Bees & Refugees

The project was the idea of 35 year-old Shepherd's Bush resident Ali Alzein, who fled his home and life in Damascus, Syria. He arrived in the UK in 2012 but found it hard to adjust. https://www.spacehive.com/local-honey

https://www.shepherdsbushw12.com/

East Surrey Bees

Two very nice-looking nucs added to the stash today, from East Surrey Bees
http://www.eastsurreybees.co.uk/

Swarm, or cast?

Too high to reach, unfortunately, and no access from the roof

Tang It!

Called out to collect a swarm today, the bees pushed off moments before I arrived. Maybe tanging would have helped. My preferred method is cussing.

https://digital.nls.uk/moir/tanging.html

Five bee colonies die after hives trashed and honey stolen in Flintshire

More bee-rustling: http://www.deeside.com/police-appeal-for-information-after-beehives-trashed-and-honey-stolen-in-flintshire/

'Tis the season to be wary...

Bees contribute more to British economy than Royal Family

You read it here last (story from 2015!):
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/wildlife/11679210/Bees-contribute-more-to-British-economy-than-Royal-Family.html

Honey for Hospitals!

Friday 17 April 2020 Dr Alasdair Driver is acting Chair of East Devon Beekeepers Association ( EDBKA ). He says just before the lockdown for corona virus he needed hospital treatment. "Just before the world entered into global disarray, I had to undergo some minor treatment at the Royal Devon & Exeter hospital, where I received the most amazingly excellent care. So, it occurred to me that with the added pressures and stress the staff there are now under, a small gesture from a grateful member of the beekeeping world may be of use." This then blossomed into a bigger idea of the branch to offer a larger amount of honey for the staff to enjoy. "So, with the backing of the EDBKA committee to raid the apiary supplies, I asked the hospital if a donation of honey for the staff would be useful .....back came a resounding YES!"  Dr Driver and his wife ordered special labels and spent Easter Monday morning jarring up and labelling over 130 jars of honey for the staff.  ...

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Swarmshaker

Neat way to grab a swarm... https://twitter.com/i/status/1249581328963682309

Lockdown cripples migratory beekeepers

Beekeepers in India have found themselves banned from travel during the coronavirus lockdown:

https://kashmirreader.com/2020/04/14/lockdown-cripples-migratory-beekeepers/

Average winter losses

Our beekeeping association reports average winter colony losses of 33%.

Beehives destroyed in suspected arson attack

Infuriating news: https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2020-04-08/police-appeal-after-pensioners-beehives-destroyed-in-suspected-arson-attack/

Stanton Fitzwarren by Highworth, near Swindon

Starvation in a land of plenty

Another colony lost to starvation. In this case, they had eaten all the winter fondant and a fair bit of the fondant placed on the hive in January - about 1 kg in total - but it was too far from the cluster.

I heard of a near-by apiary where 7/8 of the colonies have starved this winter.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20442957-starvation-in-a-land-of-plenty

Temporary Office Closure March 2020

Office Temporary Closure  The BBKA is closing the office for 3 weeks due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. During this time no orders from the shop will be processed.  The phone lines will still be answered but please bear with the staff during this time as there may be delays. The phone lines are being redirected but only one call can be taken at a time. It will be easier for staff if you send an email to bbka@bbka.org.uk or direct to the team member if you know their email address. Advice for beekeepers tending hives during Covid-19 Pandemic  Swarm Collection curing Covid-19 Pandemic  If you are enquiring about Swarms please see our swarm page If you have a beekeeping question please join the BBKA Forum If you have made an order from the shop after 24/3/2020 it will not be processed until staff return to the office. If you have a question about Asian hornets please see our AHAT map page If your question relates to be added as an AH...

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Very annoying

At times like this you regret having docile bees, and dream of a feisty colony chasing the vandals high and low...

Dead clever

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/03/how-undertaker-bees-recognize-dead-comrades

Cash crop - and it's not the honey

According to this piece, migratory beekeeping can earn up to $200,000. Crikey.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/to-bee-or-not-to-bee-the-great-dilemma-zrlztxwl5

Beekeepers can make $200,000 in a few weeks by sending hives across the country, says Matias Viel of pollination start-up Beeflow Photo: Gabriela Hasbun, https://www.gabrielahasbun.com/ 

Midlife crisis

What if all the wasps disappeared?

Slightly annoying presentation style, but fun all the same.

Hive Records Using Bricks!?

Vandalism

Well, it happens. Annoying, to say the least.

https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/crime/2020/03/11/telford-beekeepers-plea-after-hives-are-vandalised/

The Nineteenth Tee

Spotted at the Royal Wimbledon Golf Club. Very nicely kept hives, and all busy on a mild March morning.

Starvation

On a warm day I checked my colonies, Jericho beekeeping style, and saw that there were no flying bees from one colony.

Closer inspection showed that they had starved. There were plenty of stores, but probably out of reach during the cold snaps. Like Stewart's video, the colony had fondant, which they had earlier been eating.

Found a relevant video from Norfolk Honey.

Kangaroo Island Bees

The bush fires in Australia have devastated Kangaroo Island, apparently one of the few places where pure strains of Ligurian bees flourish.

This fella is trying to rebuild his business - https://gogetfunding.com/bee-keeper-needs-funds-after-bush-fires-in-kangaroo-island-south-australia/

Upper entrance, anyone?

This is the first I have heard of this. Reading between the lines, it may be the last, too:  https://www.honeybeesuite.com/the-upstairs-downstairs-intrance-better-hive-access/

The Honey Bee Suite blog is *excellent*

See also https://www.honeybeesuite.com/a-gentle-warning-about-upper-entrances/

How bees argue

Great article here, http://www.overcomingbias.com/2020/01/how-bees-argue.html

I particularly like the overcomingbias.com statement:

"This is a blog on why we believe and do what we do, why we pretend otherwise, how we might do better, and what our descendants might do, if they don't all die."

Note: We, and our descendants, are all going to die, but you get what they mean.

Personalized number plates - in Georgia

Well, what about this? January 7 edition of Bee Culture

Controlling varroa

The Bad Beekeeping Blog has a nice summary of some academic articles on controlling varroa. Read them here: https://badbeekeepingblog.com/2020/02/15/a-guide-to-controlling-varroa/

Scott Bauer, USDA

Extra Bee Health Course

Due to the high demand for places on the Bee Health Courses that the BBKA are running in March, we have arranged an additional date - Sunday 29th March 2020 at the National Beekeeping Centre, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth.  For more details and to book a place, please go to the shop on the BBKA website. https://ift.tt/2HBI7DO This email has been sent to all Area Association eR2 Managers, would you please share this information with your branches and members? -ends- 

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St Valentine's Day

Biscuiteers!

Beekeeping wisdom

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-51401315

Trustees 2020

Trustees The BBKA was founded in 1874 and originally brought together some 26 county beekeeping associations, not to replicate their work, but to be in a stronger position to represent their interests at government level and to facilitate a nationwide educational structure supported by a common examination process. Currently we run as an umbrella to our 74 Associations. Each Association has one elected member who votes on all things beekeeping in the UK, at our Annual Delegate Meeting (ADM), at the beginning of every year.  Appointed at the ADM are the President and 12 Trustees, who collectively comprise the Executive Committee (EC) that is the governing body of the BBKA. Delegates may adopt propositions at the Annual Delegate Meeting that provide policy direction to the EC. We are now a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)  This page lists the trustees for 2020.  This page also includes an email address for each trustee as well as information about w...

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Know your bees

Nice book with excellent illustrations.
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/s?k=Know+Your+Bees&i=stripbooks&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

Wisbech bees killed by 'morons' in hive attack

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-51313829

Honeyland

Bargains at the Spring Convention

The Spring Convention Trade Show is a wonderful place to shop for beekeeping bargains. Many of the bee companies offer special discounts for Spring Convention purchases which means you save lots of money on your equipment. It's a wonderful opportunity to have the chance to look at new equipment too, and to meet the lovely staff from these shops who package up your orders.  If you're new to beekeeping then it is an opportunity to look at bee hives and make decisions about what sort you'd like to work with.  If you pre-order from suppliers you can meet them at their pick up points to collect your orders.  You will need a wristband to enter the trade show, you can buy this at the reception on arrival.  Trade Show (Saturday) Only Wristband is JUST £5 On-The-Day - no advance purchase needed The Trade Show Only Wristband does not give access to lectures, workshops or seminars. It does give you access to  ‘Speakers Corner’ wher...

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Iran Ranks Among Top Honey Producers in the World - and check out the Bee Venom

Iran produces more than 80,000 tons of honey every year, Agricultural Ministry officials said during a ceremony held to unveil achievements in the beekeeping industry recently.

CEO of Beekeeping Industry Expansion Support Fund Behzad Bankipour said that over the past five years, Iran’s beekeeping industry shifted its focus from producing only one main product, namely honey, to producing other bee secretions such as royal jelly and bee venom, Fars News Agency reported. 

According to Morteza Rezaei, deputy agriculture minister for livestock affairs, said each gram of bee venom is exported at around $80. [my emboldening]

https://financialtribune.com/articles/domestic-economy/101904/iran-ranks-among-top-honey-producers-in-the-world

Number of beekeeping farms double in 2019 - in Azerbaijan

https://www.azernews.az/nation/161047.html

How Neonicotinoids Can Kill Bees

From the Xerces Society, free download

https://www.xerces.org/publications/scientific-reports/how-neonicotinoids-can-kill-bees

Blue Monday vs Beekeepers' Mental Health

One of the big advantages of beekeeping is that it diverts me entirely from cares of the day.

Confronted with yet another bee-behaviour situation that I don't know how to manage, I have no remaining head-space to wallow in the ludicrous piffle of Blue Monday, for example.

Right now, I'm thinking only one thing: will the bees survive the winter?

Always more to learn

Now here's a thing. In Adrian and Claire Waring's book "Get Started In Beekeeping," they mention as a throwaway comment that over-spinning frames can lead to honey laced with fine bubbles.

Dang.

How much does a jar of honey cost?

If you're p-honey, a 340g jar sells for £9.00 (£26.47/kg, or £12.00 for a one-pound jar).

The web site www.p-honey was not available when I visited. I found an article in the local press.

https://www.thorntonheathchronicle.co.uk/the-key-to-good-honey-happy-bees/

Hallucenogenic Honey!

Hallucenogenic Honey!

Every day I am more totes amaze than yesters: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/16/creating-a-buzz-turkish-beekeepers-risk-life-and-limb-to-make-mad-honey

 Kutluata makes traditional hives of lindenwood in his workshop above the village of Yaylacılar.
Photograph: Gökçe Saraçoğlu

Get started in beekeeping

For such a modest title, this book is full of gold:

Suitable both for those just considering the prospect and those who are already fascinated beekeepers, this guide to setting up, maintaining and maximising bees in the back garden is an indispensable and readable bible of information and practical advice.

It covers everything from bee behaviour to what to do with honey, and balances all the background context on bee biology with the day-to-day and seasonal practicalities of running hives in any location, in the country or the city, and for colonies of all sizes.

Supporting resources include a 'bee calendar', troubleshooting section, illustrations, photos, a glossary and details of courses and organizations, in an essential guide for anyone who is fascinated by the ancient ways of the apiarist.

Thiacloprid ban

https://www-dailysabah-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.dailysabah.com/europe/2020/01/14/eu-commission-bans-bayer-pesticide-harmful-to-bees-humans/

Congratulations to all those who passed their Basic Assessment in Beekeeping in 2019!

We hope you all have an excellent year beekeeping in 2020 - well done on a fantastic achievement. Basic_Results_for_2019.pdf

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Scientific Beekeeping Newsletter: Please Confirm Subscription

Scientific Beekeeping Newsletter Please Confirm Subscription For questions about this list, please contact:  randy@randyoliver.com

The bee is declared the most important living being on the planet. Except me, obvs.

https://science-andinfo.blogspot.com/2019/07/the-bee-is-declared-most-important.html?m=1

Save Our Bees, says Prima

From Prima June 2019. (Finger on the pulse as always...)

Strewth!

Well worth reading:
https://www.beeculture.com/catch-the-buzz-aussie-fires-destroy-bees/

Like sending bees to war

Fascinating article: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jan/07/honeybees-deaths-almonds-hives-aoe

Dennis Arp stands for a portrait outside Rye, Arizona.
Photograph: Caitlin O’Hara/The Guardian

Dennis is also US winner of Dirtiest Beesuit 2019

Foxed by Sophie Allport

I think I may have all of Sophie Allport's bee-related merchandise (https://www.sophieallport.com/collections/bees).

I'm thinking of keeping foxes instead.

Cup Gum Honey (how much does a jar of honey cost?)

Cup Gum honey, from Kangaroo Island, off the coast of Adelaide, Australia. The island claims to be the oldest bee sanctuary in the world and is the only place where true ligurian bees are known to exist. The hives were brought to the island in 1888 and their descendants are still producing light, delicate honey flavoured with eucalyptus and local flora – with a hint of caramel.

Seen in WBKA news January 2020

A 1 kg jar will set you back $26.00. See https://www.organicbuyersgroup.com.au/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=220&products_id=53

2020 Spring Convention - Everything you need to know

Friday 3, Saturday 4, Sunday 5 April 2020 The Beekeeping Event of the Year! 20+ Lectures; 50+ Workshops & Seminars for all levels of beekeeping experience including BBKA Funded Research Session Friday Large Trade Show Saturday  ♦ Not for Profit Exhibitors Friday and Saturday Excellent facilities; great value catering and accommodation available Book Now Click on the BLUE links below for more information  Download the Full Programme or FAQS Read How to Book using the web-based system. AVAILABLE AFTER MONDAY 13th January 12 noon booking for Wristbands, Workshops & Seminars, Accommodation and Dinners. Click for the three day Events Schedules . Details of the Lecture Programme are here Workshops & Seminars information is here; please read before booking. Tradeshow Saturday 4th only; all the main suppliers/leading companies Read about Accommodation & Catering here Getting from Priorslee to HarperAdams Activi...

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Fortnum & Mason (How much does a jar of honey cost?)

Presumably honey from masonry bees. See https://www.fortnumandmason.com/products/truffle-honey-200g, £14.95 / 200g (ie about £33.90/lb)

Honey Coke

I have absolutely no idea what this ad means.

Footbeeall

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-africa-50896946/bees-send-footballers-diving-in-tanzania

Bumblearly

Bombus Terrestris visiting flowers this morning, with full pollen baskets!

Dogs sniff out AFB

An old story that's new to me: dogs being used to sniff out AFB

https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2018/10/18/bee-disease-sniffing-dogs.aspx

Diary of a Curmudgeon at Kew Gardens

Visited The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in SW London, and looked around the 'The Hive,' a big structural thingmabob about bees. Yet the info card (pictured) waffles on about 1,000 LED lights. Hmmmm. 

As usual, no-one is prepared to call out the Emperor for wearing no clothes. 

How much does a jar of honey cost?

In this case, if you have to ask, you cannot afford it...

Deadline for UK drone registration approaches

Best silly comment on the BBC:

34. Posted byBigWillie

on47 minutes ago

i'm a bee keeper....do i need to register my drones?

• ReportComment number 34
• Link toComment number 34

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-50595271 

Tesco pulls honey off shelves amid purity concerns

See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-50551385

Apparently (a) Richmond Council (in South West London) acted after a tip-off and (b) tests were conducted using nuclear magnetic resonance techniques.

Much as I like honey, you'd think NMR could be put to better use.

Honey, I shrunk the, er, honey

Teeny 30g pots on sale in Caffè Nero 

ASIAN HORNET Vespa Velutina nigrithorax CONFERENCE

ASIAN HORNET  Vespa Velutina nigrithorax CONFERENCE The NATIONAL BEEKEEPING CENTRE  Stoneleigh Park Warwickshire CV8 2LG 10am-16.00 on Saturday 8th February 2020 This conference is free and for all Asian Hornet Team Leaders or representatives from Area Associations. Initially there will be an opportunity for two representatives from each Association area but if requested more individuals may be able to attend, it is dependent on the maximum numbers in the hall. Regional Bee Inspectors are also invited. The purpose of the conference is to learn more about Asian Hornets and the current research, examine the experience during 2019 and develop a way forward considering  suggestions from those involved in incidents Nigel Semmence, Sandra Gray (NBI) and Belinda Philipson (Defra Policy) will update the conference on the current position and also answer questions during the conference. Steve Martin will be sharing his knowledge about Asian Hornets and Xesus Feas...

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Zinc toxicity

Another fascinating post from HoneyBeeSuite: https://www.honeybeesuite.com/is-zinc-toxic-to-honey-bees/

Vexillology

Flag of the commomwealth of bees!
https://www.reddit.com/r/vexillology/comments/dy99k1/flag_of_the_commonwealth_of_bees/

The God Beelusion

I like this reference to bees, handed out to Brownies in a list of graces:

Bees of paradise,
Do the work of Jesus Christ,
Do the work that no man can. 

I presume the casual sexism of the grace refers to drones...

Near miss!

Power lines may mess with honeybees’ behavior and ability to learn

Here's the report: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/power-lines-may-mess-with-honeybees-learning-behavior

Here's the gritty:

In the new study, bees were subjected for 17 hours  — the amount of time they would spend overnight in a hive — to either 100 µT or 1,000 µT, a typical EMF level within a meter of the transmission line. The bees were then put through several behavioral and learning tests.

In one test, bees were familiarized with a floral smell. The bees were then put through five trials in which they were exposed to the smell for several seconds before experiencing an electric shock. The researchers measured how many trials it took the bees to learn to defensively extend their stingers in response to the smell instead of the stimulus.

“It’s basically Pavlov’s dogs with bees,” Shepherd says. At both EMF levels, exposed honeybees were slower than unexposed bees in learning to associate the smell with the shock. Only a third of the exposed bees learned to do it after the five trials, compared with half of the unexposed bees. Exposed bees also were more likely than unexposed bees to exhibit aggressive behavior, such as biting or attempting to sting other bees.

Hmmm... 17 hours is one helluva long night, and I don't know of any hives within one metre of a power line.

Biodling, againling

Can a 'bee friendly zone' help save Stockholm's pollinators?

https://www.thelocal.se/20170524/can-a-bee-friendly-zone-help-save-stockholms-pollinators

Biodling

In Stockholm for a few days, I discovered that the Swedish for 'beekeeping' is 'biodling.' Which is pretty much as cool as it gets.

Pick from https://mightyhive.com/, which has nothing to do with beekeeping.

The truly bizarre (but very friendly, I think) Cool Hive

Cool Hive https://coolhive.com/ uses lots of bee-related language (pollinate, buzz, workers etc) but features no actual beekeeping. A bit like this site, I guess.

On the other hand, Cool Hive sells trendy kitchenware, https://coolhive.com/coolkitchensupplies/, which I don't.

Ho hum. (See what I did there?)

https://coolhive.com/

How much does a jar of honey cost?

Honey, Honey, Honey, It's a Rich Man's World

In the ABBA museum, Stockholm. I think it was about SEK100

Scientific beekeeping

To learn more, you really should visit the excellent http://scientificbeekeeping.com/

Hidey hole

From https://www.reddit.com/r/Eyebleach/comments/dpls1h/beekaboo_macro_shot/

Hallowbeen

You Can Now Get Costumes For Your Hamsters For Halloween

https://odditymall.com/hamster-guinea-pig-halloween-costumes

Anti Honey-Laundering

Here's a cracker: https://www.beeculture.com/catch-the-buzz-rampant-honey-fraud-spawns-creation-of-new-certification-program/

I *love* the "GenuHoney" moniker. I mean, if anything sounds fake, it's "GenuHoney."