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This week we have returned from the National Honey Show, and what an incredible event it was! A big thank you to the National Honey Show for having us and for their outstanding organisation. We also appreciate our wonderful customers for stopping by our stand.
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This month also saw our Sale & Open Day here at Head Office, and it was brilliant to see the soggy weather didn't put anyone off.
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Once again, it was a fantastic day, and we hope you found plenty of great deals and had a wonderful time. A big thank you to everyone, especially our incredible staff, for making both events this month such a success.
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If you were unable to attend any of this year's events, and missed out on our great sale prices, then do not fear! We are now running our sale online and over the phone for home delivery.
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The sale is running until Monday 11th November and there are plenty of great offers. We will be offering free delivery on all sale orders over £100 to the UK and over £150 to Northern Ireland.
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Api-Bioxal now comes in a ready to use liquid form, as well as powder. This product is used to control varroa mites - the liquid is applied by trickling directly onto frames of bees.
One bottle of Api-Bioxal liquid will treat between 25 and 30 hives. We recommend using one of the following products to apply; Dosa-Laif, a Trickle 2 bottle, or a Simple Syringe.
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Think you need a little more insulation but want to look after the planet? Then this tried and tested product may be for you.
Sustainable Hive Insulation, or SHINS for short, are an easy to use, sustainable option for insulating your hive. Made from cork, which is known as a highly efficient insulator in the construction industry. It has a thermal conductivity rating of 0.039 W/m.K. Expanded polystyrene foam, used extensively in polystyrene hives, is 0.03 W/m.K.
Each kit contains two frames and two shaped cork inserts that fit snugly between the locking bars. These inserts are held in place with a large rubber band, big enough to fit around the entire box.
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SHINS are available in three sizes to suit National hives: National Super, National Brood and 14"x12" brood. The frames are based around a standard Hoffman frame with cork insulation inserted rather than foundation. These frames are then coated in beeswax.
To use, remove one outside frame from each end of the box you are wanting to insulate, and replace with the two SHINS frames, pop the cork insert into your rebates, and secure with the rubber band included.
SHINS must not be put inside the hive until the nest starts to contract, otherwise the bees may "work" the wax covered cork.
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How much food do bees consume over winter and why feeding fondant is preferred? |
In the past the English black bee would happily survive the hardest of winters in a 10 frame standard brood box, on about 30 pounds of honey. The more vigorous hybrid strains available today require more in the way of sustenance.
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An average colony without brood requires about 300g (~ 12oz in old money) of honey a week. If they are still brooding, this figure will more than double to around 700g (or 1.5lb) a week.
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Disturbance of the colony will more than double the rate of consumption for that week, so it is best to leave well alone.
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The colonies requirement changes as the winter progresses. The lowest point is the brood less period in December/January. The nest then starts again for the following season.
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On average 20 kg of stores should be adequate to see a colony through winter. (This is always dependant on the weather; unseasonably mild years like last winter cause the bees to be more active than usual, consuming stores at a much higher rate than if they were clustered properly.
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Overfilling the colony with stores can cause the Queen laying issues in the spring, so they can have too much of a good thing!
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The best way is to assess the stores in the combs the bees are to be left with. Allow a count of 2.5 lb per full capped BS super frame, 5 lbs per fully capped BS brood frame, and 8 lbs per BS 14”x12” frame. Having assessed the weight of stores in the hive, you may / or may not need to feed.
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Bees will take sugar water throughout August into September (2:1 Sugar to Water) while they have the warmth and bees to drive off the water and process the supply. When they stop taking feed in this form (usually mid-September temperature dependant) they will often take inverted syrup (practically honey) for another month until around mid-October.
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If they still require feed at this point you will have to feed with fondant on the crown board. Weekly monitoring of the floor insert lets you know what the bees are doing, without disturbing them. Clean the floor inset off. Next week pull it out and check it. You will see capping’s in rows on the floor showing where the bees are in the nest, and that they are still feeding. Clean off and replace, repeat... If the hive weight stops dropping and the litter on the floor insert stops. You may have set Ivy in the comb that the bees can’t use, and they could be starving, in which case further intervention may be required.
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In the spring stimulate with a weak syrup, (1:2 sugar to water) suggesting a nectar flow, the water helps the bees clean out old cells ready for the build-up. You can also stimulate with a pollen supplement to really get thing going.
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We are often asked when to stop feeding syrup and start with fondant – hopefully this article has helped with this question. In general, there are five main reasons why fondant should be fed over the very coldest months.
1. The change in temperatures between night and day can cause syrup containers to drip cold syrup onto the bees.
2. Syrup has more water in it than honey and bees will burn excess energy trying to remove the additional water.
3. Sugar syrup will be very cold during the winter, and if the syrup is too cold, the bees will be unable to drink it.
4. Syrup can mould easily if the bees do not consume it quickly, rendering the syrup undrinkable for the bees.
5. Cold weather may keep the bees from getting to the syrup, leaving an open window for other insects to eat the syrup.
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The 2024 show last week excelled all previous shows with over 2,500 entries and more people than ever enjoying the spectacle, the trade hall, the workshops, lectures, Alex Hirtzel’s spectacular art exhibition on the way that bees see the world.
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And for those who couldn’t attend, they could join in watching more of the videos, live from the show while making their plans to come along in person next year.
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This year’s ‘live’ videos are still available to watch on the National Honey Show YouTube channel.
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Video team capturing the UV light shining on one of Alex Hirtzel’s paintings
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Model of an Asian (now known as Yellow Legged) hornet on the APHA NBU stand
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The Show is pleased to release the first of this year's lecture videos this coming Friday, 8th November at 5.15pm UK local time. Nigel Semmence's lecture, 'Asian hornet – current situation in UK in 2024', updates us from last year, covering the situation following the increase in the number of nests found in 2023 and their impact in 2024. He talks about the historic perspective as well as this year’s response. He also covers details about what to expect from the ongoing science being conducted by Fera Science Ltd on behalf of Defra.
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Don’t forget to ‘Subscribe’ to the channel, it costs nothing and is a great help to the show.
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There’s more to look forward to across the coming year. The main lecture programme was recorded by our fantastic video team, and the lectures will be released on the first Friday of each month at 5.15pm UK local time for you to revisit from your armchair.
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We look forward to seeing you at next year’s show:
National Honey Show Thursday 23rd to Saturday 25th October 2025 at Sandown Park Racecourse, Esher, Surrey, KT10 9RT, UK.
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SAVE THE DATE! Big Give Christmas Challenge – Pollinate Change |
Bees for Development are building up to their biggest fundraiser of the year, The Big Give Christmas Challenge. Honey production is a critical lifeline for Ethiopia’s subsistence farmers, yet they are grappling with a modern catastrophe: the widespread loss of bees due to pesticide use. Molla Adugna lives with his wife and children in Fogera, Ethiopia. To make ends meet he works hard cultivating crops, keeping livestock and he is also a beekeeper. But he soon noticed that as he used more pesticides, his honey bees were dying. “I was causing harm to my bees by applying pesticides on my vegetables. I am to blame. But what can I do? This is the modern way.” Molla Adugna – Molla has now joined Bees for Development’s Farmer Field School programme that educates Ethiopian farmers on sustainable farming practices. This empowers farmers like Molla to reduce pesticide use and keep healthy bees for extra income. As a result of this training Bees for Development aim to raise £130,000 to expand their work and with your donations they will train 1,000 Ethiopian farmers to adopt sustainable farming practices. From 3 December until 10 December all donations to Bees for Development will be doubled by Big Give’s Champions - meaning every donation will be DOUBLED. Please do save the date - you can be confident that your money will reach the people who need it most, read more details HERE
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In Conversation with Monty Don & Kate Humble - Bee quick, tickets are selling fast….. |
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Bees for Development are delighted to invite you for an evening of discussion with two of their wonderful Patrons. Join Monty Don and Kate Humble as they discuss all things gardening and farming mixed with their knowledge of sustainable practices and share insights into the work of Bees for Development.
Friday 10 January 2025, doors at 6:30pm for 7:30pm start at The Blake Theatre, Monmouth.
A great Christmas present for Beekeepers and Gardeners alike!
There will be a lively Q&A session during the evening with Monty Don and Kate Humble. If you’d like to join in, please submit your questions to info@beesfordevelopment.org by December 2, 2024.
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The Observant Beekeeper - A Practical Manual
By Paul Honigmann
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"The ultimate book for the natural beekeeper .. 'the first of its kind in the UK and a valuable contribution to beekeeping'"
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Northern Bee Books (1st ed. 2024)
Paperback
404 pages
£45
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The Observant Beekeeper: A Practical Manual Treatment free, low intervention by Paul Honigmann is a timely publication for the many experienced and new beekeepers currently seeking to change their management strategies and align their styles more closely with an environmentally aware, and minimal handling approach. This detailed “how to” manual offers ways to successfully reduce invasive colony manipulations and chemical treatments. It enables a beekeeper to look after honey bees in a mindful way that works in tandem with their natural biology and behaviour. It is the first of its kind in the UK and a valuable contribution to beekeeping education.
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Honigmann is an experienced beekeeper with a passion for learning all he can about bees and sharing his knowledge with others. He started the Oxfordshire Natural Beekeeping Group which is a support system for alternative beekeepers. It was originally a local self-help group but has grown to provide regular blog posts and support beekeepers across the world.
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This book is based on teaching material used in the author’s beginner beekeeping classes and focusses on self-directed learning and promoting independent thinking and decision making. Review boxes at the end of most chapters invite the reader to summarise thoughts and make notes.
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There are 18 chapters divided into 3 parts covering how to get started, a beekeeper’s year, and further reflections on health, genetics, and current beekeeping challenges. The price reflects the nature of this publication which is an intricately produced textbook jam-packed full of valuable information presented in an easy-to-read format enhanced by at least 400 diagrams, drawings, tables, and photographs. Around 400 footnotes and references are found at the bottom of each page and reflect the author’s wide scientific research which backs up advice and explanations. Many of the references are based on anecdotal evidence but this is a good thing because it draws on the collective intelligence of other experienced and well-known beekeepers which endorses credibility.
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There are many different ways to keep honey bees such as conventional beekeeping where the emphasis is on manipulating colonies for honey production, (varroa) treatment-free, or natural beekeeping. Honigmann is clear, “Observational Beekeeping is not specific to one system.” He is open to all beekeeping systems and is a current member of the British Beekeeper’s Association (BBKA) whose teaching is largely conventional, but they too are open to finding new ways to reduce the reliance on chemical treatments for varroosis. The BBKA will be interested in this new textbook, and its value on their recommended reading list for new beekeepers.
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What makes this textbook stand out from others is the concise clear explanations and reasons for carrying out procedures with the pros and cons for each considered. This encourages new beekeepers to think for themselves and make decisions based on their own conclusions. There are no rigid rules to be followed. It is written in the modern style for the busy reader who wants to reach the salient points quickly. Honigmann uses clear headings, lists, and bullet points.
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As the title implies, this style of beekeeping is about spending more time watching a colony from outside the hive rather than opening it up frequently to look through all the frames. It is also about acknowledging the differences among colonies and letting them work at their own paces throughout the season. It is acknowledged that this is not something bee farmers are likely to have much time for owing to the sheer volume of their work. This is not about honey production or queen breeding which is well covered in other publications.
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The chapters on hive types, and the detailed management required for each type, are particularly useful. Having tried a few different hive types, Honigmann writes from practical experience giving lucid explanations for new beekeepers bamboozled by lists and photographs of different types. Honigmann discusses hive thermodynamics and recent research. 25% of colony heat is lost in winter through the open mesh floor but this can be mitigated by closing it and adding foil insulation below the roof. Did you know that top bee space can increase thermal loss by 70%?
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The rationale for not clipping queen’s wings is reasonable, practical, and unemotional. Wing clipping usually results in prime swarms with multiple virgin queens which are less cohesive and consequently less successful. There are many useful tips and pieces of advice that everyone can learn from in this textbook. Do you know what a Russian scion is? I didn’t till now but I’m going to make one for next swarm season.
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The reasons behind not selecting for particular traits in queen breeding are worthy of considerable reflection. One cannot select for all desirable traits, and by selecting for prolific laying, for example, the beekeeper ends up with queens that do not turn off egg laying during a dearth. These colonies are less adaptable and have to be boosted and fed by the beekeeper and are thus not allowed the freedom to survive by nature of their own genes.
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The Observant Beekeeper is for everyone with an interest in making beekeeping easier for themselves and the bees, and for those interested in learning how bees were kept in the days before varroa. The author has achieved his goals and a new beekeeper could start from scratch using only this comprehensive manual.
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There will be plenty of other great offers. These items will be available for home delivery, no need to collect from branch! We will be offering free delivery on all sale orders over £100 to the UK.
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Details to be confirmed...
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