MVBKA November Newsletter
Its been relatively warm recently, but the nights are drawing in and winter is on its way. With another good speaker this month, its time to get the books back out for the winter period to swat up on your beekeeping.
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Flower of the Month - Teasel
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Hopefully the bees have started to hibernate by now as the cold weather moves in. Any flowers out now tend to be pollinated by the wind rather than by insects as their numbers begin to diminish at this time of year. This month, I will be talking about the rather small family of only 15 members known as Teasel (Dipsacus).
Teasel is a tall plant that can easily reach the height of a person. Growing up to a maximum height of 2.5 metres and having spiny leaves in the form of bracts on the end of their stems makes teasel stand out. They have prickly stems and leaves. The leaves are lanceolate shape that are around 20 cm long. When this plant blooms between July and Autumn, it starts off with all the flowers in the middle opening and then as the season progresses. They are a familiar site in all kinds of habitats, from grassland to waste ground.
One notable feature of the plants is that is has sessile leaves. These are leaves without stalks and merge at the stem. Rain water collects inside these make-shift cup and scientists believe that they perform the function of stopping sap sucking aphids from climbing the stem. Recently, an experiment was carried out that has shown that adding dead insects into the cups formed by the sessile leaves increases the rate at which seeds are produced. Thus, implying that it is a partially carnivores plant.
A few species of teasel such as Cut-leaved teasel (Dipsacus laciniatus) is both used for their cultivation whilst Fuller’s teasel (Dipsacus fullonum) is known for its use in the textile industry before the industrial revolution. The dried teasel flower heads were used to raise the nap on cloth. Dipsacus saponin C is a chemical found in teasel plants that has the medically properties so that it acts as a procoagulant. This means that blood can clot much more easily, which makes it interesting when looking at the future of medicine.
The seeds are an important winter food resource for bird species such as European Goldfinch and House Sparrow. They can be seen to “tease” the seeds from the plant. Many people grow this plant in their garden to encourage birds to visit during the colder months. When the plant is blooming, they are also a valuable source of nectar for our bees.
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Apiary Winter Work Parties
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All volunteers are very welcome
With your bees now settled for the winter, why not come along and help in the Apiary. We meet every second Thursday and the last Saturday of the month, starting at 10am and finishing around lunch time.
We're starting two new projects for the Apiary; the creation of a wild flower meadow and erecting another shed specifically to hold all the stuff to take to shows. Plus there's maintenance to be undertaken so plenty to do. Please come along if you can.
To sign up for notification of Apiary work days please contact Graham Flatt
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There are currently no items for sale. If you have equipment or bees that you want to sell and you really can't wait until the May auction then we can advertise them here and on our website.
Contact Leanne
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Be Vigilant - Asian Hornet
please read message below from National Bee Unit
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Asian Hornet (Vespa velutina) identified in Hampshire
The good news is that the Asian hornet seen in Alresford a few days ago and the nest they found have been destroyed.
The bad news is that there have seen sightings in Lymington, too close to the New Forest for comfort. The NBU are hopeful that the nest there will be found today and destroyed. There are about six staff from NBU and a number of local beekeepers helping and they have drones and thermal imaging equipment as well so the outlook is good for that. There Are also reported sightings in and around Southampton so if any of you have hives nearer that area, please keep a good watch.,
What Can I Do?:
- Please make sure your information on BeeBase is up to date, especially your email address and telephone number.
- If you are not registered on BeeBase, please register now! It is important that NBU know where your apiaries are and you can be contacted. You can do so at http://www.nationalbeeunit.com/
- Put up monitoring traps and monitor daily. You can find a simple design to make at home on the BeeBase website. You will catch wasps and European hornets but if you monitor regularly you may be able to release some of them.
- Take some time to sit in your apiary and watch. If there are hornets about you will see them if you watch for about half an hour.
- Also take the time to watch local forage, especially ivy flowers and any rotten fruit you may have in an orchard. The Asian hornets will forage on the rotten fruit but will also predate on the wasps and other insects that are using the fruit and ivy flowers. The Asian hornet in Alresford was found by a member of the public who contacted a beekeeper to say that he was watching some odd looking wasps on the fruit in his orchard.
- If you see an Asian hornet – take a photograph. If you have a child’s fishing net they are often easy to catch – don’t squash it but try to keep it intact – say in a lidded jar .
- The hornet watch app for smartphone users gives quick easy access to reporting strategies.
- The NBU is continuing surveillance for further nests and beekeepers across the UK are urged to remain vigilant and to report any sightings either via the Asian hornet Watch App for android, the Asian hornet Watch App. for Iphone, email or the online recording form.
- Familiarise yourself with the Asian Hornet using our useful guides:
Asian hornet information pages of BeeBase
Asian hornet ID sheet
Asian hornet poster
'How to obtain a sample' guidance
- Monitor for its arrival using monitoring traps in your apiaries:
We have produced a useful guidance note and video on how to make a monitoring trap.
- Ensure your BeeBase records are up to date with apiary locations:
We encourage you to use the online functionality to update your apiary records and also record if Asian Hornet traps are situated in an apiary.
Guidance on how to update your records can be found here.
We thank you in advance for your co-operation and continued vigilance.
National Bee Unit
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Our Regional Bee Inspector is Pete Davis and he can be contacted on 07900 292160.
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Bee in the City
by Sue Burton
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Last month saw an extraordinary event when a colony of worker bees invaded Manchester. This was no ordinary colony though – ‘Bees in the City’ was inspired by the citys' heraldic worker bee and, after months of thinking, discussing, creating and perfecting over 100 individually designed super bees took up new habitats across the citys’ parks and public spaces.
My husband Graham, aka David Bailey for the weekend, and I, couldn’t resist the buzz and landed amongst them on the last Saturday. Throughout the weekend we followed the trail map photographing each one and marking them off the map as we went. I was determined that we should find as many as possible – in the end we managed 53 of the 101 sculptures before weary feet practically stopped us in our tracks. All were stunning, some thought provoking, some intricate and some just fun. Others made a serious point about declining bee species and the unthinkable future without them.
The weather was kind – the jet stream did a flip meaning we had brilliant sunshine whilst our own bees almost certainly stayed indoors out of the rain for most of the weekend. I’m so pleased we went and best of all not a bee suit or smoker in sight. I thought you might like to see some of the stunning ‘bees’…………
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We now have MVBKA patches for sale. These can be sewn onto suits just like the Basic Badge. They are £4 each and will be avaliable for purchase at the Christmas Party and AGM. If you are interested please contact Dylan.
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One Autumn Day
by Charles Reese
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One autumn day I saw the leaves fall down
I watched the deer as they danced around
I saw the flowers turn oh so brown
As Jack Frost let us know he is in town
The beekeeper is putting his bees to bed
As the honey flow is almost dead
The end of autumn is what some dread
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Coming up for the winter......
Thursday 8th November Speaker yet to be confirmed. Warnford Hall SO32 3LB starting at 7.30pm
Thursday 6th December - AGM and Christmas party at Warnford Hall starting at 7.30pm. Please bring a plate of food to share.
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The website has had a make over! Please visit and tell us what you think, all suggestions are very welcome. If anyone would like to help with maintaining the information on the website please let us know.
The events section is kept up to date.
http://www.meonvalleybeekeepers.co.uk
and follow us on Facebook
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Please send in your stories to me at dylanthebeekeeper@gmail.com or if you prefer, ring me on 0779978830
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