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It has not been a good time for the bees recently. We have had warm spells with plenty of sunshine and the bees were quite active. After that it got very wet and windy. Now we are in a period of anticyclonic gloom. I am not certain whether the gloom refers to the light level or the feeling you get when you see this weather.

The effect on the bees is probably much the same as it is on us. In this weather they will not be keen to go out and forage - far too cold. Instead they are remaining in the hive consuming stores. This can lead to hunger and starvation if there are insufficient stores.

Now is the time to put on the bees suit and check them. It is the one time of the year when putting on a bee suit is not a chore since it adds an extra layer of warmth.

On a more upbeat note - this is the time of year when learning more about bees is a good idea. I have been doing the Bee Behaviour Course run by DWBKA and I must say I have learned a lot - and that is from someone who has been keeping bees for many years. If you get an opportunity to do a course like this then grab it. You can learn a lot from the course and you learn a lot just from chatting to other beekeepers on the course.

Talking of chatting to other beekeepers how about attending the next social. The social will be at the Colliton Club in Dorchester. For a change we are going to host a Zoom talk from the BBKA entitled "An Inspector Calls" with Keith Bartlem. The talk starts at 7pm so if you want to get a drink from the bar I suggest arriving a bit earlier. We are meeting upstairs in the big room (I can never remember its name.) Hope to see you there.

Coming up next month is the Dorset BKA AGM. This is to be held at 2pm on the 22nd March at the Dorford Centre in Dorchester. For those who have not been there before it is almost opposite the zebra crossing across the Bridport Road if you have parked in the Top of Town carpark.

The business section of the meeting will be preceded by a talk on "Bee Keeping in Poor Weather - How to Survive" by Geoff Blay. There will also be tea and cake provided by North Dorset Beekeepers.

Well it wasn't too wild - at least not where I am.

However the poor weather has meant I have been stuck indoors. This has given me an opportunity to update the BeeInfo area.

With the Beginners' Course starting in March I am adding more pages to help beginners. So far I have added a glossary and a description of what is in the hive.

I will also be adding more pages in the coming weeks so watch this space.

First the warning:

As I write this on Monday 20th January there are warnings of more severe weather starting this Thursday. Again it will be in the form of strong winds and plenty of rain. Make certain that your hive is lashed together and weighted down to prevent it falllng over.

If you do have it all lashed together then at least if it does fall over the bees will suffer little more than a headache.

Hive strapped down - it's the biggest brick I could find!

My bees have been particularly active this last week though I suspect cleansing flights rather than foraging as there was little to see in their saddlebags. This tells me they are not in a tight cluster and therefore they are consuming more stores within the hive. This afternoon I checked their stores since if the weather at the weekend is baby weather - warm, wet, windy and wild - then they will not be able to get out to forage.

I am pleased to say that the bees are actively collecting the fondant and there is more fondant under the lid ready to be opened up for them.

Fondant over hole in cover board.

Now for something more positive:

The following dates are worthy of note in your calendar:

Tuesday 18th February 6.30pm Colliton Club Dorset Room for Zoom Talk & Social - details to follow.

Wednesday 19th March - Social at the Colliton Club.

Saturday 22nd March, Dorford Centre, Dorchester 2.00pm - County AGM with tea and cake

Saturday 3rd & Sunday 4th May - Dorset County Spring Show at Puddletown

Saturday 18th October, Dorford Centre - Dorset County Bee Convention with speakers and trade stands.

Hope to see you at some of these events.