North Somerset Beekeepers

The aim is to provide a self funding/non profit making scheme to enable Branch members to purchase commonly used essential Bee Keeping supplies at reduced costs using the power of bulk purchasing to further the craft of beekeeping whilst reducing our environmental footprint.

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING:  We use your initial orders to gauge what is needed from North Somerset Beekeepers. We try not to over order as we have to store items for lengthy periods – so – please order extra for yourself as we cannot guarantee to provide items after bulk purchase orders have been placed.

DO NOT MAKE ANY PAYMENTS UNTIL FINAL PRICES HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED AFTER FINAL ORDERS HAVE BEEN PLACED.

Items for the Scheme are available for members of North Somerset Beekeepers.  We have assessed prices which may rise or fall depending on the number of items and bulk purchase negotiations.

• Varroa Treatment

• MAQS strips (1 treatment per hive) @ £2.50/strip [LIMITED STORAGE PERIOD]
  • MAQS (Varroa treatment strips, our local bee inspectors recommend the reduction of dosage to one strip/hive/7 day treatment period/can be used with honey supers on the hive/minimum temperature of 10⁰C (you must read and understand the manufacturer’s instructions/maximum one year shelf life but can be less if product purchased has already aged)
• Apiguard trays (2 required per hive) @ £2.00/tray [MAXIMUM 2 YEARS STORAGE PERIOD]
  • Apiguard (Varroa treatment trays, 2 trays/hive over a 4-6 weeks period/use after honey has been removed from the hive/minimum temperature of 15⁰C/maximum 3 year shelf life but can be less if product purchased has already aged)

• Honey jars with “gold” metallic lids [INDEFINITE STORAGE PERIOD]

• 1lb. jars @ 30p/jar
• ¾lb. jars @ 35p/jar 
• ½lb. jars @ 25p/jar 

• Bee nutrition [AT LEAST 18 MONTHS STORAGE PERIOD]

• Ambrosia (14kg. in plastic non-returnable container) @ £17.00
  • Made up exclusively of sucrose and its building blocks fructose and glucose. The high proportion of fructose means there is little tendency to granulate in the honeycombs, even at low temperatures and so prevents starvation of the bees.
• Fondabee Fondant (2.5kg.) @ £3.30/2.5kg
  •  For feeding bees during the winter months by placing an adequate sized block on top of the crown board. Composition: sugar, glucose syrup

• Winter Varroa Treatment

• Oxalic acid should be used use in late December 2016/early January 2017 after a few days of a cold snap when the hives should be broodless.   Oxalic acid should only be used during periods of minimal brood, ideally in the winter months. It is the intention to offer North Somerset Beekeepers, the opportunity to order 2 products as depicted and described below:

• API-Bioxal (35g) @ £12.00/packet of 35g [LENGTHY STORAGE PERIOD UNTIL MIXED]
  • The only oxalic acid registered treatment for legally dealing with varroosis (reducing varroa)or feeding bees during the winter months
  • Enough for 10 standard hiveS
  • 35 grams sufficient for 10 hives and should be dissolved in 500 ml of syrup. 500 ml of syrup should be made up by combining 308.6 grams of sugar with 308.6 grams of water.  For 2 hives, use 7 grams of API-Bioxal with 100 ml of syrup made by combining 62 grams of sugar with 62 grams of water.
  • An alternative to following the exact volumes described above, you may measure and mix sugar and water in excess (for example 400g of sugar and 400 ml of water) and take just 500 ml of this solution to dissolve the 35 g sachet.
  • Use Trickle 2 dispenser or syringe (see below) dispensing 5 ml/seam of bees
  • Keep remaining API-Bioxal powder in a safe dry place (well away from children)
• Empty Trickle 2 dispenser £1.00 [LENGTHY STORAGE PERIOD]
  • Use to trickle with solution detailed below or practice trickling with water.

Essential Items Purchase Scheme 2018 (please enter your requirements below)

Sign up below...

	Name	North Somerset Beekeepers member	MAQS @£2.50/strip	Apiguard @£2.20/tray	1lb.Honey jars@30p	3/4lb.Honey jars@35p	1/2lb.Honey jars@25p	14kg.Ambrosia @£16.00	2.5kg.Fondabee Fondant@£3.20	35gm API-Bioxal @£12	Trickle 2 dispenser @£1	Total Cost	Method of payment
	Name	North Somerset Beekeepers member	MAQS @£2.50/strip	Apiguard @£2.20/tray	1lb.Honey jars@30p	3/4lb.Honey jars@35p	1/2lb.Honey jars@25p	14kg.Ambrosia @£16.00	2.5kg.Fondabee Fondant@£3.20	35gm API-Bioxal @£12	Trickle 2 dispenser @£1	Total Cost	Method of payment
80	#1: John B.	YES		4	6		6	1	1		1	32.30	On line bank transfer (preferred)
	#2: Eric S.	YES	2	10	30				4			48.80	On line bank transfer (preferred)
	#3: Annabel L.	YES		12		30		6	10	1		£167.10	Cash
	#4: Andrew A.	YES		10				5	5			118.00	On line bank transfer (preferred)
	#5: Margaret M.	YES		3	30			1	3			41.20	On line bank transfer (preferred)
	#6: Stephen R.	YES	0	4	72	0	0	2	5	0	0	78.4	On line bank transfer (preferred)
	#7: Garry P.	YES	1					1	2			24.90	On line bank transfer (preferred)
	#8: Charlotte M.	YES		2					1	1	1	20.60	On line bank transfer (preferred)
	#9: Tom S.	YES	10		72			10	5			222.60	On line bank transfer (preferred)
	#10: Dick B.	YES	20					12	10	1	1	287.00	Cheque
	#11: David G.	YES	2					3	2			£59.40	On line bank transfer (preferred)
	#12: Tim L.	YES	6					1				31	On line bank transfer (preferred)
	#13: Keith B.	YES				120		2	1			77.20	On line bank transfer (preferred)
	#14: chris b.	YES	2		50							£20.00	On line bank transfer (preferred)
	#15: alison w.	YES			30			28kg	5kg			47.40	On line bank transfer (preferred)
	#16: Apiary M.	YES		20			60	6	6	1		186.20	On line bank transfer (preferred)
	#17: David C.	YES		20					6	1		75.20	On line bank transfer (preferred)
	#18: Steve B.	YES		4				3		1	1	69.80	On line bank transfer (preferred)
	#19: Rob c.	YES	0	4	0	0	0	0	2	1	1	28.2	On line bank transfer (preferred)
	#20: Gavin H.	YES		1	30			1	2			33.60	On line bank transfer (preferred)
	#21: Keith B.	YES				30		1				26.5	On line bank transfer (preferred)
	#22: Beverly C.	YES	2	2		10			2			£19.00	On line bank transfer (preferred)
	#23: Barbara S.	YES		2						1	1	£17.40	Cheque
	#24: Ian C.	YES							7			£22.40	On line bank transfer (preferred)
	#25: Martin S.	YES	2	3				2	4	1		£68.40	On line bank transfer (preferred)
	#26: Penny R.	YES		2					1			£7.60	On line bank transfer (preferred)
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The President’s Barbecue will take place on the afternoon of 23 June 2018 in Weston-super-Mare between 15:30 – 18:00hours.  Garry’s house overlooks Weston bay and the Red Arrows should fly over during the event!!!

The Club will supply:

• salads
• bread rolls
• puddings

You will need to bring your own:

• drinks
• meat
• vegetarian alternatives (if applicable)
• chairs
• umbrellas (to keep the sun off!)

Location will be notified to members who sign up below up to a maximum number of 40 attendees due to the size of the venue.

Monitoring again for 2018 – WE NEED MORE MONITORING SITES

5 current locations of daily monitored Asian Hornet Traps by North Somerset Beekeepers

Please forward an email with post code of the trap(s) to ja.banks1@btinternet.com when you get your trap set up so your location can be added to the map.

The session will be held at 2pm on Sunday 15th April at The Limes, Kenn Moor Road, Kenn, Clevedon, BS21 6UB.

The purpose of the Taster Session is to give an overview of the essentials of beekeeping and how you get started and trained. A variety of topics will be covered so you can see what is involved in beekeeping. It is also an effective precursor to a full introduction to beekeeping course:

• nature and structure of the colony
• equipment, hives, including Beehaus
• management throughout the year, including swarm control
• harvesting
• pests and diseases
• training, help and local organisations
• where to go from here

Cost is £35 per person

Please call/email to book a place using the details below:

2pm at Stephen Brain’s home at The Limes, Kenn Moor Road, Kenn, Clevedon, BS21 6UB Telephone: 01275 342235
stephen.brain@limesbb.co.uk

Our oldest member, Reg Stevens, has sadly passed away.  He recently celebrated 70 years as a beekeeper.

In 2016, Reg was awarded the Legion d’honneur for his role in the D Day landings.  The Légion d’honneur was established in 1802 by Napoléon Bonaparte. It is France’s highest distinction and is awarded in recognition of both military and civilian merit. On average, just 10 British nationals per year receive the Légion d’honneur

Reg’s funeral will take place on Friday 26th January at 12:00 at South Bristol Cemetery and Crematorium, followed by refreshments at Nailsea Masonic Hall, Nailsea Park, Nailsea, BS48 1BA from 13:00.

Stephen Brain has expressed an interest in running this course next year if there is enough interest shown.
The course would run through the whole year as it involves pollen analysis throughout the seasons.
It is not essential to have your own equipment as the branch does have some microscopes.
We are at the stage of assessing uptake. If you are interested could you let me know. If there are enough takers then we’ll arrange an introductory session in January when Stephen will outline in more detail what the course involves + the potential cost. You can make a final decision then.

Just let me know if you are interested at this stage.

Rob Francis – Education coordinator.

robfrancishere@gmail.com
01275 462914 Mobile 07970 298 518

North Somerset Beekeepers are running this basic course again in the New Year (2018).  It is designed for those who have been keeping bees for a year or two and leads, for those who are interested, to the Basic BBKA Certificate.

Details about what we cover can be found at: http://www.bbka.org.uk/learn/examinations__assessments/basic_assessment

The course will be run over 7 sessions on Tuesdays fitted in between January 2018 and April 2018 taking place between 7.30 and 9.15pm at St Andrews Church Hall,  Backwell starting on Tuesday 9^thJanuary 2018.

The course is ideal for those who, having kept bees for one or two years, wish to expand, extend and consolidate their knowledge  and skills  of beekeeping. It’s an excellent way to improve your confidence and learn by sharing the highs  (the triumphs) and lows (the disasters)  of your first years in beekeeping

The course fee is  £20 and includes the cost of all course materials. Needless to say it is subsidised by the  branch and is open to any member from the Avon Beekeepers Association.

If you would like to sign up for the course or would like further information could you contact  me, Rob Francis, (educational coordinator) at robfrancishere@gmail.com  or phone 01275 462914 or 07970 298518

Neonicotinoids:Written question – 71446 asked 20 April 2017

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-04-20/71446/

Hi All,

Those that would like to be included in the swarm collectors list or require a swarm this year please send me a WhatsApp request to “Swarm Collectors”,  or text me on 07 847 015 155 (you will need a smartphone).

Those requiring swarms should note that they are usually collected from the site in a cardboard box so that there is no need to exchange equipment. With this in mind a means of transport should be coincided (closing the box with tape is usually sufficient). I prefer that collections are made after dusk to ensure that the maximum number of bees are removed from the site.

 If you are a new bee keeper please check with your mentor before taking on a swarm.

 Those wishing to tag along to see how it’s done are very welcome (you will need to sign up of course). Ensure that you turn up with a veil etc. These are mainly for the benefit of the public (although normally very docile, I have experienced some very aggressive swarms), and since you are there, you might as well get the full experience and get your hands dirty! 😉

If you want to take a swarm away, be sure that you bring your own box.

 Kind regards

Adrian Wells

On 25^th January twenty three beekeepers gathered together on a very cold evening at Kenn Village Hall. Stephen Brain was running a course on honey and how to calibrate and use a refractometer.

The first part of the talk was about what the properties of honey are and what substances it contains. Stephen then explained why it is very important to extract, bottle and store honey very carefully. Temperature and levels of humidity in the environment during all these processes can affect the quality of the honey in the jar.

Stephen had asked if we could bring along a small sample of honey if we had some, and a refractometer if we owned one.  Refractometers can measure % water content in honey. We had a great time testing our refractometers and realised that different refractometers could give slightly different readings from the same honey sample. They weren’t too far out however, but gave everyone an idea where their own refractometer was reading compared to others in the group.

Then the real fun started. We had a honey competition. Everyone’s honey was rated by each person in the group for eg. clarity, colour, aroma and taste just as a honey judge might do at a honey show. It’s all very subjective of course, but it was surprising how we had similar ideas about each honey sample and just how different they all were.  They were all delicious though. One of the group, however, had brought along a sample of shop bought honey and placed it on  the judging table without saying anything of its origin. It certainly was as clear as crystal and a sort of yellow colour but there was very little if any aroma and its taste was, we all decided ……well awful.  Its source was revealed. A mix of EU and non EU honeys. Say no more!

It was a very successful evening. Thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. We certainly learned a lot. I hope Stephen can run another course on honey and refractometers. I am sure it will be popular.

Many thanks, Stephen

STOP PRESS – PICTURES OF THE AGM

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Members

You are invited to attend the branch Annual General Meeting which will be held at Churchill Memorial Hall, Churchill at 2pm on 19th November 2016.  AGM papers can be obtained on this link: AGMPapers.  The North Somerset Beekeepers’ accounts for the year ending 31 October 2016 can be viewed using this link: ACCOUNTS2016.

The following positions on the committee are coming up for election. Please consider volunteering to join our friendly committee, which involves bi-monthly meetings usually in a Backwell pub:

• Chair – currently Garry Packer
• President – currently David Welham
• Secretary – currently Janet McCulloch, who is willing to support a successor
• Members without portfolio – currently Paddy Brading, Jane Boss and Ian Cooper

If you are interested in volunteering for any of the above posts and wish to discuss them, please contact the current officer or me by email. Role descriptions are available for these positions.

Renewing your membership: You will have the opportunity to renew your membership at the AGM, a revised form requests permission to share limited contact details with the BBKA and other North Somerset branch members

Sadly Jan Davis has decided to give up editing the branch newsletter after 16 years. That is some achievement and she has performed wonders with our little snippets of news in producing regular attractive and informative publications.  For her swansong she has produced not one but two newsletters! The second is full of photos and news from our past.  On this page they are available as:

Issue75 Oct2016 (1.3mB) OR Synopsis: Previous Issues (6.9mB) OR Issue75 Oct2016 + Synopsis (7.5mB)

Vespa velutina or the Asian hornet, also known as the yellow legged hornet, is native to Asia and was confirmed for the first time in Lot-et-Garonne in the South West of France in 2004. It was thought to have been imported in a consignment of pottery from China and it quickly established and spread to many regions of France. The hornet preys on honeybees, Apis mellifera harming beekeeping activities. It has also altered the biodiversity in regions where it is present and is potentially deadly to allergic people. All beekeepers should remain vigilant and be on the look out for it in their apiaries.  For identification use the following links: Asian Hornet (2 sheet poster).

An Asian hornet have been identified north of the Mendip hills

If you think you have seen an Asian hornet, please notify the Great British Non Native Species Secretariat alert email address at alertnonnative@ceh.ac.uk immediately. Additionally, you can report sightings on their website. As well as this function, the website provides a great deal of information about the wide ranging work that is being done to tackle invasive species and tools to facilitate those working in this area.

Another successful show at Winscombe, and as ever a good turn out by the village, despite the weather, although maybe not as many braved the grey as in previous years.

It is always good to see the smiling faces, some amazed at seeing the observation hive for the first time, or learning something astonishing about bees, lights switching on as we put things into context, some we remind of their youth and memories of relations that kept bees. These shows are important, not just as part of the local social fabric, but they help us as a charitable organization to fulfil our remit to educate. Making one person smile, or stop and think ‘wow!’ is a pretty good indication of success.

Many thanks to David Capon for his Stirling work in setting up the observation hive, and of course for his judging. Quite a few entrants kept David busy and helped to spoil his appetite after he’d munched his way through a reasonable quantity of honey, cake, biscuit and fudge! Congratulations to everyone who won prizes, especially Belinda K. who did well in most categories.

I would like to embarrass everyone who helped to set up and work on the stand, by thanking them publicly here; and so in no particular order (I hope I haven’t missed anyone), many thanks to the following for giving up your time, David W, Eric S, John P, Martin G, Paddy B, Rob W, Belinda K.& Wendy W., and a get well message to Heather P who couldn’t make it. These shows are a great way to talk to and educate the public about these amazing insects, and we can’t do it without our members giving a hand.

If you’ve not helped on one of our stands before, I would urge you to give it a go, it’s huge fun and even complete novices can have a great input.

Adrian Wells

Club extractors can be hired by Club members.  The cost is £5 for a 4 day period.  The extractors will be supplied clean and must be returned clean to our Honey Extractor Manager.

There are currently 3 Club extractors – we have just acquired a new four frame extractor, uncapping trays and filter buckets.

The extractors must be collected from the Honey Extractor Manager and returned on time and clean.

Please email: sheilajamesgardendesign@talktalk.net