Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells Branch
Announcements - Stop Press
Newly Arrived Swarm?
If you need advice or help with a newly arrived swarm simply click on the link below.
Link to Swarms page.
Beekeeping in May.
May is usually the month of swarms but with this long very cold start everything is at least 4 weeks behind, and as some colonies are still very small, swarming will no doubt be delayed. However the day temperatures are now in double figures, and you will see an increase in bee traffic at the entrance as the bees will be out foraging. This will make inspections easier, so here is a bullet list of things to do this month:
- Move to 1 week inspection (or clipped queens).
- Look for drones & queen cells.
- Put Queen excluders on.
- Put first super(s) on.
- Ensure Queen has plenty of room to lay.
- Consider taking a small nucleus to raise a fresh queen.
- Consider Demaree split – see details under ’Articles’ (This method does not interrupt honey flow - keeps Queen laying - stops colony swarming - possibility of a new queen).
- Place a sacrificial drone comb in brood nest (super frame with space below).
- Remove sacrificial drone brood once sealed (twice in the season).
Swarm Request List 2013: Members only.
We make a charge of £10 to cover our petrol money & time spent, which is nominal as it can take 1 to 2 hours & we may have to return later to capture the flying bees.
If you wish to go on this list for 2013, please send your details by email to me:
John Farrow [swarm co-ordinator] at: originalfarrows@btinternet.com with the following information:
Name, address, daytime & evening telephone numbers.
There are six of us who collect swarms in the Sevenoaks and T.Wells area; so I will circulate this list to them and the collector who is nearest you will contact you when they have a swarm available.
Swarms need to be housed as soon as possible, so if you are unavailable when we call we will move onto the next one on our list.
Branch Newsletter May 2013
Click on: 'This Month's Newsletter'
Bee Keeping for Improvers
Planned Courses for 2013:
Our aim this year will be to provide 2nd level and more advanced courses for beekeepers who have had bees for a few years. The programme includes courses aimed at supporting those putting themselves up for the important BBKA Basic Assessment and BBKA General Husbandry practicals. Additionally, rather than the rather random collection of courses on aspects of microscopy in beekeeping this year, in 2013 the plan is to offer a staged series of possibly 5 different courses from an introduction through to anatomy and dissection and pollen analysis.Some of the popular courses are to be repeated and some frequently requested courses are to be added in 2013.
Tales from the Beehive.
Daniel Marsh has been keeping bees since 2009 and started a Beekeeping Blog in June 2010. Download his 'Tales from the Beehive' to see how his beekeeping has progressed over the last 3 years, by clicking on: 'Daniel'
Neonicotinoid Insecticides David Ashton letter
South East Annual Report 2012
Next Meetings
See Meetings and Events for all our Apiary meetings detailed in the 2013 programme.
The 2013 indoor meetings start again in the Autumn on Tuesday 17th September 2013 at Weald Memorial Hall TN14 6PS. Use Google maps for directions and for their web page click on: 'Weald Hall'.
Beginners’ Courses
More from Articles
To download various Leaflets, Manuals & Fact Sheets click on: BeeBase and then click on the various links highlighted in blue.
Download this pdf document for the pros & cons of the wide variety of beehives available.
Described in 4 simple steps. All you need to add is bees and a shed!
Download this pdf document for plans of how to convert a nucleus box into an observation hive.
Click on this link: Bee Friendly Plants for a list of top 10 plants suitable for bees.
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