My first newsletter offering as Chair. I would like to welcome those who joined us following the Beginner's course in February, I hope you will soon all have bees. It's still a little cold, or windy, to inspect but any day now...

There are two issues I would like to highlight this month

Asian Hornet The following link is to the Asian Hornet training exercise. It is very straightforward, so if you have a moment please try and complete it for your personal education and consider becoming a verifier. Those are the people who will be asked to look into sightings. Not to touch nests, or destroy them. Just look and report back

Asian Hornet training exercise

We are a green zone. No reported sightings yet. But bait stations/non kill traps are recommended. Please check them as often as you can so you can release the other insects that have flown in. On April 3rd at our monthly meeting in Sacred Heart Hall Bernard Brown presented the current information about the Asian hornet and also showed which traps are needed when.

Helping out We always welcome help at fêtes, shows and other events. We are hoping to attend the Dunchurch show on June 23rd.and If you could help for a few hours during the day it would be very much appreciated. We need people to set up the stand in the morning, run it during the day and then take it all down at the end. It’s a great opportunity to promote the craft of beekeeping and educate the public.

Since Covid we haven’t held a local honey show and this year we are lucky enough to have Maurice West coordinating the Rugby Beekeepers’ honey show in the Autumn.

Finally, to remind anyone who wishes to take one of the BBKA assessments or study one of the modules RBKA will reimburse your exam entry fee. In addition, for module study groups WBKA will refund 50% of the correspondence course cost. Please take advantage of this discount

Cathy Moore.

Tips and suggestions to consider for April - As the temperature outside creeps up to around 15'C, get into the hive to check on progress. - Follow all the guidelines given in the good books! - Don't forget to keep good accurate apiary records; these will prove to be very valuable in the future.
- Ring up your friendly beekeeper mentor if you have any concerns about the state of your colonies.

For those on the Beginners Course who plan to keep bees and are interested in starting with a swarm or others requiring swarms please contact Martin to be added to the swarm list. It won't be long before we expect swarms, now April has appeared, as I note the fields around my apiaries are colouring up with bright yellow Oilseed rape, and pollen is flying though the entrance block [remember to remove the mouse guards if still in- situ].

When and if you hive a swarm, this is the ideal time to consider carrying out an immediate varroa treatment. The queen in a prime swarm may well start laying almost immediately, this could give you about 7 days to destroy mites being carried on the bees before they enter the unsealed cells. Should you treat the bees, do keep records in your notes. If you catch a cast, or house a swarm, you would be wise not to mark the new queen until you are sure that the queen has started laying.

Gail Plester