Our association trainers, Chris, Roger and Tony are delivering a training course on the basics of beekeeping aimed at complete beginners, writes Clare Midgley.
This introduction to beekeeping will take place on the weekend of 27 and 28 April at Neville Parade Community Centre and costs £60. Practical skills will be developed at our apiary in St Oswald’s Allotments.
If you would like more information about this training, please contact our training officer Chris at training.aycliffebka[@]gmail[.]com.
Spring seems to be making an appearance and the bees have begun to fly when the weather allows.
Hopefully, many colonies will have survived the very wet winter, but some of our members have experienced losses.
This can be due to a variety of factors: bees can withstand cold but not dampness; the heat from the colony, generated by the bees themselves will cause condensation, then dampness if it reaches cold hive walls. Many of us insulate our hives over winter but this can still be a problem.
If the Queen bee has died, maybe at the end of her lifespan, then the colony will dwindle and perish.
We feed the bees over winter to ensure that they have plenty of stores. If they choose not to move from their cold weather cluster towards an area of stores, because the colony is weak or cold, then they can starve.
If all is well inside then the Queen bee will have been laying eggs in increasing numbers as the days lengthen.
We keep an eye on the colonies as spring approaches, making sure that the floors are clean and that the colony has plenty of room to expand.
This is essential as a healthy Queen bee will be laying as many as 2000 eggs a day as the colony builds up.
If there are any shops, supermarkets, or food processors out there that are willing to pass on sugar that has burst from bags and would be otherwise thrown away, please do contact us.
General inquiries and offers of sugar should be directed to secretary.aycliffebka[@]gmail[.]com.
You can find us on Facebook at Aycliffe Beekeepers Association or www.aycliffebees.com.
Ferryhill & Chilton's local community newspaper.
