SBKA in the News

Somerset Beekeepers' Association

S.B.K.A.. Publicity Officer: David Morris, ‘Cranford’, Halse, Taunton, Somerset. TA4 3AB Telephone 01823 432686 E Mail: dgmorris@cooptel.net

Latest press releases

February 21st

Annual Lecture Day 2010

Over 200 beekeepers attended the annual lecture day organised by the Somerset Beekeepers Association (S.B.K.A.) at the King's of Wessex School, Cheddar on Saturday 20 th February. This event becomes more popular each year and attracts participants from outside of Somerset.

The first speaker was Clive de Bruyn from Essex who gave two practical talks on ‘ The Joys of Queen Rearing' and ‘The Importance of Pollen'.  In his first talk he emphasised the importance of selecting the bee with the required positive attributes as well as a bee that has shown itself to be compatible with the area where the hives will be placed. He then went on to show how to select the larvae and prepare a colony to receive up to 10 artificially grafted queen cells for development. His second talk called upon us to make the public more aware of the importance of the bee as a pollinator and how the hairs on the body of the bee have been adapted to provide plants with their vital cross-pollination to bear fruit and survive. Finally, he commented upon the value of pollen to the bee community in terms of providing vital proteins to the diet of the larva stages in particular.

Ivor Davis from Congresbury, a former Chairman and President of the British Beekeepers Association, gave an insight into the world of pheromones and the part they play in the organisation of the honeybee within the darkness of a hive. It was explained that the pheromones exist in minute quantities and are extremely difficult to detect and thus determine their importance. The research is showing for example, that the pheromone on the feet of the bee is deposited on the flower whilst a bee is collecting nectar. This indicates to other bees that the flower has already been visited and explains why a bee appears to miss out certain flowers when working blossoms. They also add information to the ‘dances' of the bee and perhaps most enlightening of all, in that the larva sends out a pheromone to indicate it is ready to be capped. It is this pheromone that appears to indicate to the varroa mite when to enter the cell to lay it's eggs.

Smell is also an important facet in the use of honeybees to be trained to detect various odours. Mathilde Briens from Inscentinel showed how the bees are contained in a holding device and are able to be used in the detection of drugs and explosives, safety in food products, presence of cancers and other diseases in medicine, and pollution within the environment. The bees she explained learn very quickly to detect the selected odour, can be contained within a hand held device to undertake the detection, are easy to obtain and are able to be returned to the hive after being used for just a few days.

During the lunch break, Adam Vevers the Regional Bee Inspector initiated two discussions on the value or otherwise of introducing foreign queens to this country. Apparently 5,565 known queens were imported last year but this figure probably below the actual numbers.

The final speaker of the day was Professor Robert Pickard, formally at Cardiff University, who is recognised as an international authority on the biology of honeybees. He gave an illuminating talk on the development of the social qualities of the honeybee compared with the ‘herding' and thus yet to be fully developed, aspects of humans. His talk and the humorous references, were much appreciated by the audience.

Ken Tredgett the Chairman of S.B.K.A., concluded the proceedings by thanking all those involved in the organisation of the event that was felt by many, as perhaps the best ever.

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February 21st 2010

Grant awarded to Taunton Division

The Taunton Division of the Somerset Beekeepers Association received a £5000 grant recently from ‘Green Roots' part of the Somerset Community Foundation. The money will be used to enhance the provision of educational and practical opportunities for all members at their Heatherton Park Apiary and others interested in learning about bees and beekeeping.

For some years now, the Taunton Division has organised an extensive series of talks and shows to introduce people to bees and beekeeping. This also includes a ‘rent-a-hive' scheme whereby new beekeepers can gain regular practical experience of the craft. They are presented with a small colony that they nurture into a honey producing unit. At the end of the course, the participants have the opportunity to own the colony of bees they have been working with. These will have increased from a few thousand at the start of the scheme in May to five times this number at the end of the sessions in September.

Initial thoughts on how the grant can be put to good use includes purchasing sufficient protective clothing, storage facilities, additional hive parts, microscopes and beeswax reclamation facilities. It is the aim that all individuals attending lectures and demonstrations run by the Taunton Division will benefit from the investments.

The Taunton Beekeepers are pleased to have been selected for a grant that has acted as a boost to replace the existing 1930's wooden meeting room to a permanent structure that it is hoped could become the centre of beekeeping excellence in the South West of England.

For further information please contact Adam Robbins Mobile no. 077 370 832 22

Adam with~~~~~

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 5 th January 2010

During the winter months, members of the Somerset Beekeepers Association like to keep a watch on their bees. This entails spending a few moments at the hive entrance watching any bees that are flying to possibly gather a little water to dilute their stores, or popping out to relieve themselves!

Much of December and certainly the New Year, has seen temperatures barely rising above freezing during the day and even colder at night. The bees will have formed themselves into a close cluster in order to retain heat. The centre of this cluster will have a temperature of between 20 0 and 30 0 Centigrade. In these cold conditions the queens will have cease laying. As the outside temperature rises, so will the temperature at the centre of the cluster and the compactness of the bees. When it reaches between 32 0 and 36 0 C and that temperature can be maintained, the queen will recommence laying albeit but only a few eggs per day in the first instance. Providing the colony has sufficient food to generate the warm required, the colony will be able to survive the cold.

Bees have something in common with penguins. Just as they take it in turns to be on the outside of the cluster during the severe Antarctic gales, so the bees also take their turn on the colder exterior of the cluster.

Heavy snow acts as a thermal jacket around the hives but if there is a thaw and the entrances become blocked with ice, then the movement of air will become restricted creating condensation internally. Damp hives are one of the main causes of winter losses. However, hives that are regularly watch by the beekeeper will have had their entrances cleared in good time.

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  S.B.K.A.. Publicity Officer: David Morris, ‘Cranford’, Halse, Taunton, Somerset. TA4 3AB Telephone 01823 432686 E Mail: dgmorris@cooptel.net

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