Thanks to the NBU

On October 8th, a warm sunny day, I was visited by prearrangement by two NBU members.

After the discovery of the Asian Hornet in North Devon a team of inspectors have been touring the ar-ea to check our trees for more nests. Two of the team made their way through my village, Combe Martin, and called in to set up a trap by my bees; they were pleased to see that our club had made our own traps. Their trap will be monitored by our local Bee Inspectors.

Have they found any more nests? Not so far.

The team was about twenty strong, but is now winding down with ten remaining checking the sur-rounding area.

My visitors were Dhonn Atkinson a Bee Inspector from Yorkshire, and David Burns a Bee Inspector from Suffolk and Norfolk. We had a very pleasant chat about beekeeping in their own Counties and how very different it is from here in Devon.

They left me with a very positive feeling that all that could be done, was getting done. It’s good to know that the NBU is working so hard on our behalf, with time, man power and hands on coordina-tion.

Thank you NBU, I feel happy in the knowledge that ‘a safe pair of hands’ is doing all it can for our bees.

Barbara Carlyle – Combe Martin

NOVEMBER 2017

USEFUL LINKS

DEVON BEEKEEPERS’

ASSOCIATION

www.devonbeekeepers.org.uk

BRITISH BEEKEEPERS’

ASSOCIATION

www.bbka.org.uk

DEVON APICULTURAL

RESEARCH GROUP

www.dargbees.org.uk

from Western Morning News 16.10.17

My favourite bee flower...DANDELION

I hate winter. The short daylight hours the long dark

nights. The cold, the wet, the rain even the frost is not my

delight. A tee shirt, shorts and sandals have to be replaced

by thick heavy clothes to keep warm. If possible I do what

the birds do and fly south to find the sunshine. I yearn to

play with my bees and potter in the garden and share a

cool drink on the patio with a mate. I keep an eye on the

calendar wishing away those depressing days. My spirit is

raised when the snowdrops show their tiny white heads. I

know that winter is behind me when the first dandelions

show themselves. Heralds confirming a forthcoming

summer. I know that the risk of starvation problems with

my bees when the dandelion is available is unlikely as it is

such a good provider of both pollen and nectar. I am not

concerned with the honey crop as I read that Dandelion

has a strong taste, flowery scent and coarse grained. They

are very sensible plants as the flowers stare up at the sun

and follow it round. When the sum stops shining or night

comes the flowers close up which protects the pollen and

nectar. It is described by Geoffrey Grigson in ‘The

Englishmen’s Flora’ as a brave plant as it survives in rough

industrial areas and derelict sites.

Chris Utting

above photo by Chris Utting

photo below and pollen photo from ‘ Plants for Bees’

by Kirk & Howes

drawing from ‘Pollen Loads

of the Honeybee’ by Hodges

From Mathew Oates—Nature Notebook-

The Times 21.10.17

Reminiscences and 2018 - a talk by Richard Ball

The first indoor meeting of the winter 2017 season

was held on 18th October at the Castle Centre,

Barnstaple and was attended by around twenty

members.

Zara and Chris wanted a report from the

perspective of someone new to beekeeping and, as I

have only been involved with the association since

early this year and have yet to acquire a colony of

bees, I seemed to fit the requirements.

Richard has been keeping bees for over 50 years and

took up the hobby when he became a police officer.

He explained that in those days many policemen,

firemen and railwaymen kept bees to produce and

sell honey in order to supplement their low wages. The shift

patterns enabled them to attend to their bees on a regular basis.

He pointed out that throughout his working life he only had one day

sick due to bee stings. That occurred when he visited his apiary but forgot his wellies but decided to tuck his

trousers in his socks and continue. This was a big mistake as the bees were a bit grumpy, to say the least, and

took it out on his ankles. On returning home he decided to remove any remaining stings and started to count

them as he did so but gave up when he got to forty just on one side of one ankle! The following day he could

barely walk - be warned.

Changes to working practices, more leisure time and more awareness of the challenges facing the natural world

have significantly changed the mix of people that now keep bees, and their reasons for keeping them.

Richard discussed some of the challenges that have faced beekeepers over the years, the most significant to

date being the appearance of the Varroa Mite. The changes this necessitated caused many of the older,

established beekeepers to give-up and this further changed the mix.

One very interesting point he made was that beekeepers should consider more carefully the type of hive they

use to ensure that it matches their reasons for keeping bees, and their physical abilities, rather than just using

the type of hive they learnt on.

Whilst explaining some of the different types of hive and their attributes he mentioned a type of hive that could

be inverted on a regular basis which reduced swarming as each time the hive was inverted the bees tore down

the queen cells which were then pointing up and built new ones pointing down. As long as the hive was invert-

ed every seven to ten days this prevented swarming. From the comments and questions that followed this was

a new technique to many of the experienced members and one that I have certainly not come across in my lim-

ited reading to date.

As for the future, Richard sees the Asian Hornet as the biggest threat yet to beekeeping and stresses that we all

need to be vigilant and take steps to detect the invaders at the earliest opportunity in order to protect our bees.

Following a brief question and answer session, Mave thanked Richard on behalf of the audience.

Kim Beaver

Richard chats with Alan Barrow over a cuppa

photo by Chris Utting

Branch Committee Summary October 30th 2017

The October committee meeting was late in the month due to half-term commitments. We abandoned Hore-stone for a cosy room in The Cedars, Bickington.

Our main discussions were concerning the AGM on 5th November. This will be Zara’s first AGM as secretary since she took on the role last November. She has been a most enthusiastic and efficient secretary for the past year. For the AGM, Zara has to organise the agenda and the reports from the other committee members. Following our AGM the reports are forwarded to the DBKA .

Barbara ensures that the trophies are engraved and Lynda has to have the accounts scrutinised. Lynda has also arranged for our Honey Show photos to be turned into a calendar. This will be ready for you to see at the meeting. Cathy is responsible for organising the 2018 Beginners course which will start on February 26th. Brian will have a supply of membership renewal forms ready for 2018.

We have various ideas about holding weekend workshops as the Honey study day was so well attended in July. Blind Honey tasting, with or without cheese and wine? And a Wax processing workshop have been suggested. However, the ‘new’ committee needs to be proposed and seconded before plans for next year can be actioned.

Mave, on behalf of the 2017 committee.

Chair Chat

You may not have read through this month’s NLs before the AGM on Sunday 5th November at 2.00 in

the Castle Centre, Barnstaple. For the AGM the committee members have to have reports ready, there are

certificates and trophies to organise, and the accounts need to have been scrutinised. At this meeting the

new Branch committee is elected by the members for the coming year. Of course, all the official business is

followed by tea, cake and the exchange of general beekeeping matters.

Our last official day, Mince pie day, at Horestone is on Tuesday 14th November from 11.00-2.00. Cathy is

sorting out a fiendish quiz and she has a mystery prize for the talented winner. Do come along for a sociable

gathering.

Mince pie day is closely followed by our Skittles Night at 7.00 on Saturday 25th November in The Plough, Bick-

ington. Barbara has a few spare places so do contact her asap. as numbers are limited.

The apiary will continue to be visited during the winter months by committee members to ensure that all is

well. The Tuesday beekeeping meetings will resume in the spring and the details will be sent out in the New

Year.

I hope all your colonies will over-winter in good health.

Very best wishes,

Mave

MAVE’S PAGE

from The Times 13.10.17

BRANCH EVENTS FOR YOUR DIARY

The Branch AGM is at the Castle Centre

as usual from 2.00-4-00pm on

Sunday, 5th November.

MINCE PIE DAY is at Horestone Apiary

on Tuesday 14th November at 11.00am

SKITTLES EVENING

Saturday 25 November AT 7.00pm the

annual skittling evening at The Plough in

Bickington

Edited by Chris Utting e-mail chrisutting@btinternet.com The views expressed in the articles are the author’s and not necessarily those of the

North Devon Branch of the Devon Beekeepers’ Association.

Member’s contributions are extremely welcome: by 23rd of the month prior to publication please

photo by Frans Maenhout

from Vlaamse Imkersbond 10.17

This is how Peter Auger and

Chris Utting move their

hives. A very useful tool.

Good news for Bee Eaters

Good news for Bees

from The Times 24 July and 14 August