Bromley
Bee News Monthly Update
Published by the Bromley Beekeepers |
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Welcome to the
June 2001 issue of Bromley News. Internet www.beeman.dircon.co.uk/junbbk01.htm
web version of this newsletter with pictures. Steven Turner (editor) Email:crow@zbee.com BeeNet: 240:244/118 Tel: (020) 86980313 Apiary News Those of you who managed to get to the meeting on the first Sunday of May will recall that our hopes of introducing a swarm into the African long hive were thwarted by the untimely occupation of the hive by a Blue Tit's nest. The bird continued to come and go until we had our open day 14 days later. Then nothing since. Did the crowds prove too much? After 10 days of inactivity and the urgent need to find a home for a swarm I took a peep into the hive, nothing, just a few balls off fluff. What happened to the eggs? Did the bird carry them away or perhaps they hatched out which would account for the balls of fluff. Visit Kentbee.com and download some interesting photographs of the meeting URL http://www.kentbee.com/kbbka.htm I carefully eased out all the evidence onto a sheet of glass and it is all there for you to see, so come along you budding ornithologists and let us know what you think happened.
Do please keep an eye on your calendar. Some of you will have missed out on what is probably our main event, the Blackheath Village Fayre on the first Saturday of June.
Please contact Tom Winks on 8777 3144 if you are of a mind to join in, I can assure you that it is most enjoyable, and time well spent. Pile those supers on and stand back for a record harvest.
Members' Diary Dates for outside events Saturday
2nd June Blackheath Fayre |
Hive
inspections are needed every 7 days if you are practicing swarm control.
If you find sealed queen cells it is usually too late to stop the
swarming event. I normally shake off all the bees and locate and destroy
all but one queen cell. This helps to reduce the number of casts.
The
'Open Day' at the Leisure Gardens went better than ever with nearly
400 people offering their 50 pence pieces to partake in the BBQ, plant
sales, refreshments, bric-a- brac, vineyard walks and the bee demonstration
at 1:30pm which was watched by over 60 members of the public and proved
to be a sensation. Word got around that the beekeepers would be at
it again at 3:00pm and many of the visitors stayed on to watch two
swarms being run into their new homes. It was really something to
see people mingling with all the bees flying around with no signs
of the fear usually displayed by the uninitiated. The good news is
that the profit for the day was over £900, which will be used
to improve the facilities on the site.
The
next event is at the school at Shortlands on Saturday 16th June. Then
Saturday 23rd June a display at Green St Green. Saturday30th June
at Mayow Park Sydenham and the following day the event at Hayes Common
Keston which to my mind is a really rural day and number one in my
estimation. Your company is most helpful at all of these events, and
don't forget you will get a good price for your surplus honey and
other bee products. There is probably no better way of getting to
know our hobby than talking to the public and answering their damn
fool questions.