30TH MAY – 2ND JUNE 2018

 Once again it is the time to begin preparing for this Show, and again, helpers are needed to set up the stands and displays on Sunday 27th May, and stewards to help on the stands in the Marquee during the 4 days of the Show.
 If you are interested in assisting in either setting up, or stewarding on Show days, or both, please contact Ken Tredgett on:- 01373 464736 or email: [email protected]  The rota for stewards is either a half day, morning from 9.00am to 1.30pm or afternoon from1.00pm to 6.00pm or all day from 9.00am to 6.00pm.
 Why not enjoy a good day out with half a day in the Bee & Honey Marquee and half the day visiting the Show with all it has to see and do. There is always a lot going on in the Marquee, and we always enjoy ourselves when “on duty”. Plenty of tea and coffee available both during the set-up and the Show.

The AGM of the SBKA will be held on Saturday, 10th March 2017 at the Wedmore Golf Club, Lascott Hill, Wedmore BS28 4QT
Location map at http://www.wedmoregolfclub.com/visitors/location/

Hosted by Wedmore and Cheddar Division.
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The speaker will be Dr Peter Kennedy of the University of Exeter who will speak on a project aimed at using radar to study Asian Hornet

The cost of a one-course lunch is £9.50 including tea/coffee. A two course meal will cost £15.00 and a three course meal £18.00.

​Tea and coffee will be available throughout the day priced at £1.20 per cup.

Main courses:

• Roast Beef with Yorkshire pudding and gravy
• Chicken Breast in a wild mushroom and tarragon sauce
• Roast Pork with stuffing and crackling served with gravy
• Fillet of Salmon with a light Mustard and Cream sauce
• Mushroom and Hazelnut Nut Roast

All served with roast potatoes and seasonal vegetables
Starters are:

• Homemade Vegetable Soup served with a crusty bread roll
• Farmhouse Pate served with melba toast, garden salad, and onion chutney
• Prawn cocktail and garden salad served with wholemeal bread and butter

Desserts are:

• Individual Trifle served with shortbread fingers
• Spiced Apple Crumble and custard
• Red Velvet Fudge Cake
• Baked vanilla cheesecake with mixed berries
• Chocolate sauce and Vanilla Ice-cream
• Cheese and biscuits.

Bookings, together with a cheque made payable to Somerset Beekeepers' Association should be sent to Elizabeth Friend, New Tyning, Stone Allerton BS26 2NJ by the end of February.

​Dr Peter Kennedy is a research Fellow at the University of Exeter and his research looks at ecosystem service provision by insects, with particular emphasis on pollinator ecology and behaviour. He works to establish techniques and capabilities for cutting-edge research into the effects of environmental change on invertebrates. He also develop new projects linking ecosystem service provision with landscape users and businesses. He is part of a team, part funded from Somerset BKA research funds, that is looking at the feasibility of using radar to track Asian hornets and identify their nests quickly.

​1200hrs- Arrive and Welcome
1230hrs- Lunch
1400hrs- Welcome by SBKA President, Ken Tredgett
1405hrs- Lecture by
1505hrs- Afternoon Tea
1530hrs- Annual General Meeting

If you like to mark your queen bees according to the internationally understood colour code relating to the year in which they hatched, make sure you have a red marker in your kit.
Not only does the colour indicate the year, but it also makes it easier to find the queen during a hive inspection.
There are five queen bee marking colours that follow the recognised colour sequence – as queens do not live more than five years, the colour code starts over in the sixth year.
A common mnemonic to remember the colours is "Will you raise good bees".
White – years ending in 1 or 6
Yellow – years ending in 2 or 7
Red – years ending in 3 or 8
Green – years ending in 4 or 9
Blue – years ending in 5 or 0

Here is the SBKA January 2018 Newsletter - Happy New Year!