The Somerset equivalent of the Olympic Games for beekeepers attracted a record number of entries at this year’s County and Taunton Division honey shows held at Taunton Flower Show on Friday and Saturday (August 3 and 4).
Axbridge beekeepers Christine and Mark Guillick were awarded the blue ribbon for the best exhibit in show for their exceptional cake of wax. Christine said: “Winning this trophy is wonderful - especially as it was awarded on my birthday! It’s great to get recognition from the judges and makes me feel better about all the work that goes into looking after the bees and preparing the entries for the Show.” Taunton beekeepers Jenny and Sid Gammon were presented with three trophies including the Taunton Perpetual Challenge Trophy awarded to the local member to gain the most points. Show success was particular poignantly for the couple who have decided to give up beekeeping after 33 years. Jenny said: “We’re giving up the bees but I have plenty of honey and wax ready to enter the show again next year.” Taunton Division chair Peter Maben said the two-day show had attracted many thousands of visitors and 15 per cent more exhibits than usual from all over the county. “It seems that everyone is talking about bees!” he said. “There’s so much interest in the health and welfare of bees and pollinators generally that our marquee was literally buzzing with people talking to us about honey bees.” Amongst the beekeepers there was optimism about the coming harvest. Anne Pike, Chairman of Somerset Beekeepers, said: “Our honeybees are making the most of this year’s hot weather and are packing their hives with fragrant honey made from nearby flowers. “The heat and sunshine is giving us a delicious and substantial crop, which is just what we need after several very poor years.” Taunton Division is running a taster day next month for anyone interested in finding out more about keeping bees which includes a talk as well as chance to put on a bee suit and take a look inside a hive. The taster day costs £25.00 per person and takes place at 2.30pm on Saturday, September 8 at Heatherton Park apiary near Bradford-on-Tone. To book a place, priced £25.00, contact: Julie Husband at tauntonbeginners@somersetbeekeepers.org.uk or call/text on 07867 782435. Also, taster days will be run by other SBKA divisions www.somersetbeekeepers.org.uk 2018 Somerset Honey Show results: The Blue Ribbon for the best exhibit in Show – Christine & Mark Guillick Taunton – trophies, cups & awards: The Taunton Perpetual Challenge Trophy - Sid & Jenny Gammon The Priscott Perpetual Skep Plate - David Pearce The Stoker Perpetual Trophy - Sid & Jenny Gammon The Pat Barter Trophy - Sid & Jenny Gammon The Andy Coles Memorial Trophy for Mead – jointly to Mary Adams and Graham Welfare The Tom Tucker Trophy for Cookery – Mary Adams The Downes Perpetual Cup – jointly to Lyndsay Stone and Graham Welfare The Gammon Perpetual Trophy – Mike Shaw The Taunton Honey Show Plate – Maggie North The Taunton Honey Show Perpetual Trophy - David Pearce The John Spiller Mascot – Anne Pike Somerset County Cups: Jubilee Cup – David Pearce Miss M.D Bindley Cup – David Pearce Terry Arnold Perpetual Challenge Trophy – Mary Adams The Duffin Challenge Trophy – Christine & Mark Guillick The Clifford Langford Award for Mead – jointly to Mary Adams and Graham Welfare Ends Somerset Beekeepers’ Association (SBKA) raised awareness of the threat to pollinators from Asian hornets by addressing the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee on Monday (June 25).
SBKA chairman Anne Pike spoke to MPs as part of the first Evidence Week run by campaigning charity Sense about Science which seeks to promote evidence-based policy making. “Asian hornets pose a very real threat to honeybees in the UK and I am delighted that we were given this opportunity to highlight how our approach is guided by the latest scientific research,” she said. Speaking in response Mary Greagh, Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee, gave a personal assurance that her Committee would keep across the Asian hornet issue. “Part of what I want the committee to be looking at is how we watch out for Asian hornets, that invasive species which is coming into our country and potentially wiping out populations of bees.” She admired the passion people have for honeybees and described them as ‘these magical creatures that wonder around our gardens doing this incredibly important, but mostly, invisible work’. The yellow-legged Vespa velutina is colonising parts of Europe, killing honeybees and other insects. Although instances of Asian hornets in the UK have only been recorded on a few occasions in the last two years, beekeepers and environmentalists fear numbers will inevitably increase. Anne added: “As a result we have developed links with Exeter University, who are conducting research in Europe where the Asian hornet has become widespread. Based on their findings, we have chosen to take a ‘recognition and reporting’ approach.” Sightings reported to the Non-Native Species Secretariat trigger the deployment of bee inspectors who track the hornets back to their nests and destroy them. Anne Pike was one of 28 speakers from national and regional community groups which took part in a week of briefings and events to remind MPs and peers that reliable evidence matters in many walks of life. “In the case of beekeepers, evidence matters to us because it has allowed us to be prepared and identify the best strategies to protect our bees,” she said. Asian hornets are most active between April and November (peaking in August/September). Somerset Beekeepers has published an identification guide on their website along with how to report sightings. www.somersetbeekeepers.org.uk Ends For further information contact: Anne Pike, SBKA Chairman, on 07971 275840 About Somerset Beekeepers’ Association (SBKA):
Somerset Beekeepers’ Association (SBKA) will raise awareness of Asian hornets at the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee on Monday (June 25).
SBKA chairman Anne Pike will address MPs as part of the first Evidence Week run by campaigning charity Sense about Science which seeks to promote evidence-based policy making. “Asian hornets pose a very real threat to honeybees in the UK and I am delighted that we have been given this opportunity to highlight how our approach is guided by the latest scientific research,” she said. The yellow-legged Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) is a non-native species which is colonising parts of Europe, killing honeybees and other insects. Although instances of Asian hornets in the UK have only been recorded on a few occasions in the last two years, beekeepers and environmentalists fear numbers will inevitably increase. “As a result we have developed links with Exeter University, who are conducting research in Europe where the Asian hornet has become widespread. Based on their findings, we have chosen to take a ‘recognition and reporting’ approach,” she added. Sightings reported to the Non-Native Species Secretariat trigger the deployment of bee inspectors who track the hornets back to their nests and destroy them. Anne Pike is one of two dozen speakers from national and regional community groups taking part in a week of briefings and events to remind MPs and peers that reliable evidence matters in many walks of life. “In the case of beekeepers, evidence matters to us because it has allowed us to be prepared and identify the best strategies to protect our bees,” she said. Asian hornets are most active between April and November (peaking in August/September). Somerset Beekeepers has published an identification guide on their website along with how to report sightings. www.somersetbeekeepers.org.uk Ends Pix caps: SBKA Chairman Anne Pike
Beekeepers from across the South West started the season at an equipment auction held in Taunton on Sunday (March 25).
Eager to get prepared and grab a bargain, they bid for more than 120 lots during a two-hour sale run by Taunton Beekeepers. Auctioneer Chris Harries, in his 32nd year presiding on the podium, said: “At this time of the year beekeepers are getting ready for the coming season. “There was some strong interest in complete hives and we sold scores of hive parts and useful equipment,” he said. The lots were varied and included top bar hives, equipment to extract and bottle honey, decorative honey pots, protective suits, back copies of beekeeping magazines and an observation hive. Peter Maben, Chair of Taunton Beekeepers, commented: "Once again, our annual auction was extremely well supported by buyers, sellers and a great team of volunteers led by our auctioneer Chris.” The auction raised hundreds of pounds for Taunton Beekeepers to spend on educational activities for its members and to promote beekeeping at local schools and events. ends Notes to editors:
The winner of Somerset Beekeepers’ most prestigious honour – the West Country Honey Farms Award – has been presented to Bridget Knutson from Cheddar.
Her outstanding contribution to the craft was recognised by fellow beekeepers at their annual meeting held at Wedmore on Saturday (March 10). Judging panel chairman Milns Priscott said in his citation that she was an active member of the beekeeping community at both local and national level. “Bridget has demonstrated her ability as a beekeeper to a very high standard. She has set new bench marks for the quality of her exhibits at honey shows and has always been generous with her support to help beekeepers to extend their knowledge,” he said. She is Chair of the Wedmore and Cheddar Division, manages the visual aid library for the British Beekeepers’ Association (BBKA) and teaches and mentors on local beginners, improvers and specialist courses. “If Bridget did not exist, we would have to invent her! The quantity, quality and level of contribution to beekeeping in Somerset is outstanding, and an example to us all,” he added. Also, she is Somerset Beekeepers’ yearbook editor and exams secretary and has passed all BBKA theory modules and practical exams putting her one step away from becoming a master beekeeper. Somerset Beekeepers’ Association works to advance the craft of apiculture within its membership and to promote general awareness and understanding of honeybees. For more visit www.somersetbeekeepers.org.uk Ends Pic cap: Bridget Knutson with the West Country Honey Farms Award rose bowl. Asian hornet experts briefed the South West Beekeepers’ Forum and posed outside the venue with an outsize model of the invasive insect. Pictured are, from left to right, Dr Pete Kennedy, a research fellow at the University of Exeter; North Devon beekeeper Martyn Hocking, who discovered Asian hornets in his apiary last year; South West Beekeepers’ Forum Chairman Peter Darley; beekeeper Bob Hogge from Jersey where Asian hornets established within a year. Beekeepers in the South West are being urged to prepare for more sightings of the latest threat to honeybees and pollinators – the highly destructive Asian hornet.
Experts have been briefing the South West Beekeepers’ Forum (SWBKF), which represents around 10,000 beekeepers. Latest research shows the speed with which Asian hornets are spreading in Europe destroying honeybee colonies and putting a critical strain on other insects vital to local ecosystems. Dr Pete Kennedy, a research fellow at the University of Exeter, warned that in 10 years Asian hornets could be widespread throughout the South West and Wales if left unchecked; in 20 years most of England would be affected. He presented the latest findings from a government-funded project which attached specially-designed tags to hornets in Jersey and France to test tracking systems. These techniques are used to track hornets back to their nests so professional teams can quickly dispose of them. SWBKF Chairman Peter Darley, from Poole, said: “The Asian hornet is the next big test of British bees and beekeepers.” He urged beekeepers, wildlife groups and the public to all play their part in detecting the insect and reporting it to the Great Britain Non-Native Species Secretariat. “One of the difficulties with the Asian hornet is that it can be imported anywhere in the country on transport from France and Spain and that’s what we have to be so careful about.” He called on lorry drivers and cross Channel ferry passengers to carefully check their vehicles in the summer in case they were unwittingly returning to the UK with an Asian hornet. Jersey beekeeper Bob Hogge described how the invasive insect arrived on the island two years ago and had spread rapidly. Beekeepers were working with the Channel Islands’ government to hunt down and eradicate nests and were developing new tracking techniques. The most recent sighting in the UK was in Woolacombe, Devon, by beekeeper Martyn Hocking, who described the shock of making “a most unexpected and unwelcome discovery”. “As a result of what happened in my apiary, I would like to see beekeeper action teams set up to investigate possible sightings and support individual beekeepers,” he said. South West Regional Bee Inspector, Simon Jones, said rapid reporting could make all the difference between eradication and widespread establishment and encouraged all beekeepers to know how to spot the insect. Asian hornets are slightly smaller than native hornets, have a distinctive black/dark brown thorax; brown abdominal segments with the fourth segment almost entirely yellow-orange, brown legs with yellow ends, a black head and an orange-yellow face. Beekeeping associations in the South West are drawing up ‘battle plans’ ahead of the coming season. Ends Somerset beekeeper Milns Priscott’s 60-year membership of the British Beekeepers’ Association (BBKA) has been recognised with a presentation in front of nearly 200 beekeepers on Saturday (February 17).
He received congratulations and a commemorative certificate from Ken Tredgett, President of Somerset Beekeepers’ Association (SBKA), at a lecture day held in Somerton on Saturday (Feb 17). Afterwards Milns said he enjoyed beekeeping as much today as when he took up the craft and had no plans for retirement. “I bee-keep with two friends and I really enjoy the commradie,” he said. “There may be more problems now than when I started, but I have no plans to stop!” he said. Milns, from Milverton, has been Taunton division Chairman and President and Somerset’s Vice Chairman. He has given many beekeeping talks and demonstrations across the county and has been a very successful competitor at honey shows. Over the years the challenges facing honeybees have increased as environmental pressures reduce forage and invasive species such as the varroa mite have made bees more susceptible to disease. This coming season beekeepers in the South West are on high alert for sightings of the invasive Asian hornet which wreaks destruction on honeybees and other pollinators. Ends Two Somerset beekeepers have triumphed at their first outing to the National Honey Show. Mark and Christine Gullick from Axbridge came first in two classes against very stiff competition from not just the UK but overseas. Also they were awarded a prestigious trophy for their winning frame of honey comb suitable for extraction. Somerset Beekeepers’ Association Chairman, Anne Pike, said: “Mark and Christine’s success is a tremendous achievement. They were up against some of the best beekeepers and most experienced exhibitors in the country. “Their success is all the more special in light of a very difficult beekeeping season in Somerset when the average honey crop fell to its lowest level in decades.” Mark and Christine Gullick have enjoyed great success at honey shows this year winning Best in Show at the Bristol Honey Show as well as many prize cards at the Royal Bath & West Show. Ends Photo cap: Somerset beekeeper Mark Gullick was presented with a trophy by His Excellency Orville London, High Commissioner of Trinidad and Tobago at the National Honey Show Notes to editors:
Categories All Somerset’s honey crop is one of the worst for decades say members of Somerset Beekeepers’ Association (SBKA). Some beekeepers have not harvested any honey at all, while others are substantially down on last year. The British Beekeepers Association’s (BBKA) annual Honey Survey released today (October 23, 2017) reveals that beekeepers in the South West saw their honey crop drop to 18 lbs per hive. SBKA Chairman Anne Pike said: “The glorious early Spring saw colonies build up fast but when the weather turned the honey stores were quickly consumed by the growing colonies of bees.” David Morris from Taunton has been keeping bees for 61 years and describes this season as the worst-ever and averaged just five pounds of honey per hive. “The cause is mainly weather-related,” he said. “We had a hot June followed by a wet July when what we want is the reverse to give us plenty of blackberry and clover nectar for a summer honey flow.” Local honey is in short supply and prices are expected to rise to reflect this season’s shortage. “Local honey is an extraordinary, natural product – it’s usually raw (untreated), contains local pollen and is additive-free,” added Anne. “Honey doesn’t just taste different from place to place, but from hive to hive and week to week! To use a wine term, local honey truly reflects the local terroir.” There are two honey crops a year, one in Spring and the other at the end of the summer and one hive can produce 60lb (27 kg) in a good season. Bees fly about 55,000 miles, making more than a million visits to flowers, to make just one pound of honey. Margaret Murdin, BBKA Chairman, concludes: “Everyone can play a part in helping honey bees and all the other insects they love such as butterflies and bumble bees by planting the right sort of flowers and shrubs. Check the label to see that anything you plant will be rich in nectar and pollen, as not all plants are equal in this respect. A crocus is so much better for bees than a daffodil, for example. “Our survey shows that suburban gardens and urban roof tops produce some of the best honey crops, so how we garden really can make a difference.” Ends |
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