Newsletter : May 2005
Newsletter : May 2005
1. Editorial
I am finding this weather extremely difficult for beekeeping. It varies so much from day to day that I've been reluctant to undertake a full check up and spring clean on my colonies for fear of getting them chilled. I finally had a proper look on 17th April, which was a week later than last year. I already knew that I had lost 4 colonies. Two of these were quite weak and should really have been united last Autumn but the other two had starved out despite being fed early in the new year. Fortunately four other colonies have come through and two of these are building up well and should be in condition to make the most of the hawthorn blossom when it flowers in mid-May. Most beekeepers I have spoken to have had a difficult winter with quite a number losing all their bees.
Discussing this at the most recent Committee meeting we agreed that we should give priority to new beekeepers and to members without bees when it comes to passing on any spare swarms this season. So, if you have swarms you don't want to keep or if you want swarms because you have no bees at all, please let Ray Green know and he will arrange to put people in contact with each other. Can I also remind you that our swarm removal co-ordinator who will try to deal with reports of swarms from the general public, is Steve Watkins (tel: 07974 931889.
You may have seen in recent news from the BBKA that Kashmir Virus has been confirmed in three colonies in the north of England. Is this something to worry about? The editor of APIS U.K. (an online Newsletter from Northern BeeBooks) who keeps bees in Greece writes:
I hope I'm right to find this reassuring - or do you know better? If so, please write in and share your knowledge with the rest of us. Come to that, write in about anything!!
2. Next Meeting
The apiary meetings start this month with a gathering in our own apiary at Radbrook. This will be on Saturday 14th May and will start at 2.00 p.m. with a display and sale of equipment for members and for new beekeepers. Berwick Beekeeping Supplies will attend with a variety of seasonal items and can also bring along goods that have been ordered in advance (see their display advertisement elsewhere in this Newsletter). Members are also invited to bring along their own surplus equipment (new or secondhand if in reasonable condition), especially anything that might be of interest to beginner beekeepers. Following this we will be examining the Association's colonies and there will be lots of opportunities to examine bees and combs and to ask questions about how to keep your own colonies in thriving condition.
For those who have not been before the apiary is at the rear of the college site. Follow the entrance slip road round the left hand side of the buildings until you reach a 'T' junction. Turn left here and go down to the car park at the end of this lane. The apiary is visible from here.
3. April Meeting Report
Our final indoor meeting of the Spring was a talk by Claire Waring, the editor of BeeCraft and founder trustee of the UK charity, Bees Abroad, which supports beekeeping projects in developing countries. She focused on beekeeping in Asia and gave us an absorbing insight into the trials and the rewards of the activity in these countries. Her presentation was illustrated by her own slides, which really brought the story to life. We travelled from the high mountain regions in Nepal, where collecting honey is a dangerous enterprise with open colonies being built on sheer rock faces, down to the forests of Cambodia, where local beekeepers set up 'rafters' (essentially split poles supported by uprights at each end) on which the bees build a single large comb that contains food, brood and honey. We met exotic new bees, e.g.: apis laborosa, apis dorsata & apis florea and heard how the local people are being helped to develop techniques for sustainable beekeeping that will give them a secure and growing income for the future. At the end of her talk Claire told us that Bees Abroad is planning further trips in November (to Cambodia) and next January (to Mexico). Members interested in knowing more should scan the pages of BeeCraft for further details in due course.
4. Replacing Old Brood Comb)
Earlier this year there were some articles in Beecraft describing beekeeping in Denmark and praising the quality of the end product.. One of the points mentioned was that beekeepers there are strongly encouraged to replace all their broodcombs each year, which is seen to be a vital step in the maintenance of a healthy and productive bee population. Members might like to be reminded of the advice of the CSL Bee Unit on this topic as published in their 'Fact Sheet 5'.
1. Why should I change old brood combs?
Combs should be changed regularly as they become damaged, contain extensive amounts or inconveniently placed drone comb, but mostly because used comb may contain the causative organism of many bee diseases, such as EFB, AFB, Nosema etc.
2. How often should I change them?
There are many opinions as to this question but no brood comb should be used for more than three years. Used comb should be rendered or disposed of rather than being used in a different colony. For the small cost involved it is not worth ANY risk.
3. Is it easy?
Yes, providing you approach the change with a plan.
4. Are there different plans for single or double brood management?
These should be approached in different ways to gain the best results. The next Q. & A will help you decide how to do it.
5. Can I just replace the odd brood comb with foundation?
This is the most common system used by beekeepers and probably creates the most problems especially in single brood chamber systems with the smaller types of hive. Foundation placed in a bottom brood chamber is invariably spoilt unless a powerful swarm with a good honey flow is drawing it out.
6. What are the best systems?
There are two easy and effective systems, these are a) to replace old comb with prepared drawn comb and b) to perform a 'Bailey Comb Change'.
7. How do I prepare drawn comb?
This is only practical for the smaller types of brood chamber. A clean brood chamber is filled with frames of foundation and placed over a queen excluder during a honey flow. i.e. used as a super. When the combs have been drawn and filled with honey they can be extracted and stored for use as replacement combs.
8. How do I use these combs?
Towards the end of the bee keeping season frames that you wish to replace are moved to the ends of the brood chamber. During winter these frames become free of brood so in early spring, before the colony is expanding rapidly, they can be removed and replaced with drawn combs. Use of foundation at this time is not possible, as without a honey flow or extensive feeding the bees will not draw it out. (See also Q12) This exchange can take place on a warm day in March. Ensure that sufficient stores remain, if not feed the bees.
9. How do I perform a Bailey comb change?
Prepare a clean brood chamber filled with frames of foundation. Place this chamber over the existing brood chamber. Unless there is a strong nectar flow feed with winter strength sugar syrup i.e. 1/2 ltr. of water to 1 kg. of sugar. When the bees have drawn out some of the foundation, find the queen and place her on this comb. Put a queen excluder over the old brood chamber and under the new, thus trapping the queen in the upper chamber. After three weeks remove the old brood chamber. The brood will have hatched and the comb can then be rendered to recover the beeswax. This system is ideal for replacing all the combs at once and is best performed in early spring, March in the South West, but remember to keep feeding so the bees build comb.
10. Where do bees find it easiest to draw comb.
The high temperatures needed for bees to secrete wax are governed by many factors such as colony strength, weather etc. The area above the brood nest tends to be the best place.
11. What if my foundation is old?
Old foundation tends to become hard and brittle so bees tend to chew it into holes. It can be restored by carefully warming it, which releases the oils and makes it usable again.
12. Is there anything else I should be aware of?
Make sure that you only use 'narrow' spacing between the frames. Combs at the end of the box tend not to be drawn on the outer face. This is because the bees find it hard to cluster there and generate wax. Turn the frame around or move it further into the box so that they can draw it out.
Robin Hall, RBI Western Region.
5. A Super Idea?
I have several supers in which the honey has crystalized and do not have the facilities to melt it down. Talking to a colleague recently he commented that he had heard/read somewhere that if you placed the super under the broodbox in early spring the bees disliked it so intensely that given access to a supply of water nearby they would move it up into a honey super, thus giving you a second chance to extract in the normal manner. Has any other member heard of this method of liquefying crystalized honey, and more to the point, does it work?
Graham Roberson
6. Round and About
Ludlow & District BKA: Sat. 14th May: Practical Apiary Meeting at John Bury's, Lower Carwood beyond Cheney Longville (SO 582741) Further details: Andy Vanderhook Tel: 01299 841379
Stafford Bee Group: County Show 1st/2nd June. Details: Tony Burton Tel: 01785 663340
North Shropshire BKA:Saturday May 21st. Out-apiary afternoon at Pim Hill 2.00 p.m. Details: Mike Harris Tel: 01939 232302
Oswestry BKA:Saturday May 14th at 3.00 p.m. Invitation of Mr. K. Everitt, Cwnclyd, Llanarmon Rd., Pandy, Glyn Ceirog. Further details: G. Jones Tel: 01691 654448
Montgomery BKA:Sunday 22nd May, 2.30 p.m. Apiary meeting: Bill & Barbara Downie, Rhiwen, Trefeglwys. Shook Swarm demonstration led by John Verran.
7. Committee Report
The committee discussed the following items at their meeting on 22nd March 2005
Stands for Association Apiary: Roger Evans reported that the purchase of hive stands had been postponed until further notice.
Purchase of Liquid Feed - Meliose: Following correspondence which had appeared in the March 2005 Newsletter the Committee wish to put on record their thanks to Peter Woodcock for running the Bayvarol Scheme on behalf of the Association from 1995 to 2001, which over that period had made a good profit for the Association funds.
Treasurer's Report: Roger Evans circulated a report to the Committee which showed a favourable balance in the Association funds of £6,951.40 and a membership of 133 members, of whom 9 are associates, 6 Life Members and 3 are "carry-overs" from last year. With regard to the previous decision to transfer our account to the Alliance & Leicester Bank the treasurer reported that our application to open an account is being processed but that the provisions relating to "money laundering" have significantly slowed down progress. He anticipated that he would be able to confirm transfer of our account(s) at the next Committee meeting.
Secretary's Report: The Secretary reported various items of correspondence from South Clwyd BKA, 'Hives Save Lives', a Charity that manufactures hives in Uganda designed for African conditions, BDI - Notice of AGM, and updates from BBKA
SBKA Constitution: Sub-Committee has not yet met. Update on progress at next meeting.
Website: Peter Hampson reported that he had e-mailed all Committee Members with details of how to access the draft SBKA Website. A printout of the pages was passed around the Meeting for members to view. Discussion took place as follows. Further issues raised: a password-protected page for members, enquiries as to a suitable web-host, ideas for additional pages. Further progress to be reported at the next meeting.
Relationship of SBKA to Flower Show Committee: John Perkins had requested clarification as to whether the Show Committee was a Sub-Committee of SBKA or separate. Brian Goodwin advised that the Show Committee was separate to SBKA but made up of a vast majority of Shropshire Beekeepers Association members and North Shropshire Beekeepers Association members and the Wine Circle members. The Show Committee is a Sub-Committee of the Shropshire Horticultural Society and shares its Chairman with the SBKA and is self-funding. Members who sit on the Show Committee do so as individuals.
Information was also provided about the costs of the computer that the Association purchased for the Flower Show Committee. The treasurer reported that the hardware cost £898 (including £133.74 VAT) Additional costs incurred amounted to £233.34. The purchase was made as an interest-free loan to the Show Committee, the money to be recouped out of future honey sales. Ownership rests with the Horticultural Society/Show Committee. The treasurer uses computer for beekeeping business and Show Committee work.
Association Apiary: Brian Goodwin advised that the Association Apiary would have to relocate soon. The land surrounding the apiary had been sold to a Developer with planning permission. The Apiary site would not be developed but the surrounding land would, which would make the area unsuitable for the Apiary to remain on at its present location. After discussion it was unanimously agreed that the Association should actively look for a new Apiary Site. The President was asked to initially approach the current site Developer on behalf of the Association and set out our requirements and report back to the next Committee meeting on 3rd May 2005.
8. Members Advertisements
For Sale
BS Super comb foundation - new condition - worker cell size.
Price £3.25 per 10 sheets.
Contact Peter Woodcock on 01952 223350
"This of course was inevitable and I think not too worrying. I have kept bees commercially in two countries that have it (Spain and New Zealand) and have rarely even thought about it let alone worried about the beast. I'm no expert on the subject of virus particles but I reckon that if you keep on top of their probable vector varroa, and maintain good husbandry, there is little to worry about. If you don't, then you are going to have many more problems anyway and KBV could seem like the least of your worries. Personally, I'm more anxious about bee-eaters, forest fires and AFB - and of course worrying about whether the local bar will still be open when I've finished shifting bees for the night'.
Foundation put into a bottom brood chamber is drawn out from the top downwards, as a result it becomes travel stained and covered in propolis. The bees then nibble the foundation away leaving holes between the comb and the bottom bars of the frame. In double brood chamber systems the foundation can be put into the upper chamber so this problem does not occur.
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