As we reflect back on the passing year the headline picture shows how Keeping Bees has not changed much in the last 100 years, even if the protection equipment is better improved.
Those of us who watched the BBC drama concerning Henry VIII and Thomas CROMWELL have seen “Monks” of the time (in the background) working their bees equipped with some rudimentary protection based on a famous Painting /Sketch from that time – no nylon or other man made fibres around then let alone imported sugar cane or artificial sweeteners.
Anyway back to December weather where rain and floods were the ‘order of the day’ and most colonies settled down to cluster and wait out the latest cold stretch and then in the third week we got temperatures of 13/15 degrees and cleansing flights were performed by all my colonies.
Then came the storms with trees and branches down and hopefully no hives blown over just to make matters worse.
Next it froze so those of you with no Woodpecker protection on your hives leave their feeding options open as they do love cedar broodchambers and live bees and their grubs.
But if your hives are well prepared, check their weight and put on a lump of fondant, if in any doubt, right above the cluster. If they need it they will use it.
Again keep an eye on the Varroa drop when you check your floor slides and treat, but only if necessary.
But ensure hive is waterproof. Bees will cope with the cold but not the wet.
It will soon be time for those January sales so time to check you have enough kit for the year ahead.
If you have a hive with bees in, what happens if they swarm this spring? Have you sufficient equipment to split them or hive a swarm?
The DIY amongst you can soon knock up a Nuc or two from Pallet wood or exterior ply. If not look out for the seconds or other bargains.
Aa you can see the Committee are getting ready for the next courses, that is the Taster Day and Introduction Course Jan/Feb 2025.
Association Veils all washed and repaired for the next generation of Newbies.
Well the new training Apiary in LUDDINGTON is slowly but surely taking shape and we will soon be putting out an appeal for assistance in laying a few slabs and constructing the summer house we have been donated.
This will be used like the one at our main Apiary, for storage and changing facilities.
When we dismantled the Summer House, clearly Masonry or Solitary bees had been making good use of the gap between the exterior and internal lining to build their nest.
I just hope reconstruction at Folly Fields Apiary is easier than it was dismantling and transporting it to LUDDINGTON!
Then we have Snowdrops in full flower on 23rd December and catkins out on the Hazel, but no use to our colonies as of yet as it is still too cold for them to be foraging.
So Happy New Year, to my 2 or maybe even 3 readers, as by the time you read this we will be into 2025!
