Dear Kennet Beekeeper,
May I start by wishing you all a successful beekeeping and Happy New Year for 2019. Now is the time to forget your beekeeping disasters of last year and make new resolutions to get all your kit up to date, repaired and cleaned ready for the summer. I promise you that there will be a day when your bees will need that bit of extra equipment that you forgot to repair!
Our Skittles Night at the Fox and Hounds, was well attended by about 20 of us and the “Beekeeper Skittles Cup”, after a brilliant display of how to roll the ball at the skittles, rather than between them, was awarded to Susan Horton. Personally I was very disappointed with the buffet meal the pub supplied and they also had run out of Wadworth’s 6X beer and a draft cider. I did not feel that we were really welcomed (more a nuisance really) – so can I have any suggestions as to where we should go this December.
My family descended on me on the day we had our annual Mince Pies, Oxalic Acid and Mulled Wine at Caen Hill Apiary. I am sorry I could not be there, but I hear it was well attended. I have not done this treatment to my bees this year as it has been so warm and there will be more brood than usual for this time of year. So even with the treatment the mite levels will not be knocked down as well as when done in the middle of a really cold snap. So if , like me, you have not treated my strong advice is start monitoring your mite drop in March and then go to the BeeBase Varroa Calculator http://www.nationalbeeunit.com/public/BeeDiseases/varroaCalculator.cfm and follow the advice. Always monitor your mite drop in the spring even if you treated in the winter.
As I am sure you know our next meeting is this Friday 4th January and is a “Beekeepers discussion evening” starting at 7.30pm at Bishop Cannings Village Hall, SN10 2LA. Please think up some good questions for our panel of local experts and come and join in the discussion at this first meeting of 2019. I shall look forward to welcoming all new members of KBKA.
With Best Wishes,
Robert Carpenter Turner
Chairman Kennet Beekeepers
Tel: – 01672 852265 email:- chairman@kennet-beekeepers.co.uk