HIVE PARTS AND BEE PARTS

Dear Member,

It’s hard to believe that we are now into October. Where did the summer go? What summer, I hear you say. It’s clearly becoming Autumn with leaves on the trees turning to gold and other fallen leaves beginning to blow around. With the bright days, the bees are flying in search of late pollen and nectar from the ivy. Feeds should now be complete to ensure that late bees are healthy and well-prepared for the winter. Any late application of Bayvarol should be removed when six weeks have elapsed and mouseguards fitted to secure the entrances against winter nibblers. A brick or large stone on top of each hive will prevent damage if weather should turn stormy over the coming months.

Meanwhile indoors, our club members enjoyed success at the City of Belfast Honey Show. Congratulations to Libby Bennett who won the main trophy, the Newtownards Perpetual Cup, as exhibitor with highest points total in the honey show and who also won the Irish Beekeepers’ Federation Cup for highest points in the wax and hive products section of the show. Also congratulations to Rosemary Kerr, winner of the UBKA President’s Shield for Honey Fruit Cake and to Olive Cunningham, winner of the Eddie Byrne Cup for one frame for extracting. Other club members found placings in the honey, wax polish and candlemaking sections.

The club stand was well-stocked with a variety of types of honey, cut comb, wax candles and an observation hive. Thanks to the good supply of helpers and stewards, there were plenty of people to talk to the general public and to supervise the exhibits. Our thanks especially go to Anne Newell who co-ordinated the link with Belfast City Council during the planning stages and who worked tirelessly on the days of the show to ensure that everything went smoothly. 

Our next meeting is on Monday 8 October 2007 in the Queen’s Leisure Complex, Newtownards at 7.30 pm and not as published in the members’ programme card. Meadmaking will take place in November and not October as previously stated. Following on from the success of our new format last month, the practical beginner topic for October will be ‘Hives and hive parts’ and the advanced topic will be ‘The eyes of the honeybee’. 

Knowledge and discussion are an important part of becoming skilled as a beekeeper. Don’t forget to search the Internet for information too. Start by googling (apparently this is now an official word in the Oxford English dictionary, although I’ve been using it for years) for UBKA to see what’s happening around the province. Try FIBKA and BBKA as well. Don’t stop there. You will find Beekeeping Associations from every country in the world, so take your pick, although some of our European neighbours are worth a visit. Try Switzerland and Denmark – very interesting.

Date for your diary
The UBKA Thanksgiving Service will be held on 14 October 2007 in St Patrick’s Parish Church, Ballymena at 6.30pm.

 If you haven’t paid your membership of £10, then it will be gratefully received as soon as possible. UBKA insurance is then available to members (renewable in January) later in the year.

Hope to see you at the next meeting.

Yours in beekeeping

Esther Ross, Secretary, BDBKA