Dear Kennet Beekeeper,
I have a feeling that it is going to be a bad August, September and October for WASPS. If you don’t prepare your hives before the wasps get a hold, there is little one can do to stop this constant attack. Very strong colonies will be OK but I would advise every beekeeper to close the hive entrance right down, however strong the bees are. Put wasp traps in the apiary – mine are full already and should be emptied today and refilled with watered down old jams, cheap beer and a little vinegar. That seems to work for me. But it is the hive entrance that needs to be reduced first. In a weak colony, say 3 -5 frames of brood and bees I would put an entrance block in with a short length of 15mm pipe drilled into it. No wasp likes to meet a bee head on in a 3 ins tunnel pipe – this has worked for me in the past.
The next Bee Chat evening is this Friday 3 August at 7.30 at Bishops Cannings Village Hall SN10 2LA. Sadly I cannot be there but I have asked Alan Stonell to take it for us. I hope that Mario Caves will be able to show members his bee hoover. Other members may have other inventions they would like to bring along – I shall have to wait and hear what inventions our members have come up with. Good luck Alan – perhaps you could be the judge of the best one!
Fire at the apiary! You may have heard that on Sunday 22 July the grass was set on fire at the back of the apiary. Luckily for us, it was reported and I believe three fire engines turned up and put it out. The back of the apiary is a bit damaged, but we were very lucky not to loose a lot of equipment and bees. There has been some vandalism at the apiary in past few weeks and our blow lamp was stolen, some school books were set on fire. David has reported this to the very disinterested police – but we have a crime number should it happen again.
Everyone should put Saturday 1 Septemberdown in their diary for the Bee Health Day. You will hear really interesting talks about Asian Hornet and be able to see and handle (with protective gloves/aprons etc) EFB and AFB frames. I have twisted a few arms to get The National Bee Unitthere – so please show your support. Bring a packed lunch, tea and coffee provide and entrance is FREE of CHARGE. All at Bromham Social Centre, New Road, Bromham, SN15 2JB.
I would be nearly hung, drawn and quartered if I also failed to mention the Bee and Honey Day on Saturday 6 Octoberat the Corn Exchange, Devizes. Now is the time to be thinking about it and putting that really nice pot of honey aside to enter into the show.
All best wishes to all members.
Robert Carpenter Turner
Chairman Kennet Beekeepers
Tel: – 01672 852265 email:- chairman@kennet-beekeepers.co.uk