First Words from the Editor ...

We were all shocked, when in mid July, we learned of the brutal killing of Jim Britton and his wife Joan in their home in Strensall.  

I have a membership list dated 1982 and Jim was a member then.   He was on the Committee from October 1989.   He was Chairman from 1991 to 1993 before returning to the Committee until 1994.  Last year at the age of 79 he decided to give up beekeeping and the Association auctioned his bees and equipment.  He generously donated   half the sale price of his bees   to the Association, swelling our coffers by £536.  Our condolences go to their family.   

On the same day we heard of the death in a road accident of Mike Ellsworth from South Milford.  Mike was a retired pig farmer and new to beekeeping (although his father had kept bees in the past).  He enrolled at our beginner’s class last year and was smitten by the beekeeping bug and was running 23 colonies at his death.

Mikes funeral was held at The Immaculate Conception Church at Scarthingwell,  not far from his home at South Milford.  He is interred in South Milford Cemetery.  Our condolences go to Mike’s family.

John Acheson, Frank Arnold, David Aston, Ken Barran, John Fuller, Colin and Debbie Hattee, Sue Hesp and Bob Hirst attended his funeral.

You are reminded that your subscription to York Beekeepers is due on 1st October.   You are also reminded that at the meeting held in April 2004 the period of grace for paying your subscriptions was reduced from six to three months.  This gives you until the 31^st December 2004 to make your payments.

We will be holding our Honey Show again when we hold the AGM on Wednesday  20^th October at Murton.  We will be using the room adjacent to the café.  The classes will be the same as last year.  The only change is to class 13, where we have introduced a new recipe.  Exhibits will be accepted from 19.00 on the evening. Ivor Flatman will once again be our Judge. The schedule is enclosed with your copy of “Combings”.

David Aston and I went into Goole recently and purchased a new cup for the Honey Show to replace the Alf Race Cup that has no more room on it for winners names.   Hence forth it will be known simply as the “Honey Show Cup”.

The new cup is silver plated and larger than the present cup. We paid £110 for it with engraving extra.

You will recollect that in the June edition of “Combings “, I mentioned the “Awards for All” grant of £3000 that we have received from the National Lottery.   At the Committee meeting held on Monday 14^th June it was announced that Bob Hirst had purchased bee suits  (trousers and smock tops) for  the  primary use of the beginners class.

It was also decided at that same meeting that it was no longer feasible for members to use the extracting facilities in the bee pavilion – mainly due to Museum security – that the Association should, instead, purchase three stainless steel hand powered extractors for members use.  Colin Hattee has shopped round and come up with a good deal.  The idea is that they will be held at three sites around York for members to collect, use, clean and return.

I have seen these extractors.  They are 6 × 3 tangentials. Nice little machines and ideal for those starting in beekeeping where the initial outlay is high, to use and form their own opinion as to what to purchase for them selves at a later date.

They are held by :

Rob Coleman.     ‘phone’  01 904 762 532
Sue Hesp.              ‘phone   01 904 489 449
Jenny Smith           ‘phone   01 904    706 941

I was extracting honey in my shed at the beginning of June.    The afternoon I took the supers off the hives and started extracting was fine and warm.  The honey spun out of the comb into the extractor and from the extractor into the strainer and thence in to tubs very easily.  I was not able to finish on the first day so had to finish off the next.  What a difference.  The honey in the supers had cooled over night becoming very thick which meant it took twice as long to spin out of the combs.  No doubt I left more honey on the cell walls than I had on the previous day.  Running the honey out of my extractor and through the strainer seemed to take forever.   It was raining heavily at times on the second afternoon and all the time I was struggling with my honey, a blackbird was singing its heart out in a nearby tree.  It was heartening to listen to it.

When I emerged from my shed late in the afternoon the rain had stopped and while I stood and looked around I had to dodge house martins flying below head height chasing insects.  I was taught that if swallows, swifts and martins where flying high it was a sign of fine weather, if they where flying low it was a sign of bad weather.  No doubt based on the fact that if it is raining, insects will look for shelter the same as us.  If it is fine and dry they will be everywhere.

I was asked by a member to assist in requeening a bad tempered colony.  This is some thing we all have to do at some time and inwardly cringe at the prospect.  The easy way is to pour half a pint of petrol into the hive, but not only do you get rid of your queen, but all your bees and a prospective honey crop as well.

So, putting on a long sleeved shirt and a woolly jumper and a pair of thick trousers under my bee suit for added protection we set too.   I have a hive barrow, so our first move was to pick up the errant colony and put it on the barrow and move it 20 yards from it‘s site, leaving the supers on a spare floor for returning bees.  Every ten minutes or so we would return to the barrow and drum on the sides to get the bees into the air and away from where we were working.

These bees were angry.  The gauntlets of my gloves where peppered with stings.  Being double wrapped (and sweating profusely as it was a hot afternoon) they could not get at me.  After half an hour we set about looking for the queen in a much depleted brood box and found her on the fourth frame. She had been marked which made the job easier.   She was promptly snuffed out and a caged queen introduced immediately.

The hive was reassembled on it’s original stand and we retreated breathing a sigh of relief.  The job had gone well and took us an hour to do.

Four days later, I was told that the bees had released their new queen. After five weeks the colony temper was much improved.

Some friends of mine had a hive of bees in an odd corner of their garden which they wanted to put to another use, and , having enough bees , offered the bees to me provided I returned the wood work.

The problem then was to get the bees into one of my brood boxes. To simply shake them in I would loose all the brood, setting the colony back a long way.  

I put them on site for a few days for them to re orientate, then took them to the other end of my apiary and substituting  my brood box. The idea being to drift the bees back to their original site leaving me with a depleted brood box in which to find the queen.  She was soon found and transferred into my brood box.  On top of my hive I put a Snelgrove board with my friends hive on top of that, then, by opening and closing the doors in the Snelgrove  board,  allowed me to drift the bees from the top box into the bottom box.   After three weeks, when all the brood in the top box had emerged, I was able to remove the top box and return it to its owner.

There was an early model of Thorne’s 12 frame Mk2. for sale at our auction. It had a soil heater attached to the side with black sticky tape, so on first sight it looked a bit tatty.  It was electric with the motor underneath mounted on runners.  It had three set speeds controlled by a pivoted lever on the front. Speed was increased or decreased by moving the lever back and forth. This in turn slid the motor back and forth on its runners.  The motor was at an angle to the runners. On the end of the motor shaft was a soft pad which bore on an aluminium plate attached to the cage inside the drum. It is the first time I hade come across such a drive. Although it was an old machine it had a lot of life left in it.  It was sold for £42.

I asked a member of staff at Thorne’s about it. He reckoned that it could be as much as 40 years old.

Soil heaters are thin cables to be used, as their name suggests, to be buried in soil to help with the propagation of seed and seedlings.  To wrap one round your extractor will help honey run down the sides to the sump.  The cost of such a heater  in Thorne’s catalogue is currently £113, but no doubt can be go cheaper else where.

Manning the bee pavilion on Sundays.  The pavilion was fully manned  this year. The Committee wishes to thank those who gave their time to help the Association.  If you did not get your name down for this year, contact Secretary Colin Hattee and he will put your name on next year’s list.

Although the Rechabites have nothing to do with York Beekeepers apart from us holding our meeting in their hall some years ago.  I spotted an entry in a morning newspaper about the Rechabites Friendly Society only accepting  tee totallers    as policy holders.  I became intrigued and started digging around and came up with the following :

Rechabites, in the Old Testament, clan of nomads of Kenite ancestry founded by Jonadab, son of Rechab (see Jeremiah 35), which made a successful stand against Baal worship in the time of the Hebrew prophet Elijah (see 2 Kings 10: 15-28). They strongly opposed Canaanite luxury, the agricultural life, and the religious corruption they associated with these.

Typical of their opposition to civilization was a rejection of the cultivation of vines, which grow slowly and to them suggested the non nomadic life. Because of their resulting abstention from wine, the term Rechabite has been used by and of those who abstain totally.

I also received a letter and had a long conversation with Member Terry Cooper who gave me a lot of information on Manx Rechabites.  At the top of the Manx Rechabites web page is their coat arms.

A very elaborate affair with an ornate shield - an angel on one side holding what looks like a very large quill pen and a vestal virgin on the other holding a bouquet of flowers. The shield itself has the sun the moon, a serpent, three tents plus a couple of other symbols.  On top of all this is a straw skep with bees flying round it.   (Many organisations use bees and skeps in this manner to signify hard work and thrift).  At the bottom of the coat of arms is the motto “PEACE + PLENTY, THE REWARD OF TEMPERANCE”.

One last point I cannot resist from the Manx Rechabites web page.  In a letter to the editor of a Manx newspaper dated 1837, a reader complains about the high cost of a sea passage to Liverpool.  Today, 167 years later, the same complaint is still being made!   

Thinking Ahead ... by David Aston

My term as Chairman of the YDBKA ends in October this year. I have thoroughly enjoyed the role and hope you have been happy with my efforts.

Rob Coleman, our Vice Chairman has been very supportive and pro-active to the Association.

The purpose of this note is to tell members as to how the Association chooses its next Chairman and Vice Chairman.

At the AGM in October members of the Association are asked to elect a new Committee; members putting their names forward for nomination. If required a vote is held.

The Chairman is then elected by the Committee from members within the elected Committee at the first Committee meeting after the AGM.

As well as the Chairman and Deputy Chairman standing down, we will be having a change of Secretary.   Colin (and Debbie) Hattee have served us well as Secretary to the Association and now feel it is time for them to hand on the role to another member. Colin has drawn up a short list detailing the duties of the Secretary; so if you are interested in doing this very vital job for the Association please give him a ring or send an email expressing your interest to find out more.

What follows is a summary of the Secretary’s duties compiled by Colin Hattee:

	Prepare Agendas and Minutes for all Committee meetings – and distribute
	Prepare Agendas and  Minutes for all Association meetings - and distribute
	Prepare all Agendas and Minutes of AGM's - and distribute
	Liaise with Murton Park to ensure required premises are available on various dates & times - monthly meetings, committee & AGM's, Auction etc
	Organise a rota of Members to be present at the Bee House during the summer months - and notify all those members & Murton Park of their dates
	Liaise with the Treasurer
	Arrange for a programme of speakers/ events for the Winter, including other relevant events ie Annual Dinner
	Arrange a programme of Apiary Visits for the summer programme, including other relevant events taking place ie Auction and summer barbeque
	Liaise with the Training Officer to include the Training Schedule in the relevant programme.
	Arrange for printing and distribution of the Programmes
	Maintain the Archives of the Association

History of York & District Beekeepers Association ... by Alf Race

At this time New Earswick members were being invited to our functions which eventually led to our taking over that Association in 1959.

Also about this time we learned from Mr C.P.Wadsworth of Goole that the Ousedale Association had deteriorated and Messrs Cass, Graham and myself paid a visit to Goole one wintry evening in 1959 and made arrangements for that Association to be amalgamated with York Association (perhaps not wholly in accordance with the County's rules) and we were able to transfer their capital of £60 to our York funds which was a considerable boost to our meagre assets in those days.  We thought it only right to present Mr Wadsworth with a pen and thank him for his services as Secretary of the Ousedale Association.

I think, probably from this point in time we gradually prospered. Frequently raising the membership fee till it is now £3, 40 times the original fee, and even so compares favourably with the £8 fee in the Yorkshire District.   Also the interest in beekeeping increased to the extent that from a balance of about £9 forty years ago we now nearly have 100 times this figure.

I only remember one note of unpleasantness and that was unfortunately in connection with a great friend of mine Mr Bernard Leafe.  It was on the retirement of Mr A.G. Higgins, Secretary of Yorkshire BKA for many years.  We were deciding on the amount we should give towards a presentation to Mr Higgins and an amount was voted on and carried almost unanimously.  But this amount was not in accordance with Mr Leafe's ideas and he left the Association and joined Scarborough.  This was a sad loss to York and although I often visited him and begged him to come back, he was adamant.

After 27 years as Secretary and Treasurer, I resigned and Mrs Sonia Rose took over as Secretary and Mr Peter Rhodes as Treasurer.  The latter being very soon succeeded by Mr Dick Gardener who took over at a very difficult time.  

I had spent two years trying to get the association classed as a Charity.  The first approach to the Income Tax people resulted in being informed that there was no chance of being successful.  However, after numerous visits to the Tax office, a letter of application to the Charity Commissioners, and we were accepted.

This broadly meant we were able to claim a refund of one third of our member’s subscriptions who paid income tax and this was a big financial help, but gave our new treasurer quite a formidable task in claiming the refund each year.  However, thanks to Mr Gardiner, this was put on a sound basis and his post has now been taken over by Miss Joanna Bradshaw and our new secretaries are Mrs Hilary Baul and Mrs Judith Gaynor.

It is a pity to end on a sad note, but we have lost two stalwarts in 1984 in Mr John Barton our Vic President and one of the originals and Mr W.Slinger of Alne, a dear friend of the York Beekeepers.

Healthcheck ... by David Aston

This is David Astons quarterly contribution for the well being of your bees.

Wasps

Wasps are a nuisance at this time of year, so always narrow your hive entrances. In the case of small colonies it should be about 1-2cm only. Wasps will overcome colonies very quickly if allowed access. Check you have the roofs on tight and that there are no holes leaking honey, or any honeycomb in the apiary.

Are your colonies queen right?

Moving bees from one location to another and the general handling of bees increases the risk of damage being done to the queen. Quite often this can lead to a colony becoming queenless, but more often supercedure takes place at this time of year. It is easy to make the mistake when going into the colony not to find the queen or to see eggs and conclude the colony is queenless. Take a little more time and check the faces of the brood combs for single queen cells. Don't be tempted to cut them out if you find them. The presence of drones is also a sign that the colony is not happy with its current queen and that supercedure may be in progress. Sometimes you will see both queens present on the same comb at the same time. Queenless bees are usually bad tempered.

Varroa control

In the late autumn and over the winter period when brood rearing is restricted the Varroa mites over winter solely on the bodies of the adult bees within the winter cluster until brood rearing begins again the following year. In mild winters brood rearing can be quite early and may even be as early as Christmas.

It is now recognised that control of the Varroa mite reduces the prevalence of viral diseases e.g. Deformed Wing Virus and Slow Paralysis Virus.

Timing your varroa is critical for the following reasons:

The colonies require:

	A good population of "winter bees" i.e. bees that are physiologically adapted to live longer (over winter) than summer bees.
	If you treat too late the brood producing these winter bees may be damaged.
	If you treat too early there is the possibility a colony already treated may be invaded by bees from colonies that are collapsing because of Varroa/viral disease and may re infest the treated colonies. You will know nothing about this until Spring and you find damaged adults and a poor spring build up.
	Always carry out an autumn treatment for varroa.

The use of Apistan® or Bayvoral® is still the most reliable knock down treatment to control varroa especially if the weather is cold and damp at the time of treatment. We should be aware of the possibility of pyrethroid resistant mites developing but this will only happen if we misuse the treatments or colonies already containing resistant mites are moved into our area. If you think you have pyrethroid resistant mites seek advice and a resistant test can be carried out for you.

Please note:

	Always read and follow the manufacturer's instructions.
	Instructions are written so that the treatment will be at its most effective and will protect your bees.

Good colonies with a population of healthy winter bees are the best springboard for the next season.

Winter stores

You might think that August is a bit early for talking about winter stores but it seems this year the seasonal weather patterns are different and the usual nectar sources may not last as long as usual. Don't be greedy and take off to much honey. I have known beekeepers extract honey from the brood combs and then feed them with sugar syrup. Honey is the best over wintering food for the bees. Sugar syrup requires processing by the bees and it is quite energy intensive for them to have to reduce the water content of the syrup so it can be stored in the comb without fermenting over winter.

Introduction to Beekeeping Course ... by Sue Hesp

Sue Hesp who organised this years “Introduction to Beekeeping”  course sends you this report on the course:

The beginners course has ended and I would like to welcome our fledgling beekeepers to the Association and hope they enjoy many years of beekeeping. Eleven members completed the course which ran for nine weeks.

The tutors: John Acheson, David Aston, Ken Barran, Rob Coleman, John Fuller, Colin and Debbie Hattee, Bob Hirst, Alan Johnston, and Margaret Langstaff, put a lot of thought and effort into making their classes interesting and informative and everyone enjoyed the experience. I would like to thank all the tutors and Ann and William Johnson who were pressed into service to act as mentors for the beginners offering extra assistance when required.

I would also like to thank Jenny Smith and my daughter Sophie who helped with setting up the pavilion and preparing refreshments.

A lot of the course members this year already had bees or bought bees early in the course and this meant the tutors were put through their paces answering questions on every aspect of beekeeping. I think everyone learnt something new even the tutors.

Ken Barren provided us with a video evening which showed last years beginners removing honey at last years apiary visit to his bees. We also saw the crops used for migratory beekeeping and some of the places Ken has visited abroad at beekeeping conferences. This evening gave the beginners a real insight into the year of the migratory beekeeper.

Rob Coleman provided us with a swarm which was put into one of the new national hives at the apiary with the use of a board and everyone was able to watch the queen walk into her new hive. John Fuller then used the next practical lesson to join one of the failing colonies to this new hive. These are just a few highlights of the course which were enjoyed.

All in all the course has been a team effort and a great success. I look forward to next year .

Bees in a Bag ... by Colin Hattee

This unusual story has been sent in by Colin Hattee

I have heard of bees in a hive, bees in a nucleus, bees in a skep and bees in an apidea, but never bees in a bag!A few weeks ago I was telephoned by a gentleman telling me he had put a swarm into an old potato bag and would I like it?

Unfortunately I was unable to collect it until much later that day due to other commitments. The potato-bag-bee-collector kindly said he would deliver the ‘bag’ that afternoon whilst I was out.

True to his word, when I returned, the bees were left under the car with a note telling me where they were through the letter box.

The swarm was of average size and appeared not to have suffered despite its unusual temporary home.

I was relieved that he had left them at the right address – imagine coming home to find a bag of bees under your car if you were not a beekeeper!

A first – or do you have a better story?

Great Yorkshire Show ... by Debbie Hattee

Debbie & Colin Hattee volunteered to act as stewards at the Great Yorkshire Show.  Debbie reports on an eventful day.

It’s 6am on the first day of the Great Yorkshire Show at Harrogate and the alarm clock beeps to awaken us – fortunately it is already a lovely clear morning, if a little misty, but we are up and off and enjoy the drive to Harrogate, which proved to be amazingly traffic free, enabling us to arrive and park at the Showground just after 7.30am

We commenced our day at the Bee Pavilion by ‘manning’ the Observation Hive which was situated near the Pavilion. We had a steady flow of interested visitors to whom we talked ‘bees’ for a couple of hours or more.

It was amazing how varied the age range and interest of the visitors, but they mostly asked the same question at some stage:

‘Where’s the Queen?’

The responses we got when pointing out the Queen bee, which, I hasten to add, was clearly marked green, were many and varied, the usual one was:

‘She’s not very big is she?’ accompanied by:  ‘She doesn’t look that much different from the others really’

The choicest comment was: ‘Isn’t it clever that she has that green mark on her back , you’d never be able to find her without it’

When we realised that it was thought she was actually born with the green mark, we had to alter our approach & explain that the beekeeper has to find her and mark her, and it’s a different colour each year.

During the day, which ran from 7.45am arrival at the Pavilion to 7.30pm when we left the Showground, we did have some ‘time off’ to enjoy the day. There were a number of other helpers so we all had time for a look round, and the odd break for a cup of tea and a sandwich.

We loved the animals, which we still feel is what the G Y S is all about, so we took some time to admire the sheep, pigs, horses and particularly the bulls, but from a distance! The flower and food areas were very interesting and very well designed, and the craft stands were full of a very high standard of goods. The farm machinery and cars were many and varied and the whole showground was alive with interested people enjoying the day –which turned out to be warm and sunny.

The actual Bee Pavilion was full of honey for sale from the other various helpers, and also honey for tasting, which was very popular. As well as the usual beekeeping items to try to add interest and enthusiasm to all who popped in. The CSL was represented and the couple who were there on Tuesday were advising beekeepers and others about bee diseases

We were so lucky to enjoy the first day of the Show as we were able to see the honey judging taking place in the main hall, lots of entries, honey, cakes, wax, mead, frame, candles etc and also the judging at the Bee Pavilion of the live bees in a nucleus box.

We really enjoyed our day, even though it was very tiring and we were both suffering from sore throats with all the talking, We used our time to promote beekeeping in general and YDBKA in particular, by handing out printed information we had prepared and also giving people our website address- I wonder if there were any more hits to the site following the GYS – I hope so.

What you all wanted to know ...

They say it takes all sorts to make the world -see what you think of this:

Mr Emil Bittermeyer of Salzburg, Austria, established a new record for bumble bee racing.  He trained his bee, Gustav, to complete 162 circuits of a greyhound racing track in 3 hours 2½ minutes.  Mr Bittermeyer said modestly “It’s simple really.    I just attached a bunch of honeysuckle to the mechanical hare.  Gustav did the rest”.  His bumblebee must have been on a special diet to have that amount of stamina!

I found this gem of useless information on the back of a beer mat that I picked up some time ago and threw into a drawer.  It came to light when I was having a tidy out. I knew it would come in handy one day!

Horoscopes ... by Madam Debbie

This is the final part of Madam Debbie’s horoscope.

VIRGO.   24 AUGUST - 23 SEPTEMBER

You analyse everything!  You love facts and know all sorts of rubbish about everything. Practical, reliable and organised - a true perfectionist. You can be quite modest and shy.  At your worst you can be over critical, fussy and a worrier. Don't be too hard on yourself

The 'not quite clear' heather honey is how people sometimes see you. However as with this golden amber rich, chewy honey, any effort proves worthwhile.

LIBRA.   24TH SEPTEMBER - 23 OCTOBER.

You need a partner!   You like to look good and desire a beautiful and harmonious lifestyle. Romantic, charming and sociable - you love a good natter. You have a fine intellect and are a great diplomat. There is also an artistic side to you.  At your worst you are indecisive and can sit on the fence, you can also be a terrible flirt.   e sophisticated flavour of lavender honey best suits your charming personality. The clear honey with the pale golden colour and a medium consistency. The delicate flavour is reminiscent of lavender flowers and quite sweet, though it ends with a touch of harshness

SCORPIO.   24 OCTOBER -22 NOVEMBER

Don't cross a scorpion!  Determined, controlling, powerful and passionate. You have strong emotions and are very intuitive. You also have reputation for being highly sexed!   At your worst you are jealous, obsessive and will take revenge.  The sharp flavour of lime blossom honey best suits your strong personality. A clear honey, light amber in colour with a greenish tinge, it has a strong heady aroma and tang, a slight sting in the tail just like you!

SAGITTARIUS.   23 NOVEMBER - 21 DECEMBER

Mr/Mrs optimistic!  Open - minded, freedom loving and a zest for life. Jovial and good humoured, you have an interest in sport and intellectual pursuits. You love to travel and discover new places and people  At your worst you feel restless and have a reputation for being tactless.  The zesty flavour of orange blossom honey, and its superb fragrance best [Unp1] [Unp1]compliments your love of life and positive outlook. This honey is fairly sweet with a flavour full of almonds and fresh orange rind

Past Events

Wednesday 26th May

The summer season of apiary visits began with a meeting at my home apiary at Barmby.  It was a fine evening if a little chilly.  There was a good turnout with 16 members attending. I had two weak colonies, and as two beginners where at the meeting it gave them the opportunity to look through a full size colony as opposed to the smaller ones kept at Murton.  The evening ended with my wife laying on sandwiches and tea.

Wednesday 9th June

This evening’ meeting was held at the home of Colin and Debbie Hattie at Holme on Spalding Moor.  It was another fine warm and sunny evening with 14 members turning up.  Colin showed us what he did with a colony that had a laying worker – he knocked all the bees off each frame in turn and let them find their way into another hive and taking the brood box that they had come out of away so none could return.  

This is a problem we all face at some time – a queenless colony. Having given the colony a frame of eggs, a queen cell, a virgin queen even a mated queen, all to no avail.  Once a worker starts laying then I know of no way of making that colony queen right other than uniting.

Colin had a small colony of bees for Norman Thompson who has just taken up the craft. Norman transferred the bees into his own box and went home with his first colony.

Debbie rounded off the evening with refreshments.

Monday 14th June

A Committee meeting was held in the bee pavilion.  Among the topics discussed where :- subscriptions, Associate members, the BBQ, the training course and the “Awards for All” grant.

Wednesday 23rd June

This evening’ meeting was to be held at the apiary of Margaret Langstaff at Wilberfoss.  During the day we had experienced heavy, and at times, prolonged rain which was forecast to continue into the evening and she decided to call the meeting off.

Saturday 3rd July

This was to be the evening of our annual barbeque that was to be held at the home of Colin and Debbie Hattee, but due to heavy rain and strong winds, they reluctantly cancelled it during the afternoon.  18 members with their friends and spouses where expected to be there.  It is the second event in our summer programme to be called off because of inclement weather.

Wednesday 7th July

There was a good turn out on a cool windy evening for our visit to Rob Coleman’s apiary at Wiggington.  Rob had a hive on a double brood box and three supers.  He wanted to make them up into six nuclei with a view to over wintering them and putting them into the auction next spring.  This he did. He then showed us his Dartington Long Deep Hives.   These have twenty one 14 × 12 frames. Rob had made a long hive using standard 8½ inch frames.  We then made up a five frame nuc for Norman Thompson who had also taken a nuc from Colin Hattee.    I am indebted to Norman for going to collect two swarms that I had received notice of.  He lives out side York and both swarms where in York.  The evening ended with tea and cakes in Rob’s kitchen.

Wednesday 14th July

The Honey Show Sub Committee met at Murton to discuss our Honey Show to be held at the AGM in October and specifically to discuss a replacement of the Alf Race Cup.

Wednesday 21st July

John Acheson has compiled this report of our regular meeting that was held at Jenny Smith’s apiary at Askham Bryan.  A fine but overcast evening greeted the dozen members who attended the meeting at her secluded apiary amongst the bracken.  Two of Jennies hives had considerable piles of dead bees outside and Jennie explained that she had suspected spray damage, having witnessed the contractors working during the day.  Samples sent to the NBU were reported clear of spray!  Those present who had previously witnessed the effect of spray damage considered the NBU verdict as being very suspect.  Bob Hirst examined the hives and found indications of acarine (K wings ) as well as a surplus  of drones. He advised treatment of the disease and replacement of a lot of drone combs.  The members adjourned to Jennie’s immaculate garden for refreshments and a gossip.

Wednesday 4th August

Our meeting at William and Ann Johnson’s home at Moor Monkton was the last of our summer apiary visits.  A dozen Members attended on a warm overcast evening.

While looking through a strong colony to find the queen and mark her, greater wax moth was found in the bottom corner of two adjacent frames towards the outer flank of the hive.    With colonies becoming smaller now that the season is coming to a close, could this small infestation wreak havoc during the winter?  The evening ended with supper outside in the gathering darkness.  

Monday 16th August

A regular committee meeting was held at Murton.  The Committee where introduced to Ian Kimble, who has agreed to be our new President.  Mr Kimble  is a local man well acquainted with country side matters being associated with Country side Landowners and the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.  Among the topics discussed at the meeting where :-   accounts and subscriptions, our Constitution, “Awards for All”, the Honey Show.  Russell Carey reported that our web site has had 1058 hits.  Another inventory is to be held at Murton.  If you have any thing that belongs to the Association, please let us know so that it can be included in the inventory.  

For Sale

1lb squat honey jars with screw lids are available from Colin Hattee at £28.00 per gross.  Lids are available separately at £4.50 per half gross.  Colin will bring them to meetings or they can be collected from his home by prior arrangement.   Contact him on 01 430 860 972.

 

One Lega Superinox stainless steel settling tank and filter. Capacity 100kg.  Bought from Thornes for £120.  Unused.  Will accept £70 – no offers. Contact Alan Johnston on 01 904 448 338.

Forthcoming Events

Wednesday 15th September.  19.30.  Murton

Lester Quayle of Beverley BKA will tell us about “Beekeeping my Way”.

Wednesday 20th October.  Murton

York Beekeepers Annual General Meeting and Honey Show.    Exhibits for the Honey show will be accepted from 19.00.

Thursday  21st, Friday 22nd and Saturday  23rd October

The National Honey Show is being held at it’s new venue – the RAF Museum , Hendon, which is close to junction 2 of the M1 motor way.  For us coming from the north, probably a little easier to get to than previous venues in central London.  For more information, contact: - Reverend Francis Capener, 1 Baldric Road, Folkestone,  CT20  2NR.  Telephone 01 303 254 579 or e-mail: nathon@zbee.com .One of the major obstacles to exhibiting at the National is getting your exhibits to and from the show.  This year, Thorne’s will take your exhibit to the show from their head office in Wragby and hand it over to a steward for staging.  After the show they will bring it back to Wragby.   This is free of charge, all you have to do is get it to Wragby by Monday 15^th October and pick it up afterwards.  I think this is a generous offer by Thorne’s, for it could entail a lot of work for them.

Sunday 3rd July to Wednesday 6th July 2005

The Royal Show at Stoneleigh where the British Beekeepers Association have their headquarters.

York & District Beekeepers Annual Honey Show 2004

The Association’s annual honey show will be held at the Yorkshire Museum of Farming, Murton on Wednesday 20th October.  Exhibits will be accepted from 19.00 on the evening.

Schedule of classes

Class 1.        Honey light clear.
Class 1a.       Honey light clear.  Novice.
Class 2.        Honey medium clear.
Class 2a.       Honey medium clear.  Novice.
Class 3.        Honey dark clear.
Class 3a.       Honey dark clear.  Novice.
Class 4.