Autumn Apiary Report
The days are getting shorter, but with the continued good weather the bees are still extremely active!
Although the main beekeeping season is drawing to a close, there is still plenty happening at the apiary. Varroa treatments have been completed and autumn feeding is well underway, but we still have a few jobs to finish before we can properly put the bees to bed for winter.
Feeding and Winter Preparation
The bees are certainly taking their syrup! I am feeding at the apiary Apiinvert at the moment and the bees are absolutely guzzling it down. Each hive will easily take a 14kg tub of this syrup
With everything they are bringing in naturally as well as the syrup, I have no idea where they are putting it all! Some of the colonies are still on a brood-and-a-half.
Robert still has sugar available for anyone who would like to make their own syrup. If you are making your own feed, consider adding a suitable bee-feed supplement such as HiveAlive according to the manufacturer’s directions.
We also have a couple of tubs of Apiinvert Bee Syrup spare. They are 14kg @£26
Please contact Joanne for further information.
Now is also a good time to assess the strength of your colonies. We haven’t got any particularly weak colonies at the apiary, but if you have small or weak colonies, this is the time to consider uniting them. The traditional newspaper method works well.
This year I will again be putting winter wraps around our single-walled hives. Damp and condensation can cause serious problems during the winter, so keeping colonies dry and well ventilated is important.
A Late Surprise!
During our Varroa treatment we unfortunately had one colony abscond. Then, just last week, I found a small cast on one of our poly hives containing a virgin queen. I am optimistic that she may still get mated as we do have a few drones around.
The strange thing is that I have been through our colonies and all our new breeding queens are accounted for – so I have absolutely no idea where she came from!
That’s beekeeping for you!
Wasps and Hornets
Interestingly, wasps haven’t really been a problem for us this year. My suspicion is that the prolonged hot, dry weather and lack of available food prevented many wasp colonies from building up as strongly as they normally would. European Hornets, however, have been more troublesome. They have been hawking in front of the hives and catching bees as they return carrying pollen. We believe there have been at least two different hornet colonies fairly close to the apiary. The problem has now reduced considerably. Again, the lack of alternative food sources during the dry weather may have contributed to the increased pressure around the hives.
An Autumn Mini-Flow?
Since the weather changed and we finally had some rain, the countryside has really responded. Plants are flowering again and, with temperatures remaining mild, they are producing both pollen and nectar. Some beekeepers are even reporting what could be described as a small autumn “mini-flow”.
We are seeing a wonderful array of pollen entering the hives – not just Ivy, but Dandelion, Clover and Fleabane too. There is also a red pollen coming in that I haven’t identified yet, but the variety can only help provide the colonies with a diverse diet while brood is still being raised. Even my apple trees have produced a little blossom! There isn’t much of it, but it certainly demonstrates just how mixed up the seasons seem to be at the moment. And if that wasn’t enough, opposite the Rare Breeds Centre at Woodchurch they were making hay last week!
Looking Ahead to Spring
I understand that there could be quite a bit of Oilseed Rape grown across the Marsh next year as farmers respond to changing costs and crop returns. If that happens, it could provide us with a very strong early spring flow. So prepare early. Get those supers cleaned and ready and start thinking ahead about swarm control, splits and having enough equipment available. If we get a warm spring, colonies could build extremely quickly.
Club News
Summer Barbecue
What a wonderful afternoon! Our summer barbecue was a huge success, with more than 50 members and non-members attending. The weather was glorious, the food was excellent and there was plenty of good conversation. A big thank you to Steve and Richard for taking charge of the cooking, and to Annie and Hilary for organising the food. Julies committee boards were fantastic too! Thank you also to everyone who came along and helped make it such an enjoyable afternoon.
Skep Making Day
The Day was another great success. We had a good turnout and it was a wonderfully relaxed day – sitting, chatting and spending a few hours playing with straw while learning an ancient beekeeping craft. A big thank you to Keith for tutoring the event and to Joanne for arranging and organising the food and supplies. This event seems to be growing in popularity, with members from other branches joining us too. Because it has proved so successful, we hope to make the Skep Making Day an annual event.
Five-Star Honey Processing Rating
We also have some excellent news regarding our honey processing facilities. Joanne and I recently achieved a 5-star food hygiene rating from Ashford Borough Council for our honey processing on behalf of the apiary. This is a great achievement for us and gives the club a solid foundation as we develop our honey processing and sales activities.
Our New Building – Work Has Started!
At long last, work has begun! The sewage treatment plant is now in situ and the necessary pipework is being installed. No more Portaloos! One thing that really surprised us was just how dry the ground was. The excavation went down to just over two metres and not an ounce of water entered the hole – it was dry as a bone.
Hopefully the base for the new building can be completed in early spring. With the drainage and pipework already in place, we hope this will allow us to provide temporary toilet facilities while work on the main building progresses. That will certainly be a welcome improvement for everyone using the apiary.
Around the Apiary
The marquee has now been taken down and safely stored away ready for next season.
There are still a few odd jobs to complete around the apiary before winter. We will put out a call for volunteers when we are ready to tackle them – many hands make light work!
Regional Bee Inspector Vacancy
At the last Kent meeting I was informed that the National Bee Unit (NBU) expects to advertise again for a Regional Bee Inspector position. Anyone interested should keep an eye out for further information as it becomes available, or speak to Tom Bickerdyke for more details.
Dates for Your Diary
Quiz Night – 3 October 7pm
St Mary's Bay Village Hall
Another enjoyable club evening, There is still space for a last minute team for this Saturday !
AGM – 16 October, 7pm
Tesco Community Space, Hythe Road, Willesborough, Ashford, TN24 0YE.
Roger Patterson Talk – 14 November 11-4pm
Ham Street Village Hall
Places are still available, so please book if you would like to attend.
£15 payment can be made to : KBKA Branch 089299 67268830
Dover Honey Show
Coming soon – details to follow.
Christmas Dinner
11th December 7pm White Horse Bilsington (Menus to be released shortly)
Looking Ahead to Next Season
We have some plans to make even greater use of the apiary next year.
Between April and July, we intend to open the apiary on Saturday mornings for a couple of hours for practical workshops and maintenance sessions. These will include going through colonies, swarm prevention, making splits, frame making, equipment maintenance and general site cleaning.
From July onwards, we plan to continue these sessions fortnightly. It should provide a good opportunity for members to gain practical experience, ask questions and get involved with the day-to-day running of their club apiary.
There is still plenty happening despite the main season drawing to a close. Thank you to everyone who has helped at the apiary, attended events or supported the club throughout what has been a very busy year.
Here’s hoping for a mild autumn, healthy colonies and a successful winter.