January 2008

Our bees have kept to the hives over Christmas but if they need it, the mahonia and hebe and some winter heather are flowering in several gardens. I presume they have nectar. Altho the frost just before Christmas killed off the last buddleia and geranium, carnations, cerinthe and even wild (alpine) strawberries are soldiering on and our newish escalonia hedge is starting to flower already. Hazel has had catkins (early pollen) for about a month but I haven’t been in the park to look at the alder and willow.

Usually we just put a block of candy over the crown board hole and the bees are down below out of sight. After a heavy infestation of varroa, for the first time, we treated with oxalic acid just after Christmas. It was a bit disturbing. Knowing that numbers drop in winter is not the same as seeing just 3 or 4 frames of bees, and clustered at the top of the frames near the front not deep down. However, the weather is mild and there is plenty of sealed honey. Pollen is never a problem in this district.

5 ml oxalic sugar solution was trickled on the bees between each two frames. Some bees came up to investigate but they were peaceful and the hive was open for just a few seconds.

We weren’t surprised to find one hive dead. (Not CCD!) There were perhaps a few hundred bees in the centre of the hive surrounded by the uncapped syrup they had taken down in the autumn. It was one of those with a heavy drop down rate of varroa and one bee had damaged wings. We sealed the entrance and will sort it out in spring. All the rest are heavy enough.

Now to look forward to, hopefully, a great year.

Our first meeting of 2008 will be on Saturday, 12^th January, 2.30pm at Tarbock Village Hall when Doug Jones, our Seasonal Bee Inspector, will talk about Beekeeping ‘Gadgets’. The Annual Dinner, by request, is again at the St Helens College Restaurant Colours. It is provisionally booked for Friday, 1^st February.

The Events Diary will be sent out to you as soon as possible in the New Year once we have confirmed the speakers and venues.

I enclose the Branch Honey Show results.  Yes! The same old names won because it is the same old people who enter and attend the AGM!

And finally, the Committee would like to wish you all a belated Merry Christmas and a Happy, Prosperous New Year. Sheila Myron Hon. Secretary

Would you let me know soon if you would like to attend the Annual Dinner at Colours Restaurant, 7.30pm on Friday, 1^st February, as we need to pay a deposit and let them know a few days beforehand. Thank you.

Honey Show Results