West Sussex Auction

Dear Fellow Beekeeper

With the new beekeeping season fast approaching the West Sussex Beekeepers’ Association is again holding its annual Bee Market and Auction for the benefit of members and non members.

The event will take place at Chichester College's Brinsbury Campus in Pulborough on Saturday 30th April.

For further details visit the West Sussex BKA website www.britishbee.org.uk/local/westsussex/auction or contact me by email or phone 01403 752493.

A copy of the Auction flyer and entry form are on the website.

Paynes Southdown Bee Farms will again be in attendance. Any orders placed with them online before 30 April may be collected from their stand at Brinsbury. www.paynesbeefarm.co.uk

Please ensure you indicate collection will be from Brinsbury when placing your order.

Podcast from Phil Chandler

The subject of Phil's latest podcast is Dr Henk Tennekes, who was born in The Netherlands, and after graduating from the Agricultural University of Wageningen in 1974, he performed his Ph.D. work at Shell Research Ltd in the UK. He later worked for 5 years at the Cancer Research Centre in Heidelberg, Germany.

The culmination of Dr Tennekes' research was his recent discovery that the way the neonicotinoid insecticides work has much in common with that of chemical carcinogens - cancer-causing agents.

When he realized the dire consequences of environmental pollution with these insecticides, he decided to write a book to warn the general public about an impending catastrophe.

The title of Dr Tennekes book is: The Systemic Insecticides - a Disaster in the Making. You can read more about him and his book at www.disasterinthemaking.com

This is an issue that should concern all beekeepers, everywhere. Neonicotinoids are being sprayed on a wide range of crops worldwide, and right now they could be putting at risk a number of species of insects, as well as the birds, fish and other creatures that depend on insects for food.

We could just sit back and let this happen. But then, what are you going to tell your grandchildren when they ask, "Where have all the bees gone?"

You can listen to Phil's interview with Henk Tennekes at http://biobees.libsyn.com or search for 'Barefoot Beekeeper' on iTunes.

Beekeeping for Beginners

Beekeeping for Beginners


A six-week introduction to beekeeping to be held at the National Trust Manger Barn, Lacock High St, Lacock.

Cost £40

31st March, 7th, 14th, 16th, 21st, 23rd, April, 7th May 2011 Thursday 7.30pm – 9.30pm & Saturday 10.30am – 1.00pm

The course will include:

• Getting to know the Honey Bee,
  
• Honey Bee Husbandry,
  
• The Beekeeping Year,
  
• Diseases that can affect the Honey Bee,
  
• Equipment for the Beekeeper
  
• Practical Honey Bee Handling

Limited to 25 Places


For more information call 07 800 608 652 or email Patrick Anderson

Dismal end to the season

I have gone into winter with just three colonies.

Three weak ones were destroyed by wasps.

So I have two WBC hives for sale. Any offers before they go to ebay?

I will cut down the number of types of hive that I operate from three to two: Commercial and Polyhive.

Keeping more than one type of frame format is barmy - it just happened that way. So now I need to rationalise.

Next job: dose the hives with Oxalic acid. I did this last year and the bees survived. Would they survive anyway? Dunno. Do they have a big varroa infestation? I don't think so. But I'll follow the prescribed treatment.

News from the home hive: the weather has just warmed up to about 8C. A few bees are on cleansing flights and there are quite a few bodies on the landing board, so they have had a clean-out.

Planned meetings

Thanks to Martin Ellis for this.


29th November a talk on Bees Abroad by John Bee ( His real name)

No meeting in December.

January 31st Another chance to see the acclaimed film ' The Vanishing of the Bees' Also open to any other bee groups.

28th of February.The art how to make mead by Bob Needs. ( Of Needs Meads)

BBKA gives in to pressure and will cease to endorse pesticides

Follow this link for the original. Thanks to Phil Chandler and Deborah S-M for the tip-off.

As an educational charity, the BBKA is primarily concerned with the health and welfare of honey bees and seeks to educate, inform and influence all parts of society including beekeepers, the public and industry about honey bees. Over time, a number of arrangements has been made between the BBKA and third parties, who have been attracted to entering into relationships with the BBKA for a variety of reasons, but all of which have been agreed on the basis they will deliver benefits to honey bees. It is necessary to review strategically the appropriateness of these relationships from time to time to ensure that they continue to be relevant, effective and indeed do deliver the intended benefits.

Usually such arrangements have meant the granting or licensing of the use of the BBKA logo (which is a registered trade mark) on the literature and goods of the third party. The BBKA strategic review intends to assess the options and opportunities available to it to develop its brand name and to develop others.

One such strategic relationship has been the BBKA policy of actively engaging with the plant protection industry in an attempt to improve stewardship of pesticides and agricultural practice to minimise damage to honey bees and to ensure that the views of beekeepers are taken into account in the development of pesticides and their application in the field.

This relationship started in the 1980's and has taken a number of forms, including sponsorship of the BBKA’s presence at the Royal Show and more recently, the BBKA has agreed to allow its logo to be used on four synthetic pyrethroid based products. These products on the basis of evidence provided and in conjunction with the stewardship activities of the supplying companies, appear to offer reduced risks for harm to honey bees when used correctly. The BBKA has received modest payments for these endorsements part of which covers the costs of administration and meetings held to engage with the companies. Positive developments that have come from this policy have included the inclusion of the BBKA 10 point guidelines into the UK Pesticide Guide, the so-called ‘Green Book’, published by BCPC and most importantly, significant reductions in bee colony losses attributed to pesticides, from the 100 or so per annum in the 1990s to the current negligible figures.

The four products currently subject to BBKA endorsement are today of declining commercial importance and the development of new classes of pesticide and application techniques means that the relationship with the plant protection industry should be reviewed. The way in which the BBKA will engage with the industry as a whole and individual companies will vary, but an example of the wider approach to be pursued is the co-operation over the production of the recently published Crop Protection Association (CPA) leaflet ‘Bee Safe, Bee Careful’ which bears the BBKA and NFU logos.

As a first step in the overall review of strategic relationships the BBKA Trustees have decided that it is time to broaden the range of engagement with the crop protection industry beyond the narrow focus of endorsing certain products; rather to contribute more directly to the development of new regulatory criteria for pesticide approval with the Chemicals Regulatory Directorate (CRD) and to further support the industry in the general move to improve countryside stewardship. For example, this might include promoting specific initiative such as nectar bars, tree planting and restoration of hedgerows.

Following discussion with the companies involved, the BBKA Trustees have decided that endorsement and related product specific payments will cease as soon as practically possible.

The Trustees do not preclude accepting funds in the future from either the crop protection industry in the guise of the CPA or individual companies nor other organisations involved in horticulture and agriculture, which are beneficiaries of honey bee activity. The Trustees have no specific funding proposals in mind at present, but for the sake of clarity do not wish to be constrained by any notion of working with one particular industry on a 'free' basis, whilst accepting funding from individual and other corporate members to fund its activities. For example the Trustees may wish to invite companies to fund a future research colloquium, to exhibit at the BBKA Spring Convention or make a contribution to the BBKA Research Fund.

As part of its strategic review the BBKA is developing a range of other products, including literature, a distinctive house style, sponsorship, logos and devices and wishes to be able to further develop these to maximise their impact and financial benefit. It is essential that any that any contractual arrangements made meets the requirements of the BBKA strategy for the coming years, with the overall aim of encouraging society to take measures which will help honey bees.

Martin Smith

BBKA President

16th November 2010

Trevor Guley has turkeys for members