The Branch Apiary needs your support
After all the activity that took place last month to prepare and hold the Grand Opening event, this month has been rather quiet. Dave Bonner was unable to lead the apiary meetings on the 3rd, 10th or 17th July due to other commitments and put out a call for other members to step in.
Pete Barclay was able to lead on the 3rd July and was joined by our enthusiastic, novice beekeepers who assisted with the inspections, made up many super frames and had a look at how to use and clean the Branch honey extractor.
As far as I am aware, no one stepped up to lead the other two dates and so it was not possible to have a meeting. I believe there was also an issue with communication of this to the members, which may have led to some people turning up to find no one else was present. On behalf of the committee, I’d like to apologise for this oversight. This highlights an on-going problem for the Branch, namely the reluctance of our more experienced members to step in from time to time to help out at the apiary.
Dave Bonner always puts out a plea for help when needed, but it is very rare that anyone, other than a committee member, comes forward. Please would members seriously consider helping from time to time, especially when Dave cannot be present? We have a group of enthusiastic novice beekeepers in the branch now and they should be encouraged and be given every opportunity to improve their skills. If you can help in any way at the apiary, on a regular or ad hoc basis, please contact Dave Bonner cbka.membership@wbka.org.uk or respond to his messages on Covbee as they arise.
One of the colonies at the apiary was found to have become bad tempered over the last few weeks and this colony is now being re-queened and in common with other beekeepers I have heard from, the apiary also had a couple of queen-less colonies. The chance to witness manipulations, such as how to find an elusive queen, (typically, this was the bad tempered colony) and how to go about uniting colonies by the newspaper method, is something that even beekeepers with some experience may find useful. It’s important to get the branch colonies queen-right and calm as soon as we can as the apiary will be used as the venue for three of our members taking the Bee Health Assessment on 14th August and two more members taking their Basic Assessment on the 20th August.
Good luck to them all.
Julia Barclay