September is here.

September is here and the bees are getting ready for winter. It is our job to get help them and I have written a page of tasks which can be done this month to increase the chances of your bees surviving the winter but also of being in a good position to make a rapid start on Honey production once the new season arrives.

After a long day at a public event a bee keeper was clearly tired of explaining what bees do and how important they are. When asked why they made wax he informed the wide eyed child that “inside the hive it was dark and the bees used the wax to make candles so they could find their honey stores”.

Don’t forget Jimmy Doherty’s Big Bee Rescue on Channel 4. If you do not see it live then it is on My4

Big Bee Rescue

If you missed the Big Bee Rescue with Jimmy Doherty then I suggest you catch up with it. It was on Channel 4 on Saturday night but is now available on the Channel 4 app. Last night’s episode was the first of two and it will certainly be interesting to see how successful the experiment is.

For those inspired to start keeping bees or for those wanting to expand their colonies there is an excellent opportunity to purchase some equipment an very reasonable prices. It is being sold by Andy as he is moving to France. he suspects the bees would take one look at a British National Hive and say a definite “Non”. For this reason he is selling his equipment ready to start again in France. For more details go to our For Sale page.

Asian Hornet Week

The week of the 7th to 13th September is Asian Hornet Week.

What can you do to raise awareness? Well I have written a page on the site which explains much that I have been asked about. If you are reading this page you probably know a lot about the Asian Hornet but there are a lot of people who do not. Use the Asian Hornet Week to tell as many people as you can about the threat it poses.

  • Suggest they read the web page on this site,
  • Suggest they download the App,
  • Suggest they tell at least two other people about it.
  • Suggest they go for a walk and look for strange insects
  • If they see a suspicious Asian Hornet alert the authorities using the App

And by the way we have a stainless steel extractor for sale – just when you need it. Do look at the For Sale page and see how it could be yours.

And by the way something else. On Saturday 29th August there is a program on Channel 4 by Jimmy Doherty on the Big Bee Rescue.

August Tasks

Been a busy few weeks but I have added the August tasks. In summary August tasks include:

  • Get extraction kit out of the cupboard.
  • Get the honey out of the supers.
  • Decide on Varroa treatment.
  • Take precautions to prevent robbing – from wasps!
  • Check for Nosema.

So far this year has been quiet as regards the Asian Hornet but that does not mean we do not have a problem. If there are any Asian Hornets around now then they are from established nests and it is even more important that we find the nests and have them destroyed.

At this time of year we may well be in the hedges picking blackberries and next month we may be picking sloes. Our experience so far has led us to assume that the secondary nests of the Asian Hornet are some 10 metres up the tree – but there are exceptions. Keep your eyes open when picking fruit and if you see an Asian Hornet get a photograph – preferably on the Asian Hornet App on your phone – and report it. Whatever you do you must not annoy it. That can alert a nest full of Asian Hornets and the consequences can be serious.

Shook Swarm Animation

It is late but there is still time to do a shook swarm so I have written a page on why it should be done and how to do it. For a change I have added an animation to make it clearer. Test it out here.

On a separate note I have received information that one of our members has a National Hive for sale complete with a strong colony on two brood boxes. For more details check the For Sale page.