An informal chat about what’s happening at the association apiary, and beekeeping in general.
If you have any ideas for the association or questions about bees and beekeeping this is a great way to get information from other beekeepers.
The meetings are at 7.30pm on the first Wednesday of the month in the back bar of the Neidpath Inn in Peebles.
Programme
October 25 Charlie Irwin: Use of nuclei and queen introduction
November 29 Honey Show
January 31st Fiona Highet from SASA: the role of the Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture in Beekeeping.
February 28 (To be confirmed) Phil MacAnespie: A-Z of swarming
February: to be confirmed – joint meeting with Caddonfoot BKA on hive products.
March 28 AGM
We also hope to arrange a couple of training sessions on (eg) queen rearing/increase/intermediate beekeeping.
The Association has some honey jars with white plastic lids for sale: £29.40 per pack 72, or £5.00 per dozen. Please contact Secretary.
An informal chat about what’s happening at the association apiary, and beekeeping in general.
If you have any ideas for the association or questions about bees and beekeeping this is a great way to get information from other beekeepers.
The meetings are at 7.30pm on the first Wednesday of the month in the back bar of the Neidpath Inn in Peebles.
An informal chat about what’s happening at the association apiary, and beekeeping in general.
If you have any ideas for the association or questions about bees and beekeeping this is a great way to get information from other beekeepers.
The meetings are at 7.30pm on the first Wednesday of the month in the back bar of the Neidpath Inn in Peebles.
We will be having an inspection at the association apiary on Sunday 31st July.
We will aim to start at 1.30pm, but as usual this will be weather permitting.
All welcome, please bring clean beesuits if you have them.
Please email Peter if you need directions or any other information.
Saturday 23rd July
Mandy and Peter went to the apiary to do inspections on the original stocks and their swarm and/or split offspring.
They were joined by Stephen who has kept bees in London and is now hoping to do the same locally.
Stephen was interested in find out about local beekeeping and was able to give us a hand with the inspections.
We have been a bit slack with doing regular inspections due the weather, lack of manpower and the hiatus of the new stocks arriving recently.
This meant that several of the original stocks have swarmed in the meantime. A couple of swarms have been caught at the apiary so that wasn’t a disaster.
Hive 1, which had always been the least strong, had surprisingly swarmed. The new queen had just started laying and we found and marked her (white).
Hive 2 also looked like it had swarmed. There was no brood to be seen. However the bees seemed happy going about their business. We didn’t see a queen but we decided from the bees attitude that there was a new queen and that she would start laying soon. This hive needs to be checked for a laying queen next time.
Hive 3 was a split from Hive 5. There was sealed brood in here but the frames with brood were super frames (the queen in hive 5 escaped into the supers before the split). The bees had made lovely natural combs under the super frames but that meant the queen had plenty of places to hide. This colony wasn’t strong and will need some TLC.
Hive 4 was another case of a swarmed colony where the queen had just started laying. Stephen spotted the new queen and we marked her (white).
Hive 5 was a skyscraper of double brood and 4 supers! We saw brood in the top brood box so didn’t go any further since this one was obviously queen right.
We combined the supers so that there are 2 that are well filled and a third for the bees to use, and one removed. So down from skyscraper to tower block.
All the hives have some stores and spare super frames. If we get some decent weather the bees might make good use of the lime trees that have just started to flower.
We then looked at a large swarm that had been caught and hived. There were plenty bees and again the queen had just started laying. This is a colony that can be sold on to cover some apiary costs.
Lastly, the other split from old hive5 has been in a poly nuc for a while and is struggling, particularly at the moment from cheeky wasps who have chewed into the back of the box to tap into the feeder and are also being a nuisance at the entrance. We decided this one needed to get taken away from the apiary so it has gone away to Mandy.
All in all the 5 main colonies seem to be queen right and given decent weather should build up fine with their new queens.
Peter.
July 17th @ 2.30: Ettrick Valley.
Visit to Sheila Tyldesley’s apiary. Contact secretary for car share/location.
Please note: we usually have a picnic, so bring a suitable small item to share, and something to drink, if you want some. Parking can be limited at these sites, so please car share if possible – contact Secretary* if you need/can offer a lift, or need directions.
An informal chat about what’s happening at the association apiary, and beekeeping in general.
If you have any ideas for the association or questions about bees and beekeeping this is a great way to get information from other beekeepers.
The meetings are at 7.30pm on the first Wednesday of the month in the back bar of the Neidpath Inn in Peebles.
June 19th: @ 2.30 near Cringletie
Visit to the apiary of Peter Stevenson and Helen Dewberry.
Meet just past the hotel on the left at the gravel parking area by the walled garden. Car share will be arranged from there as there is limited parking.
Please put beesuits on at the apiary. Do not park outside the hotel.
Please note: we usually have a picnic, so bring a suitable small item to share, and something to drink, if you want some. Parking can be limited at these sites, so please car share if possible – contact /">Secretary if you need/can offer a lift, or need directions.