Dear Member,

While this may seem like the time to relax and enjoy the fruits of your beekeeping year, it is in fact the time to plan for next year. Review your beekeeping notes and decide what you want to do next year. Is there a colony you want to breed from? Is there a colony you want to get rid of because their temperament is not good?

Think about whether your hives are in the best position. When the weather gets cold, bees seem to lose their homing instinct temporarily, so it is possible to move hives without paying attention to the ‘3 feet or 3 miles’ rule. Make sure there is cold weather forecast for a few days and use this window to move your bees from one part of the garden to another if this is a better location.

Our next speaker is talking about allergic reactions to bee stings. For my first few years of beekeeping I was somewhat cavalier about being stung - regarding it as an inevitable part of beekeeping. Since Dick, my husband, had an anaphylactic reaction to a sting I have become a little more cautious. Stings are part of beekeeping and it is difficult to avoid them entirely, but as beekeepers we are more vulnerable to developing negative reactions to bee venom just because we are more exposed to it, as a consequence we need to be aware and take precautions to protect ourselves. So come along and be informed!

With Christmas just around the corner and our beekeeping meeting falling just a few days before Christmas, do put the quiz in your diaries before they fill up. Last year much fun was had by all and everyone enjoyed the shared feast while the winning team received useful beekeeping prizes. You do not need to be a boffin as teams can share knowledge and expertise and questions are not necessarily bee related, so bring along partners and friends.

Margaret Holdsworth