MVBKA July Newsletter
Now that summer is in full swing, with gloriously warm sunny days in which the bees can forage for nectar, it is time to start preparing for the honey crop. Of course, that can all come crashing down with a late summer swarm so best keep your eyes open for any signs.
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Flower of the Month - Common Daisy
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On the way home from college every day, we pass this field which usually looks quite green and bland. However, over the last few weeks it has turned into a sea of white. As you have probably have guessed by the title, this article is about the Common Daisy (Bellis perennis).
This flower is part of the Asteraceae family. Many related plants also share the name “daisy” so to distinguish this species it is either referred to as the Common, Lawn or English daisy. It is a herbaceous perennial plant which means they don’t have a woody stem but live for more than 2 years. They have tiny flower heads, which are around 2-3 cm in diameter. At the centre of the head there is a circle of yellow pollen. The average height of Bellis perennis is between 2- 10 cm but they rarely grow up to the top end of that range.
Common daisies are special in the fact that they belong to a unique group of flowers called the Pseudanthiums. Flowers that fall into this category may look like a single organism: but in fact anything from a small cluster to hundreds and thousands of flowers are grouped together to form the single flower-like structure. In reference to the Common Daisy, they actually consist of two flowers combined into the one. The inner section is called a disc floret and the outer petal section is called the ray floret.
In Norse mythology, the Daisy is the flower of the goddess Freya who is the goddess of love, beauty and fertility. The flower has connotations with chastity due to the Roman myth of Vertumnus and Belides. Vertumnus, god of seasons and gardens, fell in love with Belides, a nymph. He continuously pursued her, and in order to escape his affections she turned herself into a daisy. This is also where the latin name comes from.
Names of many things originate from Old English because of the fact that they have been around for a long time. Flowers such as the Common Daisy would have been one of the easiest flowers for the Medieval peasant to identify and that’s why they were given a name. Back in the Middle Ages they were referred to as “day’s eye” because at night the petals close over the yellow centre and during the day they re-open. The phrase “as fresh as a daisy” originated from this, signifying that someone had a good night’s rest.
Overall, even though they are a small flower they are highly important to our British pollinators, as well as being a flower that is easy on the eye.
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Be Quick - Honey and Wax Day - 1st July
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You have to be in the know to win! Interested in learning how to prepare honey and wax to show? Then come along and listen to Tom Salter impart his knowledge and expertise.
It is at Warnford Hall this Sunday 1st July so please contact Jean if you want to come.
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This was the first such event held at the apiary with the aim of introducing new people to the craft of beekeeping. It was a glorious June day and eight potential new members, who had all expressed an interest in learning more about bees, joined Jean and Gill at Warnford Village Hall in time for a 10.30 start.
Jean engaged them with a presentation about bees and beekeeping including a little about bee biology and general information about hives and equipment. Everyone then made their way to the association apiary for a picnic lunch. Sandwiches, provided by Gill, with crisps, fruit, drinks and lots of chat were enjoyed by all.
After lunch they divided into two groups, and each opened a hive. Gill and Jean explained the workings inside each hive and quite quickly all moved towards the bees in wonder. As the afternoon progressed, there were more questions and interest and with such calm bees and interested members, we had a very good day.
Following on from the success of this event there will be a Taster Day in June 2019.
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Practical Course - Comes to an end for 2018
by Jean Frost
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The last session of the practical beekeeping course, at the association apiary, took place on Saturday 23 June. Adrian Kelly (retired Seasonal Bee Inspector) came along and inspected all the colonies for us. All the members of the course had a chance to hear Adrian’s words of wisdom and ask him a myriad of interesting questions.
We welcomed 20 people to the practical course and over the six weeks of the course they learned a lot of the practical skills needed to enable them to keep bees. Most of the group had already attended the theory course and several of them obtained their bees in the past few weeks; all seem to be coping well with their new charges.
Split into groups of four, each with a group leader, they learned to light, and keep alight, a smoker, methods of using hive tools, that they need to be calm and gentle when handling bees and that smoke is used as a tool rather than to make their bees choke and splutter! After the third week they all had an opportunity, each week, to open and inspect frames in a hive.
They were able to watch a shook swarm taking place and saw the resulting swift build-up of the colony. They saw numerous queen bees and queen cells. Nucs with queen cells were made up as a method of swarm prevention and raising new queens. If successful the new queens will be used to replace some of the originals in the spring. Some colonies were united and at least one queen was dispatched!
They saw the result of a drone laying queen and all have seen eggs and know what good brood looks like and will be able to watch out disease in their own colonies.
We only had one day of rain but not until after we had finished with the hives and were having tea (and cake!)
All members of the group will be invited to join in when the honey from the apiary hives is extracted. When we medicate and feed the bees in late summer, they will be asked if they would like to come along and help.
I hope they all enjoyed the practical course held in our association apiary.
My thanks go to Gill, David T, Graham, Janet, Paul F, Paul A and David C for their help with the course as group leaders and hope they enjoyed it as much as I did.
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BeeBase Alerts for Members with Bees
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With the unseasonal weather this spring we could see an increase in disease this season, in particular EFB.
The National Bee Unit (NBU) sends out alerts via BeeBase to registered members if the disease occurs in their area. They also sometimes send out alerts of other bee related problems to warn beekeepers.
With the discovery of Asian hornets BeeBase alerts its contacts and gives updates on progress. It is important that beekeepers are registered on BeeBase so that if an incident occurs in a particular area beekeepers in that area can be contacted and possibly have their hives checked.
We strongly recommend that members register (you will not be bombarded with emails!), if they have not already done so. https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/beebase/public/register.cfm
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Nosema and Microscopy Day
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It seems like a lot has happened since the Nosema Day back at the end of April. Probably because of the wet weather at the time very few people took the opportunity to have their bees tested for Nosema. The majority of samples were from the Apiary, with a few from others.
It was fascinating to see the rice grain shaped Nosema under the microscope. We also had the opportunity to take a closer look at the bee parts and the sting! When we hold it next year, it is worth taking the time to come along and bring samples if you can.
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Feedback from Auction |
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I have heard from people regarding the Auction last month has been very positive. I think everyone who helped out and went along to the day (especially if you bought something) deserves a pat on the back! It has been a major way of advertising our association and we have even appeared in another newsletter. I have attached a link to a newsletter which shares someone's experience of their day at the auction. If you didn't manage to come along this year I strongly recommend you clear your diary for next year - Saturday 4th May 2019!
https://content.yudu.com/web/66be/0A66bf/BC1807/flash/resources/6.htm
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Apiary Site Available
A site for some hives has become available in Beauworth (near Cheriton).The site is an orchard. The owners of the house and orchard are away all year, in Malaysia, and come home for the summer, usually late July and all of August.
I haven’t seen the site but am in contact with the owners. If you would like to take up the offer of what sounds like a good site for a few hives, please contact me. Jean Frost
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Asian Hornet Queen Seen in Bury
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We all need to keep vigilant. An Asian Hornet Queen was spotted in Bury which was transported there from a farm in Lincoln. Unfortunately they lost sight of her.
To find out more please follow the BBKA story link below:
https://www.bbka.org.uk/news/bbka-asks-beekeepers-to-look-for-asian-hornets
The BBKA advice is - Should you spot an Asian hornet, please send photos to alertnonnative@ceh.ac.uk then call your bee inspector and alert a member of the association committee so we can extend the searches quickly. We cannot stress how dangerous these Hornets can be to our pollinating insects.
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Apiary Picnic - 21st July
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Please come along to the annual Apiary picnic on Saturday 21 July. All are welcome including partners and families. Cakes and drinks will be provided but please bring a plate of finger food to share. We will meet at the apiary for 2.30pm. The apiary is now looking very good and is a very special place, especially in good weather.
Come along and see how the bees are thriving and join in the bee chat.
Please let Jean or Dylan know if you need directions
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Coming up now.......
Sunday 1st July - Preparation of Honey and Wax for Showing - please contact Jean if you want to come along.
Saturday 7th August - Sainsbury's Alton Display
Saturday 14th July - Curdridge Show
Saturday 21st July - Apiary Picnic for members and their families
Saturday 18th - Sunday 19th August - South Downs Show at Queen Elizabeth Country Park
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Photo Gallery of Recent Shows
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Selborne Nature Festival held on May Bank Holiday
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KidSTreat Bishops Waltham Sunday 24th June
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Calling all Show Volunteers!
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If you would like to volunteer for future shows, please contact Jean. You don’t need to be an experienced beekeeper to volunteer. There will always be a more experienced member on hand to answer tricky questions.
We are need volunteers for:
7th July - Sainsbury's Alton Display - morning or afternoon
14th July - Curdridge Show - afternoon
17th August - South Downs Show - morning - help to set up gazebos and tent.
Your reward is some good cake, really good company, the joy of talking about bees all day long to members of the public and exhilaration at the end of the day of a job well done.
Please contact Jean
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Apiary Work Parties
All volunteers are very welcome.
We need help with maintaining the apiary - grass mowing, frame making etc. and there is the opportunity to help with bee inspections.
Apiary work parties are held on the 2nd Thursday of every month and on the last Saturday. They last about 2 hours starting at around 10.0am
The next work party is this Saturday 30th June. We aim to start around 10:00am and finish by lunchtime. There is plenty to do as we will need to mow, strim and clear the long grass as well as sort and repair equipment and make up super frames. Do come and join in if you can.
To sign up for the upcoming Apiary work days please contact Graham Flatt
To sign up for bee inspections at the Apiary please contact David Cleeve
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Thorne's sale day is rapidly coming up so you know what that means - time for a bargain ! Orders are being taken now for the Thorne’s sale. These can be bought online and then collected in store or you can go have a browse around their shop. For any new beekeeper, it is a perfect opportunity to buy some cheap but quality equipment. If you can’t get there, Jean will be going and can collect for you if you order and pay in advance.
Thornes of Stockbridge, Chilbolton Down Farm, Chilbolton Down, Stockbridge, Hampshire, SO20 6BU
01264 810916 | stockbridge@thorne.co.uk
Saturday 15th September: 10.00am – 1.00pm
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If you haven't visited our website recently then please follow this link and take a look. We are trying to keep it up to date with the latest news and information on association events. If there is something you'd like to see added then please let me know.
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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