R&DBKA

Check your hives and pay subs

Romsey Beekeepers AGM is on Thursday 25 January and subs are due - money very well spent. The association provides unlimited advice, use of equipment, indoor and apiary meetings as well as a monthly newsletter. At your apiary, check hive entrances are not blocked with dead bees and that ventilation is clear. Make sure that your hives are strapped or weighted down so that they are not affected by storms and high winds. Heft the hives regularly. Daylight is slowly increasing so bees may be using their precious supplies to start rearing brood. Give your bees fondant if there is the slightest doubt. All equipment in store should be clean and ready by now; if spring comes early you will not want to be caught out. Plan the coming year and what you intend to do with your bees. Put up monitoring traps up for Asian hornets at the end of January. A colony of Asian hornets can decimate your bees so trapping emerging queens before they build nests is VITAL

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

We make no apology for repeating this message.
If you have not yet heard about the Asian hornet, please pause to read this.
It is not native to UK. It was introduced accidentally to the south of France and in a few short years it has bred, evolved 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 honey bees 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