PLYMOUTH BEEKEEPERS’ Apiary Programme 2020

FEBRUARY Sunday 2nd Module Study Group 10am Tuesday Talk by Olga Wojciechowska on "Food Hygiene and Honey 7.30pm 11th - What YOU Need to Know". Blindmans Wood Scout Centre Sunday 16th Module Study Group 10am Sunday 23rd Wax Extraction/Frame Making Session 10am MARCH Sunday 1st Improvers Meeting: What you should be doing/should not 10am have done Sunday 8th Beginners’ Course (1) – Chairman & Education Team 10am Sunday 15th Apiary Maintenance Morning/BBKA Basic Assessment 10am support Sunday 22nd Beginners’ Course (2) 10am Sunday 29th Beginners’ Course (3) 10am APRIL Easter Sunday: 12th April Sunday 5th Improvers Meeting: Swarm Control/Frame Changing 10am Tuesday 7th Committee Meeting, Blindmans Wood Scout Centre 7pm Sunday 12th No Meeting – Easter Sunday Sunday 19th Beginners’ Course (4) 10am Sunday 26th Apiary Maintenance Morning/BBKA Basic Assessment 10am support (+ extra practical for beginners if required) MAY (Bank Holidays: Mon. 4th + Mon. 25th) Sunday 3rd Improvers Meeting: Aggressive Bees/Queen Introduction 10am Sunday 10th Beginners’ Course (5) 10am Sunday 17th Apiary Maintenance Morning/BBKA Basic Assessment 10am support (+ extra practical for beginners if required) Sunday 24th No meeting – Bank Holiday Weekend Sunday 31st Beginners’ Course (6) 10am

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JUNE Sunday 7th Improvers Meeting: The importance of nucs/ Swarm 10am control/the June gap/summer management Sunday 14th Beginners’ Course (7) 10am Sunday 21st Apiary Maintenance Morning/BBKA Basic Assessment 10am support Sunday 28th Beginners’ Course (8) 10am JULY Sunday 5th Improvers Meeting: Bringing in the honey crop 10am Sunday 12th Beginners’ Course (9) 10am Sunday 19th Apiary Maintenance Morning/BBKA Basic Assessment 10am support (+ extra practical for beginners if required) Sunday 26th Beginners Course (10) AUGUST (Bank Holiday: Mon. 31st) Sunday 2nd Improvers Meeting: Summer Management 10am Sunday 9th Beginners’ Course (11) 10am Sunday 16th Apiary Maintenance Morning//BBKA Basic Assessment 10am support Sunday 23rd Beginners’ Course (12) 10am Sunday 30th No Meeting - Bank Holiday Weekend SEPTEMBER Sunday 6th Improvers Meeting: Preparing for Winter 10am Sunday 13th Apiary Maintenance Morning/BBKA Basic Assessment 10am support OCTOBER Tuesday 13th Branch Honey Show, Blindmans Wood Scout Centre 7pm/doors open 6.30pm NOVEMBER Tuesday 17th AGM, Blindmans Wood Scout Centre DECEMBER Sunday 6th/13th Branch Christmas Lunch – TO BE CONFIRMED

Blindmans Wood Scout Centre, Outland Road, Plymouth PL3 5TB

Meetings will be held at the Branch Apiary Site, Lee Mill, Ivybridge unless advised otherwise

 Turn left off the A38 at Lee Mill and follow the signs for Tesco

 Drive past the Tesco entrance, take next right for Central Avenue on the industrial estate

 Drive down the hill of Central Avenue, looking for East Way on your right

 Drive along East Way, looking for Cadleigh Close on your left

 Drive into Cadleigh Close; the apiary site is behind the big iron gates of the Bandvulc tyre factory

 Park inside the gates, walk up the concrete path & the portacabin is on your right 2 www.plymouthbeekeepers.btik.com

CHAIRMAN’S BLOG

Hello Again,

Now that we are in the depths of Winter I’m sure many of us are paying close attention to that all-important maintenance of equipment so that it’s all ready for the new season which will be upon us before we know it. Winter is also a good time to catch up with other branch members by attending our Winter meetings.

Generally speaking, only about 25% of our registered members are regular attenders so it would be really good to see that figure improve for our February meeting. Speaking of which, it will be well worth attending this year, because we have a new speaker and a new topic, albeit one that all of us as honey producers should have at least a working knowledge about. Our speaker for the meeting on 11th February will be Olga Wojciechowska and her topic will be “Food Hygiene and Honey; what YOU need to know.” Olga completed the Beginners’ Course last year and she and her partner, Mark, are both enthusiastic new beekeepers. But Olga also has specialist knowledge about Food Hygiene and the rules that apply to us all as honey producers. It would be far better to listen and act on what Olga has to say than to one day receive an unwelcome knock on the door from the local authority Environmental Health Section or even the Trading Standards people. We all have legal obligations as honey producers and ignorance of the Law has never been a defence in Court. For those who prefer more precise language here is the legal doctrine in Latin: Ignorans legis non excusat. I don’t think you need even the most basic education in Latin to work that one out! I for one, am looking forward to hearing what Olga has to say.

We had a very lively meeting on Tuesday 21 January at which your committee took some important decisions on developing the Branch’s capacity to deliver top-class training, new equipment for the Branch apiary and delivered a response to what I can only describe as bullying behaviour by another beekeeping group. For details of the latter, please see my article “Black Bees and Black Balls” elsewhere in this issue.

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Those who know me well will be aware that I’m not the biggest fan of hereditary monarchy; in fact had I been around during the English Civil War, I would almost certainly have fought on Cromwell’s side, despite the fact that he was a po-faced, puritan misery who hated the idea of people actually having fun. However, I couldn’t resist sharing this amusing pentaptych:

I think it’s a novel way of remembering which marker pen to reach for when you find that new queen!

All the best,

Terry 

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BLACK BEES AND BLACK BALLS

First, some terminology

Apis Mellifera Mellifera The Dark European Honey Bee Apis Mellifera Mellifera (variant) The British Black Bee1

The B4 Project A Community Interest Company2 BIPCo Bee Improvement for Cornwall BIBBA Bee Improvement and Bee Breeders Association

You may be puzzled by the title of this article, so let’s start with a definition and a brief bit of history. The origin of the word is described here:

Blackballing is a rejection in a traditional form of secret ballot, where a white ball or ballot constitutes a vote in support and a black ball signifies opposition. The system is typically used where an organisation's rules provide that one or two objections, rather than an at-least-50% share of votes, are sufficient to defeat a proposition. Since the seventeenth century, these rules have commonly applied to elections to membership of many gentlemen's clubs and similar institutions such as Masonic lodges and fraternities. A large supply of black and white balls is provided for voters. Each voter audibly casts a single ball into the ballot box under cover of the box, or of a combination of a cloth and the box itself, so that observers can see who votes but not how they are voting. When all voting is complete, the box is opened and the balls displayed: all present can immediately see the result, without any means of knowing which members are objecting.3

1 aka the Cornish Black Bee (in Cornwall) and the Scottish Black Bee (in Scotland) 2 B4 Project is a Community Interest Company (CIC) representing a group of beekeepers whose aim is to protect the UK’s native dark honey bee, Apis Mellifera Mellifera. CICs were introduced in the UK in 2005 under the Companies Act 2004 3 Wikipedia 5 www.plymouthbeekeepers.btik.com

The word ‘ballot’ is Italian for small ball, and the words ballot and ballot box have been used for decades in the context of elections to political office, even though voting is now done by marking a cross on the ballot paper.

By now, you are probably wondering what all this has got to do with beekeeping: well do please read on. You will know that in 2017 a group of beekeepers set up what was called England’s first native honeybee reserve. The Black Bee Reserve was launched in Mount Edgcumbe Park in South-East Cornwall. This followed the identification by the B4 Project of an almost pure and distinctive population of black bees on the Rame Peninsula. The aim of the Mount Edgcumbe project was to help foster the perseveration of the Black Bee in Cornwall. Jean French, our Branch Secretary, decided to find out a bit more about the progress of the project, so late last year she attempted to join their Facebook Group. Now I’m a simple soul, so please correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems to me that if the Branch Secretary of a BBKA-affiliated beekeeping organisation applies to join a group of this nature, then he or she should be welcomed with open arms. But that was not the case: Jean was blackballed. I’ll reiterate that: the elected Branch Secretary of a BBKA- affiliated Branch, who out of pure interest, attempted to join a Facebook group dedicated to one particular aspect of beekeeping, was blackballed! I know not who made the decision to blackball our Branch Secretary (although I can hazard a guess) but I, and your Branch Committee, regard it as a gross insult to our Branch. I am aware that some members of our Branch are associated with the Mount Edgcumbe project, but from the point of its inception to date, at no time did anyone from B4 Project or the Mount Edgcumbe group make any attempt to contact Plymouth Branch of DBKA to discuss with us the aims of their project or ways in which our Branch could help them.

Let’s be clear, the Mount Edgcumbe project was always going to be highly challenging because of geography and the natural way honeybees reproduce by open mating. Drone congregation areas (DCAs) that have been around for centuries are populated by drones

6 www.plymouthbeekeepers.btik.com from a vast array of beehives in the locality and unless you can guarantee that most of those hives are populated with Apis Mellifera Mellifera (the European Dark Bee) you have a problem. There is always a chance that a Mount Edgcumbe AMM queen will mate with a Ligustica or Carnica drone or a mongrel drone from a colony somewhere in Plymouth or SE Cornwall, thus degrading the purity of the Mount Edgcumbe stock. It is accepted wisdom among beekeepers that drones will fly up to four or five miles to a DCA, but there is anecdotal evidence that some drones can fly up to twenty miles! The Scottish Government has solved this problem by designating the Inner Hebridean Islands of Colonsay and Oronsay as Black Bee Reserves by way of The Beekeeping (Colonsay and Oronsay) Order 2013. For the lawyers amongst our membership, here is the relevant extract from the explanatory note to the legislation:

This Order prohibits the keeping of animals of the genus Apis (honey bees) on the adjoining islands of Colonsay and Oronsay other than animals of the subspecies Apis mellifera mellifera (a “black bee”). Any person who keeps or has in their possession or control on those islands a honey bee other than a black bee may be guilty of an offence under section 14ZC of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. A business and regulatory impact assessment has not been prepared for this Order.

It’s interesting to note the final sentence, which is, in reality an admission that the benefits of preserving the Black Bee are not proven. However, these two relatively remote islands present an ideal opportunity to gather valuable data about whether or not the Black Bee is really all it’s cracked up to be. Many highly respected beekeepers and authors have expressed their doubts. Those of you who use Manley frames in your supers may not be aware that they were invented by Robert Orlando Beater (a most unusual name) Manley. Here’s what R.O.B. Manley had to say about Apis Mellifera Mellifera:

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A great deal of sentimental stuff has been written about these bees; but I think that much of it has been dictated more by certain patriotic obsessions than by consideration of the facts.4

I also think it is appropriate to quote from another eminent authority on beekeeping, Clive de Bruyn, whose book Practical Beekeeping is on the BBKA’s list of recommended reading for students of the BBKA Modules. In that book he says:

In my travels around the British Isles I have been shown so-called British Black Bees by many beekeepers. For a time, I even played a prominent part in an organisation devoted to the preservation of this bee. None of my experiences have persuaded me that the bees I encountered had any superior qualities over any other bees I could obtain. On the whole they were extremely variable.5 and: My general opinion after inspecting some of their colonies would be that I would not grant their bees a hive in any apiary of mine because of their bad temper and nervousness on the comb.6 and: Many of the old-time beekeepers who remember these bees could not wait to see the back of them. As one old gentleman said, “they could pin you to the wall if they had a mind to.7

These are just a few quotes that for me at least, illustrate that the public relations offensive about the Black Bee is based predominantly on sentiment and not hard facts. This may surprise some of you, because around two years ago I wrote in my Chairman’s Blog that in recognition of the divisive nature of this issue, I would try to remain neutral.

4 R.O.B. Manley, Beekeeping in Britain 5 Practical Beekeeping by Clive de Bruyn (page 17) 6 Practical Beekeeping by Clive de Bruyn (page 17) 7 Practical Beekeeping by Clive de Bruyn (page 17) 8 www.plymouthbeekeepers.btik.com

Appropriate research and recent events have changed my mind: as I said to the committee, the problem with sitting on the fence for too long is that one can develop a very sore posterior. So I have come down from the fence.

There is no evidence to suggest that AMM is a superior bee in terms of its temperament, its productivity, its resistance to disease or its tendency not to swarm at the drop of a hat. The ideal bee does not exist, but the late Brother Adam did get close with his Buckfast Bee; he relied heavily on the importation of queen bees to realise his project. But from the way many AMM devotees talk, you would think that the importation of queen bees was a malevolent, illegal activity that harms our native stock; it isn’t. The importation of queen bees is perfectly legal, has been accepted practice for around 100 years and is subject to very tight controls to avoid the unintentional importation of exotic pests and diseases. In fact, the UK Government has published advice to beekeepers on the correct procedures for importing bees, including queen bees8. However, AMM devotees are lobbying hard to get this changed but the problem is that some of their members are now acting as though importation of queen bees is illegal and seem think it’s fine to launch attacks on those beekeepers who disagree with them. The false information being disseminated includes such statements as “queen importation increases the risk of bringing in the small hive beetle.” This is utter nonsense. Although a consignment of Texan queen bees was responsible for the introduction of SHB to Portugal in 2004, the control measures imposed by the UK Government are now such that this risk is properly controlled. The SHB is much more likely to be inadvertently imported in a pot plant than via an imported queen bee because SHB pupates in the soil.

One B4 director has posted that the importation of queens is “lunacy on a grand scale.” Well, he is entitled to his opinion, but it is misleading to present such a statement as fact. It is just an opinion, and, in a democracy, we have to live with the fact that others do not always share

8 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/import-eii-bees-and-bumble-bees-health-certificate

9 www.plymouthbeekeepers.btik.com our view. I happen to think that Brexit is lunacy on a grand scale, but I have to accept that many others disagree with me. However, when disagreement leads to personal attacks against our Branch members, as Branch Chairman I feel that I cannot ignore them. I have already mentioned the blackballing of our Branch Secretary, but there is worse to come.

David Milford, a serving Branch committee member and one of our longest-serving and most dedicated Branch members, a former Plymouth Branch Chairman and DBKA Treasurer, has recently been the subject of unfair criticism by members of the B4 Project. As many of you will be aware, for many years David has provided an invaluable service to members by bulk-purchasing honey jars that members have been able to buy for less than 50% of commercial rates; using his own house as a depot to supply bulk quantities of sugar to members and, crucially, acting as an agent for the importation of top-quality, disease-free, mated queens firstly from New Zealand, and more recently, from Gozo in the Southern Mediterranean. David sells these imported queens on to Branch members who wish to buy them, but he does so at cost; for him it is a service to Branch Members. He does not make any profit. (Look at David’s prices; compare them with the prices of queens that are commercially available and then do the sums!). David has done no more than provide a service to Branch members and yet he (and our Branch) have been attacked via this unsubtle shared post on Beecraft’s Facebook page:

B4Project 13 January at 05:26 · 2019 we imported 20,081 queen honey bees from Southern Europe which represented 7.3% of the 274,000 hives in the UK. Plymouth Beekeeping Association started 2020 with the second post to all its members, “Last Call For Queens Following my email last November, I will be importing queens from Gozo as usual this year. In case you missed my earlier email, there

10 www.plymouthbeekeepers.btik.com are two choices: Apis Ligustica and Apis ligustica crossed with Buckfast.

The price is the same for both. I try to keep the price as low as possible. Last year it was £27 per queen and providing currency and carriage costs do not escalate, it will be the same. As some of you know, most importers charge £39 or more per queen. If you would like to order any, please let me know before 18th January, stating which variety of queens you would like. If it is your first time and fairly new to beekeeping, I do give advice on introduction etc and don't hesitate to phone/email me if you have any questions. Many thanks ***** ******* “ You never know what you got till it's gone. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6gnrMnfc_g

The link to Joni Mitchell’s 1970’s song Big Yellow Taxi is an unpleasant attempt to discredit our Branch, and in doing that they can’t even get our name right! And, I can only speculate about how one of our internal Branch emails got into the hands of a B4 director.

When taken together, the actions of certain people in the ‘AMM community’ amount to nothing other than bullying and we should call it out: Plymouth Branch will not be bullied. Your committee’s response to these attacks is to assert our right to carry out our lawful beekeeping activities in the manner we choose. So, on Tuesday 21 January, your committee approved the following resolution:

This Branch is aware that the BBKA discourages the importation of queen honeybees. However, while queen importation remains legal (subject to health checks), this Branch does not feel bound in any way by the BBKA’s policy position, particularly as it is not a requirement for affiliated Associations or Branches to comply. Furthermore, this Branch deplores the actions of other beekeeping groups who are trying to prevent beekeepers from carrying out what is a legal activity. To demonstrate the assertion of our 11 www.plymouthbeekeepers.btik.com legal right; this year, Plymouth Branch wishes to improve its own teaching apiary stock and will do so by purchasing from David Milford, one AM Ligustica queen and one Buckfast-X queen legally imported from Gozo.

You will note that the BBKA discourages the importation of queens. ‘Discourages’ is a carefully chosen word and responds to several recent ADM resolutions requiring the BBKA to seek a ban on imports. Clearly, the BBKA is realistic enough to recognise that the Government would not impose such a ban without compelling evidence of its necessity. Such evidence does not exist. The Branch Committee’s decision is an indication that we are not discouraged and nor will be bullied. UK beekeepers are bombarded with exhortations to breed their own queens and to use ‘native’ stock; not necessarily AMM, but then most of our native stock is mongrel. This is all about choice. I would not try to discourage anyone from trying to keep only AMM or native bees if that is their wish, but nor should B4, BIPCo, BIBBA or any other ‘local’ bee devotees try to impose their will on other beekeepers who wish to use legally imported queens. It really doesn’t matter what colour they are; we just need good, healthy bees. The double-entendre in the title of this article is intentional.

Terry McAuliffe MSc, LLM Branch Chairman

Since writing this article, our chairman is pleased to report that the editor of Beecraft Magazine has deleted the offending post from their Facebook page and the Managing Director of B4 Project has done the same from B4 Project’s Facebook page. He has also undertaken not to publish Plymouth Branch’s name in future in any of their posts on social media, or articles in the press. However, as far as we are aware, our Branch Secretary remains blackballed from the Mount Edgcumbe reserve’s Facebook page; not the best way to elicit our co-operation!

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CLICK ON THIS LINK: www.facebook.com/Devon-Beekeepers-Association-Plymouth-Branch- 629481307562670

OR SEARCH ON FACEBOOK FOR: Devon Beekeepers’ Association – Plymouth Branch

Hello, I am a student at Plymouth University and I’m currently conducting research into EFB diagnosis. The aim is to see if genomics can be utilised as a confirmatory diagnostic technique using DNA extraction methods from honey. This could mean a less invasive means of diagnosis of EFB. To conduct this study I will need samples of honey and larvae from symptomatic hives. If anybody from your association thinks their colonies could be infected could you please get in touch.

Many thanks and happy beekeeping!

My number is 07734425215. Or my email - either is fine - [email protected]

Thank you so much

Annabelle Down

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DBKA – PLYMOUTH BRANCH – BEEKEEPERS’ QUIZ NIGHT

Blindman’s Wood Scout Centre – Tuesday 14th January 2020

Despite the horrendous weather conditions on the night, our members braved the elements and supported the branch Quiz Night.

On arrival, members organised themselves into Teams, paid their £1 entry fee and allocated their Team a name.

This year, our Quiz Master was Steve Murphy who structured the quiz in a very different format.

The questions were split into 5 different categories: Round 1 - What’s your problem? Round 2 - Biology Round 3 - Quite Interesting Round 4 - Mathematics Round 5 - Practice, Practice, Practice plus a sheet of 3 letter acronyms and 4 letter acronyms

Once everyone had settled down, enjoying the pile of choccies kindly supplied on each table by Claude, the Quiz commenced. A great deal of brain racking, giggling and ‘friendly’ banter ensued.

With all questions asked, the marking commenced. Scores were pretty close but it was Team Buckfast Babes whose members included Martin Hann + Clare Densley that romped home by some 10 points to claim victory. I would mention this team very generously donated their winnings to branch funds with Martin being volunteered as our Quiz Master next year.

A well-deserved tea break followed to ease those ‘aching’ brains plus of course, the mandatory raffle expertly managed by Mike Lawrence.

As always, the evening was a lot of fun and most of us learned a few new beekeeping facts. The three most interesting answers were: 1. Honey is a good hormone rooter for cuttings and seedlings 2. Only 10% of Australian Honey is needed in a jar to be able to legally label it "Product of Australia". 3. Collecting pollen from the bees as they return to the hive has been shown to reduce the swarming instinct.

Finally, I would like to thank Steve Murphy who put a lot of time and effort into making the Quiz such a success and we look forward to Martin Hann as our Quiz Master next year.

JEAN FRENCH

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DBKA - PLYMOUTH BRANCH - HONEY SHOW 2019 – RESULTS & WINNERS

No. Class Prize Winner Second V H C 1 2 x 1 lb jars of Slater Light Run Honey Cup David Milford Andy Roger Round Lennon 2 2 x 1 lb jars of Edwards Medium Cup Jean French Andy Steve Russell Run Honey Lennon

3 2 x 1 lb jars of Tucker Dark Run Honey Cup David Milford 4 2 x 1 lb jars of Winnicott Crystallized Honey Cup Ian Staples

5 2 x 1 lb jars of Perpetual Creamed Honey Trophy David Milford Ian Staples

6 1 Pair of beeswax Prosser Candles Tray Steve Murphy Jean French Jean Russell

7 1 Bottle of Mead Mansfield Tray Steve Russell Ian Staples 8 1 Shallow frame Eric Goss Branch Apiary For extraction Tray Ian Staples Claude Pool Frame 9 1 Jar of Honey Interserve Labelled for Sale Tray Steve Russell Jean French Jo Jones 10 6x 1oz blocks of Poole Beeswax Tray Steve Murphy - - 11 Wax Open Class Bandvulc Tray Steve Russell Jean French Steve Murphy

12 Honey Sandwich Ward Cup Liz Hill Liz Wallis Pam Marks

13 12 Pieces of Barton Honey Fudge Cup Jean Russell Liz Hill Steve Murphy

14 Novice Class Milford Cup Peter Green Annette Benny

15 Open Class Mayflower Marina Cup Steve Russell Claude Pool Ian Staples

16 Junior Cass PBKA Mug Grace Staples Josh Pool Joe Staples

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PLYMOUTH BEEKEEPERS LIBRARY

Library books and DVDs are permanently kept at the apiary site. Books are separated into three categories (Novices; General; Specialised) and numbered with a colour-coded system to help you choose the right book. The numbers are on the website

If you have a request on a particular topic and would like help to choose the right book please contact me and I’ll be happy to help. If you read one of the books and can recommend it (or otherwise) then please let me have your feedback.

Liz Wallis, Windlestraw, Penquit, Ivybridge PL21 0LU Tel: 01752 698384 Email: [email protected]

Link to PBKA Library www.plymouthbeekeepers.btik.com/LibraryBooks

Contact Details – Plymouth Branch

Member Chairman Terry McAuliffe 219573 [email protected]

Advert Vice Chair Neil Downing- 309483 [email protected] Waite Secretary Jean French 338279 [email protected]

Treasurer Bernie Talling 709470 [email protected]

Editor Dawn Clarke 309483 [email protected]

Branch Liz Wallis 698384 [email protected] Librarian

Apiary Patrick 07887 [email protected] Manager Mansfield 997764 So cial Claude Pool 215827 [email protected] (Claude) Secretaries Ian Staples [email protected] (Ian) Microscopist Annette Benny [email protected]

Spray Liaison Jo Jones [email protected] Officer

DBKA Website - Members Area Password:

If you have forgotten the password, contact Terry McAuliffe or Jean French. 21 www.plymouthbeekeepers.btik.com

The February edition of our new- look magazine for the new decade will have recently arrived on your doormat, and we do hope you are enjoying the new presentation and series of articles as well as your established favourites. We have received a great many compliments so please keep them coming. They are truly appreciated after all the hard work that has gone into the new design. It seems a long way off but the spring trade shows are looming. Check out the dates here on our website and why not take a look in our shop while you are there. Got something to sell or want to buy something specific? Don’t forget you can place adverts for personal sales or for your association in BeeCraft. Further information can be found through this link or if you have a specific query, by contacting our Advertising Manager on adverts@bee- craft.com. We also provide a service for you to promote your courses. Both facilities are available in our magazine and on our website, so ideal for potential new beekeepers to discover what is going on in their area. On the front page we have our Asian Hornet Update link. It holds some useful information and links if you've not taken a look and it will be the place where new information is added throughout the year as it becomes available. We will be launching new books this year, so watch this space and be the first to be in the know! More information to follow!

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The Buzz – Honeybees & Beekeeping

Wisbech bees killed by 'morons' in hive attack

Two vandals branded "braindead morons" have been captured on CCTV attacking the hives of endangered bees.

Conservationists believe as many as 10,000 rare bees may have died in the attack at Wisbech Castle, Cambridgeshire.

The hives were established in the castle grounds last July in a bid to boost numbers of British black bees.

Read more on the BBC website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire- 51313829?intlink_from_url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/cpzppl5n g3rt/bees&link_location=live-reporting-story

'Like sending bees to war': the deadly truth behind your almond milk obsession Bees are essential to the functioning of America’s titanic almond industry – and billions are dying in the process Read more on the Guardian website: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jan/07/honeybees- deaths-almonds-hives-aoe-surfing/

Scientists modify honey bee gut bacterium to fight colony collapse-causing Varroa mite and deformed-wing virus Colony Collapse Disorder caused the loss of an estimated 40 per cent of honey bee colonies in the US last year — the worst winter decline on record for tracked hives since research began. Now researchers have genetically engineered a bacterium that lives in the gut of honey bees, to boost their ability to fight off pathogens that are often responsible for colony collapse. Read more on the ABC news website: https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2020-01-31/honey-bees-insect- colony-collapse-varroa-mite-deformed-wing/11905980

23 www.plymouthbeekeepers.btik.com Queen bees more likely to be executed by their workers if they mate with multiple males, research shows

Queen bees are at a greater risk of execution from their workers if they mate with more than one male, new research has found.

Read more on the Telegraph website: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/01/19/queen-bees-likely- executed-workers-mate-multiple-males-research/

They survived fire and toxic fumes. So what happened next to Notre Dame's bees?

Hives that survived catastrophic Paris cathedral blaze are healthier than ever, says beekeeper.

Read more on the Guardian website: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jan/31/they-survived- fire-and-lead-poisoning-so-what-happened-next-to-notre-dames-bees- aoe

EU honeybee population is on the rise

In recent years, the number of EU beehives and beekeepers has grown, resulting in a 16% increase in production between 2014 and 2018.

Read more on the SciTech Europa website: https://www.scitecheuropa.eu/number-of-eu-honeybees-is-on-the- rise/98927/

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HEMBURY BEE SUPPLIES

Agents for the main manufacturers We can supply all your Beekeeping needs Foundation – Hives – Frames - Jars And many, many more

We can be found at: John Harler Outer Finches Hembury Cock Hill, Buckfast, Devon TQ11 0HN

Tel/Fax: 01364 642517 Mobile: 07769 878476 Email: [email protected]

Please Phone before you make a visit

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