· while considering the bbka correspondence course – both for the beekeeping knowledge and ....

5Gwenynwyr Cymru #183 Gaeaf 2013


expectations and responsibilities from each party.

• Plenty of diverse forage sources should be available within easy flying distance

• The site needs to be reasonable accessible for the beekeeper because supers can be heavy and it is likely that the beekeeper will need to transport equipment to the apiary.

• Not close to footpaths or public places where the bees could cause danger or a nuisance to others.

• Ideally an apiary should be sheltered from north-easterly winds, catch the sun especially in winter, be shaded if it gets very hot in summer , be reasonably level with enough room to work the hives and face south if possible. Avoid places that may flood, are very windy, are damp frost pockets, or are very exposed.

• You need to be able to protect the bees from farm animals or vandals since the site may not be close to the beekeepers home.

• If there are near neighbours they may need explaining about the bees.

• Is it possible to have some storage in the out apiary – or will everything have to be brought from home each time?

• Is there a water source nearby?

• Will the bees need to be screened from view or is the site discreet enough not to attract unwanted attention?

There may be other things I haven’t thought of (see if you can think of any) but this is what I came up with in the allotted 10 minutes. Enough detail I think for someone to have a lot to think about and guide them if they wanted to do this. Note that it said OUT apiary and this single word makes a big difference to your list.

The final section (part C) is a short essay and there is a choice of two questions. Leave about 30 minutes of your time for this section – 25 minutes writing and 5 minutes for reading and checking. Allow a few minutes for reading the questions carefully at the start and a few minutes for checking it through afterwards. Make some sort of notes about the things you know so you don’t forget them. An essay needs a beginning (to introduce the topic), a middle section, (covering the core of the topic) and an end (that very briefly summarises what you have said or makes a useful concluding statement). It is an art that some people find easier

12The Welsh Beekeeper #183 Winter 2013

than others. If this is not your strong point then try making a clear list of points but joining the thoughts together with some connecting words. It gets easier with practise and it is well worth while considering the BBKA correspondence course – both for the beekeeping knowledge and the practise in stringing the thoughts together coherently.

There are ways to improve your chances of passing – or passing well - that have nothing to do with the knowledge you are trying to impart; remember those very clever teachers at school who knew loads about their subject but couldn’t explain it? The essence of what you are writing is that someone who knows nothing about it should be able to follow your instructions. Think the answer through logically and make a list of the points you want to make.

The most important thing is to read the question carefully. It is amazing how often people don’t do this and go barging off down the wrong road. They may have made some very good points about another topic but if it wasn’t what was asked it will not gain many marks. It is also important to think about all aspects of the question. There may be some less usual ones that might not be immediately obvious. For instance, perhaps (a rather unlikely) essay question might be: When will a beekeeper be using a nucleus box? The first thing that comes to mind might be to raise new colonies after queen rearing but a huge essay on the details of queen rearing will not be the full story. Nucs may be used for a variety of different purposes from overwintering queens, collecting swarms or building up small colonies. You might need to explain that at different times of the year there will be different needs and different types of nucs for different purposes eg mini nucs for mating or storing queens for a short time in the summer.

Examiners expect to see certain key points covered for a given topic. If they are not mentioned then no credit can be given in the marks. Check the marks allocated for each part of the


question. These are always at the side of the question. If there is only one mark for that part then only 1 key point is expected. You won’t gain more by writing a whole essay on the topic especially if it isn’t relevant to the question. And check that you know something about each part of the question. There is nothing worse than getting half way through a question and finding that you were only clear about the bit that had the fewest marks.

Taking care with time is absolutely critical. I have given an indication about how time should be planned for each section. Make a time plan and stick to it. If you haven’t finished the question in the time allowed, leave it and come back to it later if there is time. Taking too much time on a single question is a guarantee of failure. If the question is only worth 15 points, that is all you can score. Even if full 15 points were scored this is not enough to pass. It is easier to get moderate marks on all the questions than high scores on just some questions. Missing out a question means the other answers have to be absolutely perfect to make up for the marks lost on the missing question. If you haven’t made an attempt at all the questions it is unlikely you will be able to pass.

It soon becomes obvious to examiners if the candidate has not bothered to do any reading. Interestingly, it is often the more experienced beekeepers who are likely to fall into this trap. These are the people who draw solely on their own personal experience – which can sometimes be rather opinionated. The answers can often be shallow, limited in scope and fail to look at other options that might be used or the reasons why different techniques are carried out. On the plus side it is also good to read a method from someone who has clearly done it. This will often score extra marks.

The issue of WHY things are done is important. Since there is rarely a single correct way for many beekeeping techniques ( eg a swarm control system) examiners will accept any suitable answer as long as the method used and its rationale are clearly explained. Being able to explain things clearly is an important skill. Many people who take exams will be the people in their associations who are called on to explain to newcomers the craft (either formally as in helping with the association’s training courses, or informally explaining to others the ways you do things and why). These exams are an ideal way of developing the very valuable skill of explaining things clearly (and interestingly) to others. Consider your answer as if you were explaining the answer to a complete novice who had asked you the question.

Where people go wrong is in assuming the examiner will know what they are talking about. Never assume anything. Try to think the answers through clearly and avoid repeating the same points or waffling on about nothing. Read the question carefully and try to answer it clearly. It is so easy to leave out important details (such as lighting the smoker or taking a bee suit).

Finally, if you have some physical or educational problem that might require some special help discuss it (in confidence) with the Exams secretary well in advance of the exam day so any support required can be properly organised.

Happy Beekeeping, Pam Gregory


Icomposed of mainly (about 70%) young bees under 10 days old. I have yet to see a beekeeping book that has got this right and this mis-information leads to all sorts of problems in understanding swarm control.

Anyway, enough of our hobby-horse! If we are to educate beekeepers who can take the craft into the future we must do it in the right way and that starts with the honey bee itself. We must also ensure that we give beginners the correct evidence-based information, not myths and old beekeeper’s tales.

The more academic training programmes often put a great deal of emphasis on knowing a lot about the individual bee; its anatomy, morphology and the function of its internal organs and so on. This can be a fascinating study (if you are in to that sort of thing) but it has precious little to do with practical beekeeping - a bee is a bee for all that and if its ‘bits’ don’t work it’s a dead bee! As a practical beekeeper all you can do to help the individual honey bee is, as far as possible, to ensure good health of the colony. As far as beekeeping is concerned it is the colony that is important. A honey bee colony is so much greater than the sum of its parts (the bees – workers, drones and the queen) and, in modern terminology, it is the super-organism that the beekeeper needs to understand.

All beekeeping management impacts to some extent on the natural life cycle of the honey bee colony and we have to know where to draw the line. Finding a balance between our interests as beekeepers and the proper functioning and well-being of the colony is what it’s all about. There is a well-known saying (of American origin I think) that ‘a honey bee colony needs a beekeeper like a fish needs a bicycle’.

Beekeeper Training on AngleseyWe have both informally trained and mentored new beekeepers over a number of years and found ourselves, either in the apiary or round the kitchen table, saying the same sort of things over and over again. This was good for cake and tea consumption but not very time efficient, particularly when the number of new beekeepers started to increase. As a result of this, and stimulated by the need for improvements to beekeeper education proposed by the Healthy Bee Plan, in 2011 we devised a Beginners Course for our own association. Following on from that, in 2012 we added an Improvers Course which carried on where the first one left off – in other words a 2 year training plan. The course presentations that cover the syllabus and the methods of delivery have evolved as we have gained experience and will probably continue to do so – nothing is set in stone.

MentoringProviding new beekeepers with a personal mentor is an essential and integral part of our method of teaching beekeeping. At the end of the Theory Course (see below) each of the surviving learners (and we have had two people decide at this point that beekeeping was not for them) is allocated a mentor. This person will help them through the early stages of their beekeeping career. The mentor’s involvement starts with advising on apiary suitability and choosing a hive site, continues by being present at the hive side during the early days of beekeeping (depending on the needs of the


individual) and then being at the end of the phone to offer advice.

So how do you set up a mentoring scheme and who makes the best mentors? Well funnily enough it is often not the older, more experienced beekeepers! They have often got set in their ways and, despite their years of experience, may have a rather limited repertoire of beekeeping skills - or they may simply not wish to take on the responsibility or time commitment. The best and most willing mentors are usually to be found amongst beekeepers in their first 5 years of experience; they are keen, have up-to-date information on beekeeping and above all they still remember what it was like to be a beginner. What they lack in experience can be redressed by having a pyramid mentoring system in which they themselves have a more experienced mentor behind them to whom they can refer when they feel out of their depth. A mentoring scheme has other less obvious training advantages because it is a truism that there is no better method of self-learning than having to teach somebody else - so the mentors learn a lot from helping others.

Starter ColoniesIt is also an integral part of the Beginners’ Course that the new beekeeper will be supplied with a starter colony (a 5-frame nuc.) at some time about the beginning of July. The cost of the nuc. is set at about 50% of the commercial price and will consist of locally adapted bees sourced within the Association – the parallel Improvers Course will have been involved in the production of most of these nucs. – that is part of their training. The total cost of the Anglesey BKA Beginners’ Course is about the same as the commercial price of a nuc. for which they get 4 x theory sessions, 5-6 x practical sessions, a nuc. of bees and the ongoing services of a mentor.

We also have a rule that we only supply ONE nuc. to each beginner. If they want more than one colony (and most people do) then the Improvers Course in year two teaches them simple methods of making increase so that their original hive can become two (or three). Making increase (by splitting colonies) is an important beekeeping skill and also plays a part in another major topic that is covered in the second year and that is swarm prevention and control.


Beginners’ Course (Theory) – Outline SyllabusThe course commences with four theory sessions in February and March each lasting about 2½ hours, including time out for discussion, breaks and refreshments. Topics and their coverage is strictly limited to what new beekeepers need to know to have some understanding of what they see when they get to the practical apiary sessions. They only need to know enough to get through their first year of beekeeping. Of course later on they will need to know more but this is best done progressively. We know from experience that giving a wide range of information about beekeeping does not work for most people. Bees are so different from other forms of livestock that the learner has no background experience (‘pegs’) on which to hang the various (and varied) information that is often delivered. The titles for the four sessions are as follows:-

1. Course introduction and the evolution and biology of the honey bee2. Requirements of the honey bee as related to practical beekeeping3. Hive and frame construction4. The beekeeping year5.

Session 1 starts with an introduction which includes housekeeping, course layout and content, the course tutors and the reasons for taking up beekeeping. We explore the motivation for taking up beekeeping and each learner is asked to give a brief account as to why they have enrolled on the course and their expectations – this also helps ‘break the ice’ in the group. The course then goes straight to the heart of beekeeping; the honey bee, its evolution as a colonial insect and the biology. This gives them a rough idea how a honey bee colony works and what they will see in a hive - most will have already attended a ‘taster’ session and experienced what it is like to stand by an open hive in a bee-suit. Much of this information will only become reality when they get out into the apiary and inspect live colonies. When, later in the course, people stand by a hive and say, ‘Oh that’s what you were talking about in the theory session! I understand that now’, it confirms that the teaching has achieved its target.

Session 2 follows on from session 1 to consider what criteria honey bees use to select an ideal home in the wild and what implications this has for putting bees into a moveable frame hive. How does this affect the bees, what provisions and compromises are essential.

Session 3 covers the practical side of beekeeping (the ‘hardware’ if you like). It starts with understanding bee-space (and this topic can not be over-emphasised) and then moves on to assembling hives and frames correctly. All the other basic equipment such as hive tools and smokers are on hand and we have bee-suits and gloves in different sizes for them to try on and determine what fits them. Those who lack the confidence in their DIY skills or do not have the necessary equipment are invited to attend a drop-in workshop session at some later date.

Session 4 consists of a whistle stop tour through the beekeeping year and how this is based on the seasonal activity and needs of the bee colony. This is the first real mention of beekeeping management practices and provides a simple introduction to what they will see and do in the practical sessions. This session also covers the bee


diseases that the beginner may encounter during hive inspections; simple things like chalk brood and Varroa but no detailed discussion of the notifiable diseases (AFB and EFB - which are covered in the Improvers’ Course).

Practical Sessions in the ApiaryStarting in late March or early April (depending on the weather) there are at least 5 apiary sessions at approximately 4 week intervals. Teaching takes place in a purpose-built apiary consisting of 12 colonies set out in pairs (on individual stands about 2m apart) with 5-6m between pairs and adequate space around each hive for at least 3 people to work as a unit. For sessions 1 and 2 the hives will have been inspected 1-2 days previously to check that the colonies contain no ‘nasty surprises’ that could confuse the as yet raw beginners, eg. a queen-less colony or one that had set up to swarm.

The aim during the first year is to teach beginners to:-a) To open and inspect a colony with confidence and safelyb) To be able to correctly identify all the things that can be seen on

combs; brood in all stages, nectar, honey and pollen storesc) To have some basic understanding about what is normal – departures

from normal and disease issues come laterd) To have a basic idea what the colony needs by way of management, eg.

more space for brood or storage

By the beginning of July they should be competent handlers and this is the time when they will receive their 5-frame nuc. As soon as their hive is ready (and before they receive their nuc.) beginners are encouraged to deploy it as a catch-hive. Over the three years we have been running the course a number of beginners have been successful in attracting swarms. Suddenly having a swarm (sometimes a large one) on your hands can be a fairly abrupt and testing introduction to beekeeping and not really suitable for the less confident beginners. This is where the role of a mentor is essential, to answer the phone call which says, ‘Help I seem to have got a swarm in my catch-hive?’

Each apiary session starts with a safety briefing; a check that bee-suits are zipped-up properly, what to do if a bee gets in your veil, etc. and they end with a discussion about what has been learnt and questions.

Practical Session 1 – This is basically a spring inspection – with 3-4 learners and an instructor round each hive - in which the initial status of the colony is determined. This is a demonstration of how to open and inspect a colony and, if conditions allow, frames are handed round for closer scrutiny. An introduction to handling skills takes place outside the apiary using an empty hive (no bees) with the learner fully togged-up in bee-suit and gloves.Practical Session 2 – It is now sometime in May and the colonies are building-up rapidly. From now on all apiary sessions are hands-on for the learners. This is organised with a ratio of one instructor and two learners to a pair of hives. It is also our practice to separate beekeeping partners (people who are going to do their beekeeping together) so that they learn independently of each other. The learners take it in turn to open


a hive, describe what they see but helping each other and working co-operatively. This format creates a good learning dynamic. The instructor looks on, checks things are correctly identified, prompts when necessary and asks or answers questions as required but does not do any of the handling. At the end of the inspection the need for management is discussed and equipment is on hand to do what is required, eg. add a queen excluder and supers.Practical Session 3 – It is now June, the colonies are reaching their peak size and, although we try to avoid it for beginners, swarm cells may be encountered. Equipment will be on hand to deal with this contingency but unless immediate action is required this will usually be deferred until after the session is over – artificial swarming is a step too far for most beginners. Ideally management activity will be limited to adding supers and possibly some comb management.Practical Session 4 – This usually takes place in July when, in a decent year, the honey crop is starting to accumulate, and the beginners learn how to remove heavy supers to gain access to and inspect the brood area. This is the month when beginners receive their bees – a 5-frame nuc – so they will given a chance to inspect a nuc. (so they know in advance what they are getting) and if possible they will be shown how to hive-up a nuc. When nucs. have been delivered their mentor will be present to supervise or do the all-important hiving-up process.Practical Session 5 – Usually takes place in early August (but attendance may be problematic because of holidays) and covers such matters as removing the honey crop, Varroa control and preparation for winter. Beginners are also invited to attend a live extraction session just to see what is involved. In a good year their own colony may have managed a couple of frames of honey from which they can get a first taste of their own produce.

The Beginner and their Nucleus ColonyReceiving their 5-frame nuc. in early July, it is now the beginners task to get that colony built-up into a condition that will enable it to survive the oncoming winter. This is talked through in the practical apiary sessions, the beginner is issued with a set of instructions and the mentor is on hand to help with the process which includes the following stages:-

• Getting the nuc. hived-up in a deep (brood box) – this is always done or supervised by the mentor to ensure that the queen has a safe passage into her new home.

• Feeding the colony and moving frames of foundation to get a full set of drawn frames in the deep box.

• Adding a shallow box of foundation and as far as possible getting that fully drawn before the winter.

• End of season Varroa control and feeding the colony so that it has 35-40lb of stores to go into the winter.

• Mid-winter Varroa control using oxalic acid.In 2012-13 all of our beginners got their first colony safely through the winter so we and they must be getting something right!

The Improvers’ CourseThere is no space in this article to describe this in detail but several clues have already


appeared in the above text. Basically it is about re-inforcing, improving and widening the knowledge and skills that have hopefully been learnt on the Beginners’ Course. It covers such topics as:-

• Comb management• Pre-emptive swarm control• Re-active swarm control – artificial swarming• Making increase• Bee diseases• Harvesting, extracting and bottling honey

The practical sessions are much less controlled and the improvers learn to deal with whatever the colonies ‘throw’ at them. The more experience of different things the better and an apiary of 12 hives inevitably produces some problems to solve and we sometimes use other apiaries to widen experience and take the pressure off the Association Apiary.

Where do we go to from here?Whether we start courses on more advanced beekeeping has yet be decided – it will probably depend on demand. It is our aim (and that of the Healthy Bee Plan) to get as many beekeepers as possible to the level at which they can pass the Basic Beekeeping Assessment and in the coming year we will be running tutorials to take them through the syllabus in preparation for this test.


Beekeeper inspectionsThere are over 2,733 beekeepers in Wales, responsible for 14,084 colonies in 3,682 apiaries – on average, 5 colonies per beekeeper and 4 colonies per apiary. This year, like last, new registrations on Beebase suggest a decline in the number of new beekeepers – 208 new registrations compared to the high of two years ago, at 406.

During the year, the NBU’s ten-strong team of bee inspectors visited: 1002 beekeepers, 1282 apiaries and 5616 colonies. This represents a 10% increase in the number of beekeepers and apiaries seen than the previous year. We also carried out 9 import inspections following up the importation of queens from other EU countries.

Pests and diseasesBeekeepers have recorded low Varroa mite levels, probably as a result of less successful breeding by mites in the last year’s prolonged broodless periods and, I would hope, improved control measures with the wider range of treatment products available. The incidence of foulbrood was also reduced this year. We identified 47 diseased colonies in 23 apiaries, compared to 72 diseased colonies in 31 apiaries in 2012. The clear procedures for dealing with disease, less stress on colonies in the good weather and the fact that so many weaker colonies did not survive the winter are probably the key reasons for this reduction.


We are also working to tackle the threat of more, so-called ‘exotic pests’, arriving from abroad. To this end, we carried out 197 exotic pest inspections during the year and have established 14 Sentinel Apiaries with volunteer beekeepers adding to our surveillance capacity by monitoring their colonies specifically for Small Hive Beetle and Tropilaelaps mite.

Strategic workWe are pleased to see Welsh Government’s Pollinator Action Plan now in place. I, with WBKA representatives, will continue to make sure that honeybee health remains a key part of the Plan’s ambitions to improve habitats and opportunities for pollinators. We have also participated in EU-wide research into the reasons behind winter and in-season colony losses. We continue our involvement in local association training, this year participating in 68 events reaching some 1161 beekeepers, and contributing


to the WBKA’s Education and Exam Committee. We have also continued our rolling programme of Disease Recognition and Comb Workshops, hosted by local associations. There will be more in 2014 and I welcome enquiries from those who would like to hold another one.

FinallyI would urge everyone to ensure that they are registered on the NBU’s website, Beebase, (www.nationalbeeunit.com) and that their details are up-to-date. Registration is free, quick and confidential from a link on the home page and you can request a reminder of your username and password from there. There is a wealth of information on the site and substantial benefits in registration including automatic alerts in the event of foulbrood or exotic pests being found near your apiary and seasonal email advice on the basis of our findings during the season.

I will finish by thanking the Seasonal Bee Inspectors for all their hard work and the local associations whose education activities we are pleased to support. I anticipate recruiting a new SBI in 2014 and, in the meantime, would be happy to receive any expressions of interest or answer any questions from anyone suitably experienced.

Frank Gellatly, Regional Bee Inspector Wales

[email protected]

Note: This is a summary of the NBU 2013 Wales Regional Review, the full edition of which can be found on Beebase, in the Apiary Inspections & Training section.


o Beekeepers who pay their subscriptions and premiums. They need to know what they are paying for and how to claim if they need to.

The review was completed in August 2012 for submission to the BDI board. As BDI is run by volunteers the recommendations were phased. The vast majority of the recommendations have now been implemented and it is therefore appropriate to report to stakeholders the final results.

Key Actions arising from the Review : Whilst the review covered a lot of detail, several key changes have emerged as a result. These changes, taken as a whole, will have the effect of strengthening the organisation as it faces the challenges of the 21st century.

Strengthening of the Board of Directors: It was recognised in the review that the board needed a wide range of expertise to run a specialist (indeed possibly unique in the UK) insurance company. This in turn needed a range of skills outside beekeeping.When Richard Ball retired as BDI President, Martin Smith was appointed, and in addition to being the past president of the BBKA, he brought extensive commercial knowledge to the company.To help with the obvious deficit of IT knowledge and to bolster the experience of insurance, two new non executive directors, Alex Mattelaer and John Pearce. were elected at the recent AGM.

Communication: A key finding was that the role of BDI and how it works was not clear to everyone. Better communication was considered to be a priority, and a website http://www.beediseasesinsurance.co.uk/ has been set up to provide up to date information to BDI’s stakeholders.

Issuing of Insurance Receipts: Another key finding in the review was that the three part paper based system for issuing receipts to members was considered by many to be old fashioned, time consuming and expensive. As a result a new online system, eReturn has been set up to run from 1 September 2013 for the BDI Spring 2014 return. This enables member association officials to register their members on line, by uploading spreadsheets of member details and generate electronic receipts that can be emailed, or posted, direct to their members. eReturn is a secure system that can be accessed by authorised officials via the BDI website. This huge undertaking for such a small organisation is now live and receiving very positive feedback


Partner Members: Since BBKA introduced Partner Members they have been asked to pay BDI as if they were a full member. This did not suit those who did not have their own bees, but owned and operated them together. The review panel recommended that BBKA Partner Members should not be required to pay the basic BDI subscription and this change will be implemented in 2014.

Research: Part of the aims of BDI relate to investigating the causes of bee diseases. BDI has, as a result, funded research for several years into the causes of bee diseases. Feedback in the review indicated overwhelming support for this aspect of BDI’s work, but equally feedback showed that little was known about what had been done. As a result of this a complete section was set up in the new website to give comprehensive details about the projects funded. In addition the BDI board has then actively invited bids for further funding from research establishments.Other areas: A number of other more internal facing items were also reviewed and updated where necessary. Examples of this are

o The update and implementation of a robust data protection policy.o A formal complaint resolution process has been written.o A business continuity plan is being written as there is a lack of contingency

for key roles.

ConclusionThe review was far reaching and the changes have been considerable, which means that BDI is now looking forward to many more years serving beekeepers and working towards improving bee health.


cots, or even two or three to a bed! The other children were restless, mean and niggly and snapped at everyone who came to the door, and before long (long before he knew it) the little ones had all grown up and suddenly the house was looking distinctly vacant. No more the patter of countless little feet, no more the excited buzz of friendly chatter. Beds lay empty and this simply would not do.

He needed a wife, or at least someone to restore order to his life and fill his house with the sound of happy laughter, so he turned on his computer and googled ‘mail order bride’, finally pressing the ENTER button with an optimistic click and sitting back as the search results flickered up on screen. Actually, he was quite spoilt for choice: the German girls were all dark and fiery, and the Middle Europeans were mostly described as docile (that quite appealed to him) and good home-makers, but when he saw the Italians his mind was immediately made up. The one he fell for was light-coloured, gorgeous. Yes, a little on the small side maybe - but perfectly formed, with short golden hair and describing herself as wanting to have lots of kids – what more could he wish for! He was in love!

He could hardly wait for the mini-cab to arrive from the airport. She was coming with a few of her daughters - they were keeping her company on the flight - and he had been careful to break the news gently to his own kids, swapping pictures and emails so that they felt they already knew each other. As a result, in no time at all, his Italian beauty was firmly installed as the matriarch of the family and soon, true to her word, filling up all the empty beds!

Unfortunately, his joy was short-lived. Her daughters, and she did have many of them, were lazy and indolent. They didn’t have the work ethic that his own ones did and, moreover, they liked to do nothing but eat. ‘It was the cold’ they said, they missed the Mediterranean climate of their own country and ‘ate to keep warm’. It was costing him money but it was the constant complaining that upset him the most. They struggled to keep their relationship going through the winter – once or twice he thought he had nearly lost her – and by the spring he had resolved that she would have to go.

He considered his options, one of which was, shamefully (for he had paid a good price for her) to kill her off, but he quickly dismissed the dark thought from his mind and that summer, when the fancy new suitcases (Italian leather, no less) started to arrive he knew in his heart what he had to do. By the time the divorce papers came through her bags were packed and ready for zipping up. Even he was surprised by the amount of luggage, but he would deal with that later. Naturally the court had found in her favour: she was to keep the house and all the furniture, and all the older children – the ones that weren’t still in nappies (the ones that were at last proving useful, going out to work and contributing to the rent!) whilst HE was going to have to move out, start up afresh: him and all his young brood.

It was a high price to pay but there were advantages: he had at least been granted access to the children (once every seven days throughout the summer months) and the house he was moving into was smaller, cosier and easier to keep warm. True, he had no partner at the moment but that shouldn’t be a problem – he still had his computer – and, if the truth were known, he had been thinking quite a lot recently about one of his first wife’s sisters!

As for the suitcases, he wasn’t having HER daughters flying off on expensive weekend-breaks, so he had destroyed them all. All, that is, except for one - the largest one – which he had kept and smuggled out into the new house.

Who knew what little treasures he might find inside?


The BIBBA 50th Anniversary Conference combined with the SICAMM Biennial Conference

Dates for your diary:

BIBBA (Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders’ Association) is pleased to announce their 50th Anniversary Conference to be held in collaboration with SICAMM (Societas Internationalis pro Conservatione Apis Melliferae Melliferae) its European partner. The Conference, hosted by South Clwyd BKA, is open to everyone with an interest in bees, focusing on the improvement and management of native and near native honey bees. The three-day event will take place from 26th – 28th September 2014 at the Pavilion, Llangollen, North Wales, where delegates will learn about improving their own stocks of honey bees, whilst enjoying an excellent and varied social programme. For those wishing to extend their visit, the Llangollen area benefits from stunning scenery and a variety of activities and culture to suit all tastes.

Enquiries to: Trisha Marlow 07812 518822 or [email protected]

Further details of the event when available may be viewed at: BIBBA www.bibba.com SICAMM www.sicamm.org

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[email protected]


to put it under the bush several bees attacked me, so I went home to put on a bee suit and went back; they saw me coming, on went my gloves in a hurry, checking all the zips as well, they attacked big time, down my wellies, down my gloves, all over my veil, head and back; I knew now where these had come from. Having shaken them into the box and most of them off my head and back with a branch of leaves I went home and waited for the neighbours to return.

You have to remember that by now these people were something of swarm experts, having seen so many land, be caught and boxed so their story was quite horrific, ‘They arrived in a cloud, all over the garden, banging at the windows and the door, quite different from the other swarms we have had, we were so frightened we went out of the front door, wrapped the dog in a blanket jumped in the car and went to the beach for the day.’ Later that night I went back, they were in the box, inside and out, I lifted it carefully onto a sheet and wrapped it up, the torch attracted some but I was under fire too, the outside lights of my house helped, but even so I put two bin liners, one each way, round the whole lot, sheet and all and tied it up. After killing more in the hallway and two cups of coffee I phoned the owner, did he want them back? ‘Well you see they collect more honey than the others, but they see you coming’. In the end he decided he didn’t want them. So I phoned The Big White Chief, Frank ‘How do I destroy this lot without loosing all my new frames and foundation?’

The answer is to put the whole lot in a tub of water with some fairy liquid and drown it. Now that was easier said than done; I didn’t have a tub deep enough, even in the bath the box was above the top; only measured it, didn’t try it! In the end I remembered the huge wheely-bin the last people had left behind, I hate them and had put it behind the garage, the nuc fitted end in first, with bricks on top, I was relieved but sad to have to fill it up with water. The problem now was that I would have to move my bees or sell them. What a dilemma.

My mistake was to assume that the bees would fly over the roves but not the hedge, also a hedge is not a sound barrier, also that where there are bees other bees are attracted to that site, a bait hive in an apiary usually catches a swarm. And finally after a bad summer, 120lbs of honey wasn’t bad at all. So I sold all the nucs, and several hives, and wondered if I should have bees here at all. So ended 2012. But consulting with friends, over the winter, a plan was hatched.

2013 began by building a windproof barrier on the other side of the garden, sheltered by a hedge and on the other side of that a wildflower meadow. Slabs were laid and I would just have 4 hives there. I sent hives from one side of the garden to stay with friends for two weeks and brought them home to the new site. Then preparing bait hives and nuc boxes to face in all directions to catch all the swarms that might think of going next door. In your dreams, I hear you say; true, I only caught one but then I didn’t know of the huge losses so many other beekeepers had had. And it was a great relief that only one swarm landed next door and took off again. So now, after a wonderful summer with most people having had some honey, and most wonky colonies recovering, let’s hope they all overwinter with flying colours. And that 2014 will prove to be the best year ever.


To: All Member Associations of the Welsh Beekeepers’ Association

Dear AllI hope that your members have all had an opportunity to look at the new WBKA bilingual website. We would welcome any feedback and suggestions for additional information that you would like to see on the site. Plans are already in hand to add an Education & Exams section and for The Welsh Beekeeper to be available via the website.

Currently the website is fully bilingual and it is very important that we maintain this format. To achieve this we need the help of your Welsh speaking members. We will have an occasional need for the translation of documents – such as those that will be in the Education and Examinations section that is being designed. There is also a need for ongoing translation to ensure that the website can be used to communicate on a regular basis with everyone. Do you have any members that would be prepared to take on some translation for the Association?

In setting up the website we have used the services of a professional translator but the grant funds that we obtained for this are now all but exhausted. We are seeking additional grants but, even if we can obtain them, it may be several months before the money is available. If you are able to help with this – even if only to translate the occasional document please do get in touch. The secretary John Page can provide further details particularly about the ongoing translation needs. Best wishes

Jenny

Jenny Shaw, Chair pro temCymdeithas Gwenynwyr Cymru / Welsh Beekeepers’ AssociationTel: 01248 430811 Mob: 07791572843Email: [email protected]

Important Message


The Welsh Beekeeper No. 183 Winter 2013www.wbka.com

All copy should reach the Editor on or before the last day of January, April, July and October.

Views expressed in ‘The Welsh Beekeeper’ are not necessarily held by the Editor or the Publishers, but remain the opinion of the author of

the article.

Edited, and compiled by Sue Closs.Proof read by Dewi Morris Jones

Published by Welsh Beekeeper AssociationPrinted by PensordT, Pontllanfraith, South Wales

Great care is taken to ensure advertisements are correct but no liability is taken for errors or omissions.

Advertisement Index PageAbelo 9Allard Daalder 29BB Wear 28Bee Basic Ltd 38Bee Books New & Old 5Bee Craft 34Beefeed 24Beehive Floor Mesh 11Beekeeping 32Beemat 20Bibba 45Caddon Hives 47C.Arden (Bookseller) 12C. Wynne Jones 35Honey Jar Labels 16IBRA 42IBRA [Journal Apicultural Research] 45Maisemore Apiaries Ltd 44Melindwr Valley Bees 14Rawlings & Son (Bristol) Ltd 31Sherriff 5The Beekeepers Quarterly 5The Bee Shop 18The Scottish Beekeeper 25Thorne 23

· while considering the bbka correspondence course – both for the beekeeping knowledge and ....

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