The Derbyshire Beekeepers Association
From DBKA Website
Frequently asked Questions
If you're looking on some background information on the Association, or you'd like to join and need contact details or a membership application form, click here. If you're thinking of keeping bees click here.
BBKA Research Funding Campaign
For more information about the BBKA Research Funding Campaign click here. Posters, example letters to send to MPs and petition forms are available here.
Upcoming Events
Current and upcoming events in 2008 from the events programme. All events are open to members and any person with an interest in beekeeping, Get in touch with us if you need any further details about any event.
Thursday 22nd May 6.30pm
- Smisby Arboretum Apiary Meeting and Horticultural tour. See www.bluebellnursery.com for location and contact details.
Tuesday 3rd June 7.30pm
- Informal association indoor meeting at the Comrades' Club, Crich
Saturday 7th June 3.00pm
- Apiary Meeting at the home of Richard Matkin
Sunday 22nd June All Day
- Derbyshire County Show at Elvaston County Park. DBKA display and sales
Hints, Tips and Jobs for This Month
Hints from the Informal association indoor meeting for the month of May.
With the recent cool weather colony build up is still on average about three weeks behind. This time of the year is the busiest time for the beekeeper, colonies beginning to build up. Continue to check for queen cells, colonies need to be checked every ten days or once a week if possible. Check to see that the colony does not have an excessive amount of drones this is a tell tail sign or the first indication that the colony could be thinking about swarming.
If there are queen cells then, DON’T PANIC. Next check to see if there are fresh eggs in the brood nest, this indicates that the queen is most likely still present. If this is the case you can if you wish destroy these queen cells or alternatively carry out the artificial swarm procedure that we described last month. If there are no fresh eggs in the brood nest, then don’t destroy the cells because it is possible that the queen is not present and if it is a large colony occupying all the frames of the brood chamber you will certainly need to carry out the artificial swarming process.
We do not recommend that you clip the queens, although a lot of beekeepers do this to prevent swarming, it does not. It only buys you time. It will stop the colony from swarming but as soon as the first virgin queen hatches out you will lose a larger swarm plus all the casts that could be subsequently issued. Another reason you might injure the queen in clipping one of her wings.
If your bees are in a rape area then management needs to be more intensive, pale yellow pollen is a sign that they are bringing in rape. The first super above the queen excluder needs to contain un-drawn foundation and being un-drawn there needs to be ten frames in the super to stop brace comb being produced. Try to maintain un-drawn foundation above the brood nest it gives them something to do and helps to keep their minds of swarming. When all but the two outermost frames are full add a second super. If the weather is warm keep checking every four days if possible, a strong colony could fill a super in four days. Continue to add supers until the rape flowers start to subside. Take honey off by brushing the bees off the combs. We do not recommend the use of bee escapes, because rape honey tends to block them up. Also the bees having vacated the supers could enhance granulation and a vacant unguarded super might give rise to robbing. Take honey off first thing in the morning preferably after a cool day, the bees have had ample time to ripen the honey. Extract immediately and keep in a warm place. Don’t heat honey more than necessary as you might spoil its activity and you only need to coarse filter it. Fine filtration of honey is not really necessary.
Procedure for removing honey: To begin this process you need a spare super for each hive to immediately replace the supers you are taking off. It is not recommended to compress about 40,000 bees down into just the brood chamber. Also you will need a spare super to decant the frames into. Once you have opened the crown board, remove each frame in turn and shake the bees off back into the hive and place that frame into the spare super which should be placed adjacent to you. You might find it necessary to cover the super with a cloth or something to stop the bees from robbing, but if this process is carried out in the cool of the morning robbing is not normally a problem. Remove each full frame in turn from the top super until all the frames are removed. Then remove that empty super shake any remaining bees off and this can now become the spare to decant the second super into. Continue with the process by shaking the bees off into the hive and remove until you are down to the queen excluder. Then place a new super over the excluder and fill with new frames or any frames that the bees have not filled from the rape harvest. Replace crown board and lid and pray that the bees will fill it up again.
If your bees are not in a rape area build up will be a more gradual process. You can use drawn out foundation in the supers and just keep adding supers as required. Maintain regular inspections looking for:
- Is there sufficient stores to last until the next inspection?
- Is the queen present laying normally ie eggs?
- Is there any sign of disease?
- Is there sufficient comb space for the queen to lay?
- Has the colony built up since the last inspection?
For more information, feel free to attend the monthly meeting at Crich
All notes to date are available here