Summary of the first of this summer’s regular Sunday meetings
The Association is developing a rota so that every Sunday we can have an experienced beekeeper on site, to check over the colonies and to help this year’s beginners who have been allocated a “foster” hive to look after.

At the Apiary

Three of this year’s beginners – Shirley, Ilknur and Brian – were allocated 2 of the hives to foster: Shirley and Ilknur opened the hives themselves and carried out the inspections with David and Mandy on hand to give encouragement. Excellent first attempts: and as both hives were very full of bees, they were split to form nucs. It’s now a matter of waiting, and counting the days until the new queens are due to hatch, fly, mate and then start laying eggs.

Spot The Queen

The aim is to keep enough colonies for a teaching apiary, and to produce nucs for beginners and active members, reducing the need to bring in bees from outside area (with the accompanying risk of disease).

The other colonies were checked – no queen cells were found, there was sufficient space and stores in each. One had already swarmed (sealed queen cells were found) and one looked as if it needed a little extra TLC.

Inspection

Jobs for the next visit: put hive numbers on the boxes, check the colonies for space, stores and signs of incipient swarming – create nucs from any that look as if they might swarm.

Next visit: (weather permitting) 14th May 2-4pm with Mandy and Janet: if you are coming and need to borrow a beesuit, please let Mandy know.
If we have to cancel at short notice, an email will be sent round at 11am, so please check your emails.

On Sunday 28th May we’re delighted to be welcoming West Linton Beekeeper’s Association, at our Association apiary, Dave Stokes might be persuaded to be one of the demonstrators on the day. We hope that other experienced local beekeepers will come along and be a guest demonstrator for one of the