North Somerset Beekeepers

A new web-based crop spray alerting system, BeeConnected, linking farmers and beekeepers, has gone live across the UK.

A new web­based crop spray alerting system, BeeConnected, linking farmers and beekeepers, has gone live across the UK.

The BBKA’s Tim Lovett told Radio 4s Farming Today “ It’s ironic that the ban on neonicotinoid pesticides has meant that farmers have had to revert to older chemical formulas which are sprayed.”

Alerts from farmers will tell beekeepers when spraying is happening up to a maximum of 5km from their hives, the crop being sprayed and the compound being applied. The beekeeper will receive an email allowing them to take mitigating action such as moving their hives or shutting the bees in for a short while. Tim Lovett said: “ The system is essentially anonymous but if the two sides want to come together they can do so. For example a farmer could say ‘Hey I am growing some borage, any beekeepers want to bring their bees to pollinate for me?’ So it could start quite a useful conversation there as well.” BeeConnected is a joint venture under the Voluntary Initiative between the BBKA, the National Farmers Union and the Crop Protection Association. The BeeConnected website will also allow beekeepers to read the approved manufacturers’ information on the compound and whether or not it is associated with a bee alert being known to harm bees.” Current best agricultural practice, as advocated by farm assurance schemes and the UK code of practice for pesticide use, requires that the beekeeper notification takes place 48 hours before spraying to minimise the risk to bees.

Beekeepers should go to: https://www.beeconnected.org.uk/

We are running this basic course again in the new year. It is designed for those who have been keeping bees for a year or two and leads to a Basic 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 Mondays fitted in between January and April taking place between 7.30 and 9.15pm at The Rising Sun in Backwell starting on Monday 9th January 2017.

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.
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

Club member Paul B. has apiary equipment to sell as shown on the linked list.

Contact Peter on p.butcher934@btinternet.com

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.

ORDERS HAVE NOW BEEN PLACED, BASED ON THE REQUIREMENTS OF OUR MEMBERS.  IN MANY INSTANCES, WE HAVE MANAGED TO SECURE ITEMS FOR LESS THAN ANTICIPATED.  THESE CHANGES ARE SHOWN BELOW.  MEMBERS WHO HAVE NOT PLACED AN ORDER MAY DO SO BUT THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT SELECTED ITEMS ARE AVAILABLE.

We are offering members of North Somerset Beekeepers the following Essential Purchase Items:

• Varroa Treatment

  • MAQS strips (1 treatment per hive) @ £3.00/strip REDUCED TO £2.10/strip

    • 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) @ £2.10/tray (PRICE MAINTAINED)

    • 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

  • 1lb. jars @ 30p/jar REDUCED TO 28p/jar

  • ¾lb. jars @ 35p/jar REDUCED TO 30p/jar

  • ½lb. jars @ 25p/jar (PRICE MAINTAINED)

• Bee nutrition

  • Ambrosia (14kg. in plastic non-returnable container) @ £19.60 REDUCED TO £12.80

    • 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.

  • Bakers Fondant (2.5kg.) @ £3.15/2.5kg. REDUCED TO £2.90 AND WE HAVE PURCHASED FONDABEE IN 2.5kg. PACKETS

    • A small amount of Bakers Fondant from last year’s scheme is available for the price shown above.  Bakers Fondant is supplied in 12.5kg. blocks and will be cut to suit your requirements in portions of 2.5kg.  If you order 5kg. you get 40% of a 12.5kg. block, etc.

MEMBERS WHO HAVE NOT YET PLACED AN ORDER MAY DO SO BUT THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT SELECTED ITEMS ARE AVAILABLE