Update from the Ed Officer
The students of this years Beginner Beekeepers, have fined down to seven keen attendees.
Having completed the theory part of the course at the beginning of April, we
then met up for our first practical afternoon at the end of April.
Janet Thompson and Cilla Platt went to visit the Teaching Apiary first, to check
what was going on in the hives. As both colonies are on wire mesh floors there
was no spring cleaning needed, as all the winter dross had filtered through.
Two colonies therefore were up and running for the use of the beginners this
season.
Thank you Harry Owens for looking after them, and keeping them through the
winter.
There was a quantity of spare equipment stored next to the two hives on the
trestles they sit on, (trestles specially made for the job by Stan Clucas).
Spare equipment is essential!
On the several Saturdays that we inspected the hives the new students opened the
hives and did all the handling of frames looking for the queen, inspecting
brood, checking for queen cells, making sure they had enough space etc. In fact all
the manipulations needed at this time of the beekeeping season.
Last Saturday Janet Thompson led the inspection and Tony Leadley found the
elusive queen in hive B. The one in Hive A was already marked. Elusive queen
was then marked red.
Hive A was thought to have swarmed as marked queen not found and queen cells
hatching.
A Trainee displays Queen cups on the base of a frame out of the half brood.
