NOTTINGHAMSHIRE BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION

Welcome to the Website of
Nottinghamshire Beekeepers Association
NBKA

EFB to remain a notifiable disease.

There was a rumour that EFB (European Foul Brood) may be removed from the list of notifiable diseases. We have had a communication from DEFRA stating that EFB is to remain on the list of notifiable diseases.
The other notifiable diseases are AFB (American Foul Brood), Small hive beetle and Tropilaelaps.
If you think you have found a notifiable disease in a colony then reassemble the hive. Reduce the entrance to prevent robbing. Put a voluntary standstill on your apiary and inform the local bee inspector and your local secretary.

Your help, please, if you keep bees in post codes: DE75 7; DE11 9; NG10 5; WS15 2/1

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SWARMS of Honey Bees-do you think you have one?

If you think you have a swarm of honey bees please, look at this page on the BBKA website and follow the guide. If it is a swarm you will be able to find a swarm collector on the website.
Please note that beekeepers on the whole are not able to move bumble bees. Bumble bee nests die out at the end of the summer. If possible leave them alone until they complete their life cycle.

BeeMaster- the monthly Newsletter of NBKA is emailed monthly to all members. If you are a member and have not been receiving your email copy then it may be that we do not have your correct email address. Please send your correct email address- either to Penny or to Janet and we will update our records.

2019 Practical Sessions at the Apiaries

These have now finished for 2019. If you are a non beekeeper and you are interested in seeing inside a beehive please contact Janet

Asian Hornet Threat 2019 and AHATs

It is likely that there will be incursions of the Asian Hornet into the UK in 2019. Last year there were 8,000 reported sightings although obviously most of these were false alarms. There are likely to be even more reports this year and possibly more nests identified.
It is likely that the resources of the NBU Bee Inspectors will be overwhelmed if more than 3 or 4 sightings occur at the same time.
In conjunction with the NBU local BKAs are forming Asian Hornet Action Teams (AHATs) to increase the resources available to support the bee inspectors. Their role will be to confirm sightings/photos/place traps locally/watch for flight lines.
The Association AHATS must quickly become an important reserve on which the NBU can rely to keep outbreaks under control.
The Midlands are coming together for the purpose and Sam Hampton is a coordinator of the larger group.
Destruction of nests will be carried out by pest control operators.
It is important to report any suspected sightings of this species as soon as possible. Find out how to identify Asian hornet by downloading an Identification Guide, or visit the BeeBase website.
Yellow legs and a mostly black body are key features.
Note that the AH nests in the UK have not been as large as those found in France.
Ideally photographs and/or a specimen should also be obtained.
Sightings must be reported to the NNSS Non-native species secretariat. alertnonnative@ceh.ac.uk
Any foundress queens that have escaped from nests last year will be about in spring.
The AHAT coordinator for NBKA is Penny Forsyth

Feeding bees- it will soon be time to feed out bees if you have removed their honey. Get ready

For further information, please see the ‘Best Practice Guidance No. 7 - Feeding Bees Sugar’ on the following BeeBase Page: http://www.nationalbeeunit.com/index.cfm?pageid=167

A New Teaching Apiary in Hucknall-update-20th June 2019

We have been lucky enough to get a grant from Tesco's Bags of Help scheme for community projects. The Bee Garden is on an allotment in Hucknall. The allotment was completely overgrown but much of it has now been cleared and 4 colonies of honey bees have now been installed.
Sessions for members wishing to take the Basic assessment are now underway. We have been hampered by the dreadful weather there has been recently and some sessions have been undercover, just talking through the syllabus for the Basic without even lighting a smoker! Hopefully, the candidates will get a chance to hone their practical skills before long.
The candidates for the Basic assessment are due to take the assessment very soon (Aug 18th and 21st). Thankfully the weather picked up and the bees been busy foraging around the allotments. A bed of borage planted by Dianne is very popular with the foragers.
We hope to have taster days for non beekeepers to have a look in a hive and find out a bit about beekeeping. If you know anybody who would be interested please let us know.
Updated 10/8/19