Dear Members,
The Zoom Warwickshire lecture on “Himalayan Balsam” helped me change my mind a little about this invasive plant. I was not aware it had been present since Victorian times as it only seems to have become a real problem in the last few years.
Dear Members,
As the active beekeeping season starts to draw to a close at the end of this month it is important to make sure our bees are in good shape, healthy and with good stores (pollen and nectar) to prepare them to survive the long winter months ahead.
Dear Members,
Our British weather has again not disappointed with a mini-heatwave in July that sent the bees out in full force to gather nectar from the limes, sweet chestnut, bramble and rosebay willowherb, all excellent sources of mid-season nectar.
Dear Members,
Hopefully with the better weather we had in June, some of you have managed to take a crop of honey. In fact some days in June were so warm that I managed to drag out the solar extractor and melt down some of the frames I had removed when doing a shook swarm in May.
Dear Members,
Well, last month I couldn’t believe that the weather would continue cold into May, but now it is also wet, and colder than usual, providing the bees and beekeepers with even more challenges.
