Members Evening 11 January 2010
Snow and ice have been with us now for about three weeks, although cold outside we had a friendly welcome and chat together and also some newbees.
Gavin Ramsey gave us news of the Bee Inspectors and welcome news to have in March this year 4 full-time posts agreed by the Environment Minister for Scotland. These people will be fully occupied as we do not know the full extent of the continuing outbreak of the European/American foul brood. Bee farmers will only be allowed to move clean colonies after inspection by an authorised person.
The recommendation to hobby beekeepers was in the early spring to change the comb by a doing a Shook Swarm, a kinder method is the Bailey Comb Change recommended by Graeme Sharpe.
Printed handouts were offered to explain to beekeepers how to change the comb.
Stan Franklin explained the beekeeping terms that we all use and beginners need to know. He advised sending for a Thornes Catalogue as much can be learned from it but careful about buying too much, as only a little is needed. The Foundation codes in the catalogue were DN and SN - deep National and shallow National, rose a few laughs as many of us didn’t know that. Wired foundation for extracting and unwired shallow for cut comb. Brood must be wired for the strength and he showed how to nail into the frame, a bit of dissention there as all of us have our own way whether the nails go down or through the sides. Hoffman Frames for deeps-brood and Manley for shallow frames-honey.
Stan had an Eke he has made his a depth of 75ml, they are used for feeding and raising the brood chamber. An Eke plus a Super can make another brood box if needed in a hurry. The cover board is an inner roof and hole for the bee escape. The floors he uses all have wire mesh as it is a control for the Varroa 25% fall through the mesh, an advantage is the hive does not get damp.
Stan finished by explaining the different types of honey.
Lastly Ian Lilly hopes to encourage all the beginners to show their honey in the Dundee Food and Flower Festival 3rd to 5th September this year. The art of showing, attention to detail, warmed honey extracted strained in a very fine mesh cloth. He had a porringer (double saucepan) said do not put honey directly on the heat but warm gently in water to the consistency of evaporated milk. Wash jars well clean until they shine and angle them as you pour the Rape honey inside to the correct weight. Mid-season honey put in overweight and a few days later skin the bubbles off with a teaspoon. Heather honey is not extracted but squeezed through a fine cloth. The judge will shine a torch on the jar and the light will show any imperfection. Two jars are needed in each category.
Ian a fine carpenter made small frames of 2.5cm wide wood for the cut comb; other methods using a top bar have difficulty removing from the hive. (I have used a super frame with a strip of unwired foundation at the top as a starter for the bees.)
June Braithwaite brought to the meeting a polished block of beeswax and a display case for a perfect frame of sealed honey, necessary to prevent robbing by wasps when showing. Ian said showing was good fun and we can sell our honey at the show.
Well done our members for an enjoyable evening.
Snow and ice have been with us now for about three weeks, although cold outside we had a friendly welcome and chat together and also some newbees.
Gavin Ramsey gave us news of the Bee Inspectors and welcome news to have in March this year 4 full-time posts agreed by the Environment Minister for Scotland. These people will be fully occupied as we do not know the full extent of the continuing outbreak of the European/American foul brood. Bee farmers will only be allowed to move clean colonies after inspection by an authorised person.
The recommendation to hobby beekeepers was in the early spring to change the comb by a doing a Shook Swarm, a kinder method is the Bailey Comb Change recommended by Graeme Sharpe.
Printed handouts were offered to explain to beekeepers how to change the comb.
Stan Franklin explained the beekeeping terms that we all use and beginners need to know. He advised sending for a Thornes Catalogue as much can be learned from it but careful about buying too much, as only a little is needed. The Foundation codes in the catalogue were DN and SN - deep National and shallow National, rose a few laughs as many of us didn’t know that. Wired foundation for extracting and unwired shallow for cut comb. Brood must be wired for the strength and he showed how to nail into the frame, a bit of dissention there as all of us have our own way whether the nails go down or through the sides. Hoffman Frames for deeps-brood and Manley for shallow frames-honey.
Stan had an Eke he has made his a depth of 75ml, they are used for feeding and raising the brood chamber. An Eke plus a Super can make another brood box if needed in a hurry. The cover board is an inner roof and hole for the bee escape. The floors he uses all have wire mesh as it is a control for the Varroa 25% fall through the mesh, an advantage is the hive does not get damp.
Stan finished by explaining the different types of honey.
Lastly Ian Lilly hopes to encourage all the beginners to show their honey in the Dundee Food and Flower Festival 3rd to 5th September this year. The art of showing, attention to detail, warmed honey extracted strained in a very fine mesh cloth. He had a porringer (double saucepan) said do not put honey directly on the heat but warm gently in water to the consistency of evaporated milk. Wash jars well clean until they shine and angle them as you pour the Rape honey inside to the correct weight. Mid-season honey put in overweight and a few days later skin the bubbles off with a teaspoon. Heather honey is not extracted but squeezed through a fine cloth. The judge will shine a torch on the jar and the light will show any imperfection. Two jars are needed in each category.
Ian a fine carpenter made small frames of 2.5cm wide wood for the cut comb; other methods using a top bar have difficulty removing from the hive. (I have used a super frame with a strip of unwired foundation at the top as a starter for the bees.)
June Braithwaite brought to the meeting a polished block of beeswax and a display case for a perfect frame of sealed honey, necessary to prevent robbing by wasps when showing. Ian said showing was good fun and we can sell our honey at the show.
Well done our members for an enjoyable evening.
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Notes: East of Scotland Beekeepers
