Dave Bonner has been continuing to care for the colonies at the Branch Apiary with help from various branch members since the season began and has also been keeping members up- to-date with the goings on via regular updates on Covbee. If anyone wants to check out what’s on at the apiary, details can be found at
Whilst Dave is the apiary manager, he cannot be expected to do all the work single-handed and ‘many hands make light work’ as the saying goes. There are always odd jobs that need doing to help with apiary maintenance – grass cutting, hedge cutting etc., as well as assisting with hive inspections.
Many members have been benefitting from hands on practice at the training apiary over the summer, culminating in eight Coventry Branch members doing their BBKA Basic Assessment in recent weeks. On 25th June Julian Humphreys, Jo Smith, Carol Spence and Lesley Batchelor all took their Basic in scorching sunshine and passed with flying colours. More recently, four additional members took their assessments on 16th July but this time they were forced to shower dodge as the heavens opened on several occasions throughout the day. Results for these assessments should be through in a couple of weeks – fingers crossed for more good results despite the trying conditions. The apiary also hosted the Honeybee Health and Disease Assessment for Warwickshire Beekeepers on 8th July. The Branch Committee wants to continue to work with all of the members to further develop the apiary over the coming years and make it into a first class training facility.
The Coventry bees produced a good June crop this year producing an average of 20lb per super, and a total of 12 buckets was extracted, weighing just over 199lb. As publicised on Covbee, buckets of unfiltered branch honey is for sale on a first come first served basis. The price is £3.50 per pound gross weight – that means that you pay for whatever the combined weight of the honey and bucket is and you keep the bucket. The buckets are brand new and very rugged – this is their first use, so they should last a long time if looked after.
On a sad note we recently learned of the death long-term Coventry Branch member Alan King on 22nd May at the age of 89 years. Alan was there at the very beginning of the BBKA (his membership number was 003) and he joined the Coventry Branch in 1969. He was very active in both the Branch and Warwickshire Beekeepers as a long term committee member, Branch Chair and later Warwickshire Chair, Coventry Branch Honey Show secretary, Warwickshire Honey Show Secretary and Royal Show Honey Secretary amongst other roles. For those who knew him a celebration of his life will be held at Coombe Social Club on 5th August. For contact details, if you wish to attend, please see the message on Covbee.
Julia Barclay