-bee!
What is a bee's favourite classical music composer?	Bee-thoven!
Who writes books for little bees?	Bee-trix Potter!

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