Dear Kennet BeeKeeper,
The year is passing and I still have not done all that I wanted to do with my bees – are some of you the same? The year always starts with good intentions, to write down clear hive records, do some Queen breading, and then I go and miss out one days records and the rot has started!!! So I go to our club Apiary and everything is going on – I missed the tea – but everyone is working away, records are being filled in, hives parts cleaned and my misdemeanours seem to vanish ! You should all go to our Apiary, very social and loads going on.
Next Wednesday evening, 2nd August, meeting at Bishop Cannings Village Hall 7.30 pm will be taken by Jeremy Percy and he will cover: “Failing to plan is planning to fail – assessing, treating, feeding and uniting colonies before season’s end”. Whilst of particular relevance to newer beekeepers additional input to the discussion from more experienced beekeepers will be integral and most welcome. Our apiary manager Jeremy will introduce each subject via a brief description of the issue and will rely on questions and answers from members present to focus on practical solutions. I hope many of you will attend this topical session.
KBKA Honey show. Look out in the next few days, for an email from Elaine with all the information you need about our up and coming Honey show. This should land in your mailbox within the next few days.
Easterton Fete, is onBank holiday Monday 28th August. Would you like to help on the stall, or sell some of your own honey or hive products? If interested please contact John Hooper fetes@kennet-beekeepers.co.uk to register your interest.
Asian hornet.
As you may be aware there have been several sightings of Asian Hornets around the country and already two nests have been destroyed. You can see the map of reported sightings here:-
https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1BGAdYHaIszxPKWrjX8dASHpU8mN-_2HV&ehbc=2E312F
How to make an Asian Hornet Trap instructions form the NBU are here:- https://www.bbka.org.uk/faqs/how-to-make-an-asian-hornet-trap
I would like to thank everyone who has taken the Asian Honrnet test. Well done all of you. Here is a link that shows where the other AH teams are:- https://www.bbka.org.uk/asian-hornet-action-team-map You will note that we do not have a AH Team Leader in our part of Wiltshire. Can you do it? Please let me know. Here are our 17 who have passed the test:- Elaine Lewis, Peter May, Emma Morley, Graham Hartsthorn, Martin Phipps, Chris Sheridan, Sophie Butcher, Victoria Furbisher, Karen Blake, Matt Laker, John Boutal, Andrea Waylen, Tania Stevenson-Noyes, Rachael Banyard, David Brown, Robert Carpenter Turner, Judith Brailli. Well done all of you. All members are encouraged to take the Asian Hornet exercise. It can be found at the BBKA website:- https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSff5IvkbPdxHieeNFvbth5VDpGi_XOhGIJ0FXJo-81S455qZw/viewform.
You can join the BBKA’s BBKA Asian Hornet WhatsApp Group. Get the latest Asian hornet news stories, sent straight to your WhatsApp on your computer- all you need to do is click the link below:- https://chat.whatsapp.com/KtHEKzoayn46VwwK0isFco Or the QR code below:- You will only get messages from the BBKA Asian Hornet administrator – and you can leave any time you like.
BBKA request:- The BBKA is interested to hear from Public Relations companies or freelance professionals with knowledge of beekeeping who could offer occasional PR support. Could that be YOU ? To find our more please contact gen.manager@bbka.org.uk before 4th August 2023.
Bristol Beekeepers invite you to attend their Bee & Pollination Festival. All KBKA members are invited to attend the Bristol Bee & Pollination Festival 2023. It will be held on 26th & 27th August – the Sat & Sun of the bank holiday weekend, at the University of Bristol Botanic Garden. 2 days of celebration of everything bee! In addition this is an open show, which has been quite competitive in the past few years, and has regularly been a Blue Ribbon event. Bristol Bee and Pollination Festival look forward to receiving entries from other associations – so KBKA members now is your chance. If you would like more information regarding the event please contact Elaine, Elainelewis@hotmail.co.uk and she can send you the necessary information.
Please can I have any suggestions for speakers next year, and any suggestions that will make us a better Association – let me know.
All best wishes
Robert