Tomorrow Sunday we are off to the Apiary at Stinsford for the last of the beginners sessions. It may be the last but I am sure by now that they are in full agreement with the trainers - there is still lots to learn.
Just to give you two examples which I have found out in the past month from apiary visits:
First - We had a hive which was queenless. It was going nowhere. There was no brood, no eggs and not many workers. However I watched the entrance as workers were bringing back pollen. How often have we told beginners "Pollen being brought in therefore the queen is laying." Clearly this is not the case.
Secondly - We were examining a hive and spotted the queen. We got a cage for her but I dropped her. I proudly announced to the beginners - "Not to worry I was working over the hive so she will have gone straight back in." How wrong I was. A week later there is no sign of her but there are loads of queen cells. Well we live and learn - and in beekeeping we are always learning.
And as to learning more - there is an on-line lecture at the Colliton Club this Tuesday the 15th at 6:30. The talk is on swarming and with the recent hot weather this seems to have started very early this year. The talk will be followed by a general chat - as happens at most of our socials.
Hope to see you on the 15th.