Peeblesshire Beekeepers Association

Peeblesshire Beekeepers Association

Yearly Archive: 2017

Peeblesshire Beekeepers Association > News > 2017

Apiary Visit Sunday 7th May

We aim to visit the Association Apiary weekly on a Sunday from 2pm to 4pm – weather permitting.

If we need to cancel due to the weather, Mandy will email by 11am, so please check your emails.

Sessions will be led by an experienced beekeeper. This session will be led by David and Mandy

Beginner beekeepers are encouraged to come along to learn practical skills.

Car share if you can as parking is limited, you can let Mandy know if you need or can offer a lift, or if you need directions.

If you need to borrow a beesuit for the visit please contact Mandy – we have some available, and even 2 child size suits.

We usually have refreshments after apiary meetings, so please bring something along; guests are welcome too.

If you are able to come along and be the lead or assistant beekeeper for one of these sessions, please contact Mandy as soon as possible so she can work out the rota for the rest of the summer. Guest demonstrators also welcome!

Beginners Day 2017 Report

Fifteen prospective beekeepers, five instructors, two dogs and several thousand bees took part in this years PBKA Beginners Day.

As usual the participants came from a wide range of backgrounds with the common aim of finding out more about the fascinating world of honeybees.

audience

audience

The day was structured into formal presentations interspersed with practical activities and a visit to the association apiary.

The morning presentations discussed the honeybee colony and managing the hive.

The indoor activities were

microscopes

microscopes

honey tasting

honey tasting

frame making

frame making

Virtual and Real Hives

Virtual and Real Hives

In the middle of the day we went out to the apiary. Everyone suited up, lit some smokers and had a look at the apiary site and equipment.

The day was rather cold for a full inspection but we managed to have a peek at some live bees.

 

at the apiary

at the apiary

Back to the hall to warm up and have lunch and a chat. More presentations on Bee health and finally the beekeeping year rounded up the day.

Presenting

Presenting

Everyone appeared to enjoy the day and were eager to follow up the day with some practical experience in the apiary over the summer.

PBKA Pub Meeting 3rd May 2017

An informal get together of the Peeblesshire beekeepers association.

The beekeeping season is in full swing. Worried about swarming? Hoping for a honey crop? Don’t know where to start?

Come along and chat to local beekeepers for advice, questions, reassurance and gossip. Wednesday 3rd May at 7.30pm in the back bar of the Neidpath Inn in Peebles.

Beginners Course 29th April 2017

Peeblesshire Beekeepers Beginners Course 2017

 

If you are thinking of keeping bees or just want to find out a bit more about this fascinating hobby, you are welcome to come along to our beginners day.

This years course will be held on Saturday 29th April 2017. Meet at 9.30am for 10am start. Finish approximately 4.30pm.

The venue will be at Manor Village Hall, Kirkton Manor, near Peebles. Location Map

There will be presentations, practical demos and, weather permitting, a visit to the association apiary.

The course will cost £35 to cover instruction, refreshments, equipment and a years membership of PBKA.

After completing the day course, hives at the association apiary will be available for hands on experience throughout the season with support from experienced local beekeepers.

beginners day 2016

beginners day 2016

For enquiries, please contact the association secretary in the first instance.

Mandy Clydesdale Secretary Tel: 01721 720563 Mob: 07563 185993

PBKA Pub Meeting 5th April

An informal get together of the Peeblesshire beekeepers association.

Colonies will be building up, bees will be foraging, inspections will be underway and beekeepers will be getting excited!

Come along and find out more on Wednesday 5th April at 7.30pm in the back bar of the Neidpath Inn in Peebles.

Bees

PBKA AGM – March 27

Peeblesshire Beekeepers AGM

More details will follow.

All meetings start at 7.30pm, in the Community Centre (Drill Hall), Walkershaugh, Peebles, followed by a question and answer session. Then there’s time to chat and catch up afterwards, over refreshments.

Everyone’s welcome at our meetings – you don’t need to be a member. Further details on the website (https://www.peeblesbeekeepers.org.uk/) or contact the Secretary: 01721 720 563 / 07563 185 993.

Association Apiary Update 15th March

Yesterday David Ferguson and I, with a potential new beekeeper, checked the colonies to assess their stores. We didn’t carry out an inspection of the hives – it was very windy, only 8 degrees, and rain was threatening. Dead bees were removed from entrances, varroa mite drop recorded, and varroa boards cleaned.
 
All but one (8, closest to the gate/fur trees) were flying and bringing in pollen. 
 
4 colonies had almost run out of fondant, so these had one or 2 packs of fondant added. 2 further colonies had one more pack of fondant added as a precaution.
 
Colony 3 had the highest varroa count (though only averaging half a mite day since the last check): this one has consistently had the highest varroa count.
 
Colonies 5 and 8 (closest to the fir trees) had considerable amount of diarrhoea: colony 5 no longer smelled of fermented stores. 3 and 5 will need remedial action to take out the dirtied frames and put in new frames. I suggest that for this we try a variant of the Bailey comb exchange, on the first warm day. We’ll need 2 excluders, 2 brood boxes, 2 ekes with an entrance slot (or make up 2 C-shaped very shallow ekes), clean deep frames with foundation, feeders and syrup. Sugar will need to be purchased and syrup made up (I can see to that); we have everything else except for one more brood box and the ekes. There should be several more brood boxes at Venlaw that can be made up – I’ll ask Geoff to check. We’ll only need one at the moment. I’ll see if I can find any timber scraps that can be used to make ekes.
 
Mandy

PBKA Pub Meeting 8th March

An informal get together of the Peeblesshire beekeepers association.

Spring bulbs are flowering and the new season is getting underway.

If you want to get involved or have any questions about bees and beekeeping, just come along at 7.30pm in the back bar of the Neidpath Inn in Peebles.