West Glamorgan Beekeepers

Bee News

Press Archive - Up until November 2011


G.M Food	Genetically Modified Foods: Harmful or Helpful? EU Court bans GM Pollen in honey -24th Sept At last, a bit of common sense! Read here about the human health risks associated with GM food.
Testing for Nosema	Thanks to our Bee Diseases Inspector, many members attended a Nosema testing evening held at the WEA building on September 20th. For many, it was their very first look at the Nosema spores under a Microscope. Thanks again Ade for coming along and enlighting us all. Nosema disease is the most widespread adult bee disease in the world.

Course Poster	Beekeeping Classes - 2012 - Tuesday 24th January The West Glamorgan Beekeepers Association has a responsibility to promote Beekeeping in the local community. To achieve this, we intend to hold year long classes in Beekeeping. The course will include: 10 Theory classes from January - April at the WEA Building, Orchard Street, Swansea. This will be followed by weekly practical classes from April - December with experienced beekeepers in attendance at our training Apiary in Penllergaer, Swansea.
	The Practical lessons will also include Honey extraction - Varroa control and Preparation for Winter. The cost of the course is £40 which includes membership to the association for your 1st season. To register, contact Mr John Beynon on Tel: Swansea 01792 232810 for further details
	We now have a brand new Members 'Live On-line' Forum for both beginners and experienced beekeepers alike. Please feel free to take advantage of this new addition to our web site, to post messages as well as passing on your experience to others! 16th August 2011

Honey, Wax and Mead Preparation.	On Tuesday 9th August, we were very fortunate to have a visit and talk by Dinah Sweet (Honey Judge) on how to prepare Honey, Wax and Mead for exhibiting at Shows. There was a very good turn out and those present were treated to a wealth of information on how to prepare exhibits for Shows. Many 'hints and tips' were freely revealed and a lot of scribbling took place as those intending to exhibit in the future, hastily recorded this invaluable information. Thanks very much once again Dinah, for taking the time and trouble to visit us and for sharing your wealth of knowledge. Ps. The Mead tasting went down very well! Beekeeping qualifications: Senior BBKA Certificate, UK Certificate in Apiculture, Diploma in Apiculture (Cardiff University) with distinction for dissertation on 'pollen examination in Hampshire honeys', Honey Judge (WBKA).

	Bumblebees, honeybees, butterflies and other pollinating insects are in decline worldwide. So what better way to help stem their decline than by installing a bumblebee nest box in your garden? The only trouble is they don't work. More here on PlanetEarth on line

	Nettles PLUS Sugar Syrup can strengthen Colonies A very interesting article, found on the World Wide Web, detailing the effects of using Nettle infusion in Sugar Syrup in order to stimulate your bees. More here Thanks to Simon & Shelley for finding this article. Navigate here to read comments from Beekeepers who have already tried this recipe. Yet another article can be found here on recipes for Sugar Syrup. Update: On Sunday 8th August, at our Penllergaer Apiary, one weak Nuc was fed using this mixture. We await results with interest! Note: The results of your own experiments would be most welcome!
Stay healthy on Honey & Cinnamon Read all about it here
Beekeeping the Natural Way - Our 'Sister' beekeeping website can be viewed here where there are many tips on Beekeeping, pages for complete beginners and the use of natural products, including Herbs and Apple Cider Vinegar.

A few strong 'Nuc colonies' for sale - This years Queens, marked and laying well. The Bee Inspector has inspected all colonies and given the all clear! No Varroa mites were found on inspection and these colonies have already been treated against mites in Autumn of last year and Spring of this year, using natural products, free from chemicals. Please contact Jeff Davies for further information. Available only to registered, 'especially to new' members of West Glamorgan Beekeepers Association (definately NO traders). I would prefer to deliver the bees personally to place into your own National hive brood box, in order to give guidance and assistance in settling 'Her Majesty' and workers into their new residence. Most colonies are now so strong they will need a Super! Contact details: Please Email: beewise @ talktalk.net - Reason for selling - I have far too many bees and not enough Supers!

Mead Making with Cyril

A nice social evening was held on Tuesday 12th July at 7pm - WEA Building, Swansea. Thanks very much to Cyril for entertaining us in the 'magic' arts of making Mead. Iechyd Da - Cheers!

How to spot British Ladybirds:
Ladybirds no longer come in one colour - red with symmetrical black spots. Now there are red ones, orange ones, yellow, brown and black ones. And, to the dismay of gardeners and farmers, invasive incomers are gobbling up native species. But how to tell the difference?

4th July - Pupils and 'teachers' from Ashgrove School in Penarth visited our Apiary at Penllergaer today. Everyone had an amazing time, including the bees who were on their very best bee-haviour as you can see below:

Bees fitted with tiny ID tags
Bees are being fitted with tiny radio ID tags to monitor their movements as part of research into whether pesticides could be giving the insects brain disorders, scientists have revealed. Read about it here

No Buzz Zones - New York City recently made headlines by legalizing beekeeping

The Welsh School of Pharmacy at Cardiff University need our help

Did you know that Wales aim to be one of the first nations to DNA barcode all of our native flowering plants? You can check it out here.

Feeding your precious bees There are many reports of some colonies starving, due to the present Hungry Bee poor weather; don't let your bees die. Please read this new page, which gives advice and guidance to help save them and hopefully, you will bee rewarded later in the season with your share of the honey! June 2011

Latest Update 15th July - A remote video surveillance camera has now been installed at our Apiary so that any future vandalism can be recored for prosecution purposes!

More damage at Apiary - 19th June vandals struck again

Mindless idiots have paid further visits to our Apiary and damaged two occupied beehives. Hundreds of bees died as a result. The matter is now going to be investigated by South Wales Police! If the culprits are reading this, then you in turn are going to get stung, in a Criminal Court of Law!

7th June - Sometime during last week, damage was caused to one of our hives at the outdoor apiary. It would appear that the culprit(s) threw a large boulder at the hive, collapsing it and causing the loss of a very productive colony. Investigations are on-going to track down the culprit(s) and the Apiary will now be monitored with CCTV cameras! 7th June

Do my Bees need feeding?
"As I have found a number of smaller colonies starving during the last week I have prepared an article for Bridgend Beekeepers and thought it may be helpful for your members as well. Symptons are lethargic bees, possibly moving slowly and clustering together. In extreme cases you may find quantities of dead bees on the floor inside the hive or in front of the entrance also heads into the cells in search of food. Prompt action may enable the colony to be saved. Particularly at risk are nucs, swarms and splits although full colonies are also at risk unless they have sufficient stores to see them through the bad weather". Mike Pett - Bee diseases inspector - May 2011 Read the article here

Bee Swarms - Advice for members of the Public - If you come across a settled swarm of bees, please do not 'Panic' or interfere with the swarm. (Honeybees are very precious, and are protected by law). Below is a list of Beekeepers willing and able to advise, come out and deal with the situation:

Dear Member,

As you are aware we have had a very good response to our beginners Classes and have twenty eight new members who can't wait to get their own colonies of bees. I would therefore ask any member who is either collecting a swarm they don't want, or has had to split a colony to prevent swarming and is not reuniting them or is reducing the number of colonies in their apiary and would like to sell or pass on their bees, to contact myself or John Beynon.

We will then inform the new members who need a colony to contact you.

Regards,

Jeff Pritchard
Association Chairman
April 17th 2011

Call-out list for Swarms
Member	Jeff Pritchard	Nigel Robins	John Beynon
Tel:	07789 714149	07729 231232	07780 829579
Location	Porthyrhyd	Dunvant	Bishopston

Member	Glyn Davies	Jeff Davies
Tel:	01792 862468	01554 784854
Location	Pontardawe	Llanelli

To our members:
Please let us know if you wish to add your details to the above list: Thank you.

* Our new Scrapbook Album can be viewed here on our new members page.

We now have a Guest Book!

New Guest book - added 14th April.
Please feel free to leave messages, advice,
including hints and tips for all to enjoy.

* Stop Bee imports into the UK. Beewise, don't do it! 6th April

Bees: man's best friend, provider and protector.
Move over, Rover - this is the age of the sniffer bee.
Reese Halter reports on a marvel of nature that has a crucial part to play in our diet,
health and security.

Bee Pollen and our health - A complete food in every sense of the word, extensive tests have concluded that life can be sustained on an exclusive diet of bee pollen and water alone! More here

Coming soon on the Members only page - how to handle bees without Gloves!!

Bees - Bumblebees & Wasps
Absolute Beginners Guide

Apiary Inspection by the
National Bee Unit

Bee part of it!
Don't buy Queens from Abroad!!

The Guardian - Honeybees 'entomb' hives to protect against pesticides, say scientists. By sealing up cells full of contaminated pollen, bees appear to be attempting to protect the rest of the hive. Read more here

The Honeybees secret world of heat is revealed here.

Thanks to a volunteer photographer, Shirley Suckling, we now have a further on-line presence. She has very kindly created a brand new Facebook page for our association; thanks a million Shirley. Every bit helps to promote the world of beekeeping!

Youtube videos on Beekeeping - Here are a few interesting web site links: Reference is made to different size brood boxes but the method is the same.

Beginners Classes for 2011 started at the WEA building, Orchard Street, Swansea in January this year.
We are now taking bookings for in 2012!

In the meantime, even if you are not a registered member, you are very welcome to visit and meet us
at our Apiary located at the 'Old' Swansea Road, Penllergaer- we meet there every Sunday morning
(depending on the weather conditions) between 10am and 12 mid-day. You may like to get suited up
and watch us examine the bees, all without charge, to see if this hobby is for you.

We always have members present, who will be willing to give expert advice and answers to
your questions. So, please feel free and come along and join us!

Diary of events for 2011 can also be viewed as a PDF file here

Being a member of the West Glamorgan Beekeeping Association brings with it the following benefits:

BDI and Public Liability Insurance
Mentor Scheme for beginners
Purchase of Beekeeping equipment at discounted prices
Help in acquiring Bees and Equipment as well as Practical lessons at our Apiary with experienced Beekeepers in attendance and of course plenty of help and support in getting started.
Gaining confidence to carry out this rewarding new Hobby.
Being rewarded with your own personal supply of home produced Honey at the end of the Summer.

News from the British Beekeeping Association

Honeybees secret world of heat revealed here.

Information from DEFRA
Information received from DEFRA and the National Assembly for Wales regarding bee diseases and measures to improve the production and marketing of honey by updating the Bee Diseases Control Order of 1982. Varroa is now no longer a notifiable disease but beekeepers will be given help to recognize and deal with varroa and EFB and AFB and to practice a regime of integrated pest management. Apiguard, a non-pyrethroid treatment, was given market authorisation in June last year and beekeepers are being encouraged to use this in conjunction with other controls.

Regional Bee Inspector
The increase in cases of disease, the rise of pyrethroid resistant varroa mites and the arrival of new pests mean that the Bee Inspector is now, more than ever, a valuable asset in the fight against all these threats. He did point out, that there could be problems if beekeepers use old frames and supers. He suggests that, if new equipment is not an option, all old equipment be sterilized as the spores can remain dormant for up to 30 years. All old comb should be destroyed and frames and supers should be scorched with a blow-lamp, boiled, or treated with a strong solution of washing soda (1kilogram soda to 5litres water).

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