R&DBKA

Romsey and District Beekeepers' Association

What's Happening for Bees in the Romsey Area in September?
Start to get ready for winter and watch out for Asia hornets
Romsey Beekeepers' Honey Show takes place this month - prize giving to follow in October! Colonies are reducing in size and temperatures are dipping but in Romsey bees keep active making the last of any warm weather before the equinox and frosts. There are still some wasps - a wasp trap or two might help. Feeding is very important - make sure each colony has all that it needs to survive until spring by feeding syrup (1kg to 650ml water) now, while it is still warm enough for the bees to store it - it will be too late when it is cold and the bees cannot evaporate the water. Any medication necessary to combat Varroa should have been completed by now to prepare hives for winter shut-down so the next opportunity will be mid-winter, when oxalic acid can be administered. Now is the time that Asian hornets will make themselves visible. Check our Asian hornet page for urgent advice
Romsey's Weather
Keep an eye on the weather:
  • In spring the bees will use every warm, dry day to forage and build up colony strength. Cold or damp days can slow them down
  • In summer the days are long but if it is too dry there will be a shortage of nectar; too wet, and they will be unable to forage
  • In autumn the bees are consolidating. If it is warm, they will carry on rearing nrood and foraging. Cold weather will send them into a cluster
  • In winter they will cluster to keep warm, but heavy rain may lead to damp conditions in the hive, strong wind can topple a hive that is not secure, snow can block the entrance
Click for the weather forecast for Romsey.
Check the forecast for the coming week to be ahead of your bees
Be on the Lookout - Asian Hornets
We make no apology for repeating this message.
If you have not yet heard about the Asian hornet, you should pause to learn a little about it now. It is not native to UK. It was introduced accidentally to the south of France and in the space of a few short years it has bred and migrated throughout western Europe.
It is a predator with an insatiable appetite for insects. All of our native insect species are at risk but a colony of honeybees offers a feast. A colony of Asian hornets will eat their way through a hive of bees in a few days by 'hawking' in front of the entrance and picking the bees off as they come and go.
Please look out for this predator. It may be pretty but it is not welcome.
In fact, it is NOTIFIABLE so if you see one, please refer to the the latest advice IMMEDIATELY
(Image missing - Asian hornet (Vespa velutina)