The inspector calls – once more!
The weather forecast for Monday 12 May was not very encouraging – wind and rain, and not particularly warm, and the Regional Bee Inspector was visiting the apiary. The first of his visits was on a rainy day and we all ended up being cold, wet and depressed, partly because of the weather but mainly because he had previously found EFB in our hives. But this time, yet again, the forecast was wrong.
The Management Team had doubts about one of the hives and had detected some deformed lavae on a comb, so the inspection started with this one. The inspector quickly dispelled our fears by diagnosing the deformed larvae were suffering from sac brood. As the number of hives at the apiary is now down to 14 the inspectors quickly finished the other hive and gave us a clean bill of health.
So now we are free to move equipment off the apiary and can be less guarded about handling other hives, but we must not relax too much. EFB has not necessarily left the apiary – it could still be present in our hives at a very low level and the bees are coping with it using their normal hygiene procedures. The buckets and containers of washing soda solutions will still be at the apiary for washing hive tools and dipping your boots. There is a document from Twickenham Apiary on hygienic procedures for apiaries (see below). Please read it and comply with its directions, we must not give up on our inspection hygiene practices.
Apiary & Bee Product Hygiene Rules
Twickenham Beekeepers have a useful document on their Web site describing how to keep your hives and apiary hygienic and thereby reduce the risk of spreading diseases. The document is in Microsoft Word format. If you don’t have Microsoft Word, you can download a PDF version here. To open a PDF document you’ll need either Adobe Acrobat Reader (41 MB) or Foxit Reader (3.6 MB), both of which can be downloaded free.
From the Daily Telegraph letters pages
Lack of tuition is the cause of poor beekeeping
Sir – The reason why beekeeping in Britain is in trouble (report, September 3) is really quite simple. Immediately after the Second World War, virtually every county had its own agricultural college, complete with its own county “beekeeping lecturer”.
In the 1980s, all beekeeping lecturers were made redundant as they were “not profitable”. I cannot think of one that’s left in post today. Britain is now reaping the results of that policy: there are few beekeepers left and those that are coming through aren’t being taught by the best in the land. In short, the problem is poor bee husbandry.
If we were to cease teaching English in our schools for 25 years, I wonder what would be the state of the English language.
Doug Beard, Benfleet, Essex
Defra must be stung into action over missing bees
Sir – Prompted by reports of problems facing bee-keepers, and the apparent indifference of Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, I conducted a bee survey in my well-stocked garden.
On a warm, sunny day, I found no honey bees at all in this corner of mid-Warwickshire. I have repeated the exercise three times, with the same result. With such a dearth of natural pollinators, what plant species will be under threat in years to come?
When will Defra be stung into action to provide the research that is patently required?
Robin Bussell, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire
Hives Save Lives
Hives Save Lives is a charity that operates from Dormansland down in south-east Surrey, and its aim is to promote beekeeping as an aid to self-sufficency. Below are some extracts from their newsletter. If you wish to know more, please visit their web site.
Since inception, HSLA has focused on one area of operation, Uganda, with the goal of building the capacity of beekeepers and maximising the commercial potential of beekeeping to create a strong and viable honey industry.
HSLA was therefore delighted to be invited to partner with the Netherlands Development Organisation, SNV, to stage the first beekeeping competition to be held in Uganda, for beekeepers in the Rwenzori region. SNV also takes the approach of building the capacity of local organisations to enable them to take control of their own economic and social development. In Rwenzori, SNV has focused the development of three product value chains to achieve this: honey, oil seed (sunflower) and horticulture (pineapple).
One of HSLA’s earliest projects was the Uganda Gospel Rehabilitation Centre (UGRC), a primary school with an enrolment of over 300 children led by Pastor David Sseruwagi. The project was not restricted to the school alone, but designed to integrate and benefit the local farmers, who also received hives (KTB and Langstroth), training and protective clothing. These farmers have now joined forces to form the Mifunya Co-operative, with beekeeping an integral part of the activities. Just recently, we were delighted to learn that Mifunya was featured in the film shown by the co-operative, one of the original project donors, at a series of members’ meetings that were a part of the launch of their Plan Bee initiative.
British Beekeepers’ Association
Dear Area Association and Specialist Member Secretaries,
Following nearly two years of very hard and often frustrating work, not to mention several false dawns, we have achieved our aim of gaining commitment to spend more money on research.
You will be aware by now of the very significant announcement made by The Environment Secretary Hilary Benn earlier today that DEFRA and its Funding Partners have agreed to increase their investment into tackling the decline in Honey bee and other pollinators to £10 million pounds.
£10 million initiative launched to tackle bee and pollinator decline
Achieving this milestone has only been possible thanks to the commitment, energy and sustained support of all our members. Make no mistake, without last years’ Campaign, without all those letters to MPs, without all that time spent talking bee health we would not be celebrating today.
If you are asked for local interviews you will see the message from our response below – in summary – very good, but we must ensure ‘the majority’ of the funds are spent on honey bee research as opposed to research into the many other species of pollinators.
BBKA Statement on Research Funding Announcement
We can however give ourselves a bit of a pat on the back for a campaign that has achieved the feat of gaining a substantial amount of money – now the work is to direct it.
Perhaps soon we’ll be able to get back to some beekeeping!
Regards
Mike Harris General Secretary,
British Beekeepers Association
£10m Research Funding Announcement
Dear Secretary
I am grateful to Mike Harris for sending you the BBKA Statement on the additional research funding that has been made available in today’s announcement by Hilary Benn. As you can imagine, the members of the BBKA Public Affairs Committee and Executive have been somewhat taken-up with radio and TV appearances and general press briefings. You too may be asked for press comment in the days ahead and thus it is important to underline the official line, notwithstanding a distinct case for some jubilation following a sustained campaign in which the BBKA and its members have played their varied and important roles.
Whilst at first sight the availability of £10m for research (comprising £2m from Defra and £8m from the BBSRC, NERC, Scottish Government and The Wellcome Trust) might suggest that we have met our target, it has to be remembered that this fund is said to be for tackling pollinator decline. We have campaigned hard and have put forward a programme calling for £8m+ to be spent on honey bee research. Further, whilst we have absolutely nothing but respect for other pollinators, it is bees and in particular honey bees that are of principal economic significance in plant pollination. The BBKA thus expects and will work to ensure that the lion’s share of the funding will go to honey bee health research and that the proposals in our document, Honey Bee Health Research Concepts will form the cornerstone of the projects to be funded.
This then is not the end of the campaign but the start of a new phase, during which we seek to promote relevant research and also to influence the agenda within Defra and its new agency FERA. We have to make sure that the £2.3m ear-marked for the NBU is applied to projects that will make a difference to beekeepers. These are primarily improved inspection and education and training initiatives involving the BBKA , rather than grandiose schemes for data-base building and surveys which will yield little actionable data to help solve our problems.
This work will involve much activity negotiating with Defra, FERA and the funders. We will keep you informed of progress and won’t hesitate to call for your assistance if there are aspects which need to be pursued in the public domain.
I would like to add my thanks for all that has been done by Association members during the campaign; it has been a true team effort that has delivered today’s success. We have also enjoyed excellent support from MPs and the media. I should also thank the Public Affairs Committee for their tireless work and input to this campaign.
We now look to researchers to take up the challenge and for Defra – FERA to engage in meaningful consultation, working with beekeepers for the benefits of bees and beekeeping.
Best wishes
Tim Lovett
President, British Beekeepers Association
Have we got a problem!
Dear Tim
I trust you are well and your bees are flourishing in this spell of sunshine we are having?
As the membership officer for the Kingston division I feel that I have to request that you cancel all future TV radio and press appearances and interviews for the foreseeable future as the Kingston division has been inundated with new prospective members who are looking to take up bee keeping and training and having now closed this years new intake at 15 (yes 15 newcomers), we are having to turn people away. We all feel that the increased awareness must to a greater extent be laid at your door and while we have no doubt that overall bee keepers are benefiting – there are side effects being felt at Kingston !!!!
Seriously I thought you ought to be made aware of the amazing increased awareness from non bee keepers which have resulted in such an overwhelming interest to keep bees, which we have not experienced to date. And yes you must take a large part of the credit for this. Well done!
We are having to turn away potential enquiries as we seriously have more than we can comfortably accommodate and I was wondering if you have a list of other clubs in and around the Kingston area with contact details where I can pass these enquiries on to and who in turn might benefit from increased membership?
I look forward to hearing from you and do give me a call if you require more updating?
Best wishes and well done again.
Regards Jim B Harries,
Membership Secretary
Once again this month the media has been featuring bees and the problems they face. Matha Kearney fronted an excellent programme on BBC2 called Who killed the honey bee?. It took a global look at the problems facing bees, from Colony Collapse Disorder to the problems facing a Suffolk bee farmer and finally her own experiences as a bee keeper. She too lost her hive over the winter. The programme did not come to any firm conclusions, the bottom line could be summed up as it’s still baffling the experts and it’s probably a cocktail of things that is causing bees to die.
The Today programme has had a couple of bee related items on its show. One featuring ‘disappearing hives’. Apparently the criminal element has realised the money making potential of our hobby and are steeling hives. Give the news that two hives were sold at a recent auction for £400 each they are on to something! There’s a marketing opportunity for someone who can invent a device for screwing a hive to the floor.
