DBKA -Tiverton Branch

Beekeeping for Beginners Course

Session 8 – Getting Started

Tutor Derek Evans

THIS SESSION: We will look at

1. Insurance?

2. How do I choose a site?

3. Which Hive to choose?

4. Recap - What ‘Essential Equipment’ do I need?

5. Where do I get my Bees?

6. Look at equipment during the break

7. Practical Sessions –When & Where?

1. Insurance

1. As a member of the BBKA you are covered for public liability up to £10 million

2. Equipment

3. Ancient beekeeping law decrees that once you have decided to collect a swarm it becomes your property and you are liable for any damage

4. You must not trespass on somebody else’s land without the land owners permission

2. Choosing a Site

Home Apiary

• Pros

• Easy access

• Watching the bees

• All equipment available

• Cons

• Children

• Stings

• Getting in the way

• Muck on washing

____________________

• Rule of Thumb

• 3 feet 3 miles

Out Apiary

• Pros

• Large area

• Away from children

• Away from neighbours

• Cons

• Travelling time

• Inconvenient for observation

• Need equipment brought out

• Negotiate with land owner

• Must be protected from livestock

Setting up an Apiary

1. Consider neighbours

2. Flight path direction

3. Use object to raise flight path e.g. hedge, wall, fence panel 1.5m gap

4. Availability of water

5. Aspect S or SE facing sun

6. Space for 2 hives

7. Good access - Out Apiary

8. Vandalism - out of public view

Hive StandsAim to have the top of brood box at

comfortable height without bending

i.e. stand approx. 300-400cm high

Allow good ventilation beneath

3. Which Hive to choose?

3 most popular hives for ‘hobby’ beekeepers

• National 80%

• Langstroth 15%

• WBC 3% frames same as National

Once chosen expensive to change

Do not mix hive types

Choosing a Hive

National HiveWBC Hive

Thoroughly sterilise any 2nd hand equipment

Sodium Carbonate (Washing soda)

Scorching with a blow torch

Poly hives wash Bleach/Sodium Carbonate

Langstroth Hive

National Hive

• Pros

• Most popular

• Lightest to lift

• Number frames - Brood 11 Super 11

• Cold or Warm way for frames

• Most bee suppliers use National Frames

• Cons

• Single walled

• Capacity 57,000 brood box

Langstroth Hive

• Pros

• Capacity 72,000 brood box - largest

• Number of frames - Brood 10 Super 10

• Fewer frames when looking for the Queen

• Cons

• Heaviest

• Single walled

• Different size frames from National/WBC

• Only ‘cold way’ for frames

WBC

• Pros

• Double wall insulation

• Frames & foundation same as National Hive

• Looks like a beehive should look!!

• Cons

• Removing Lifts before boxes

• Number of Frames - Brood 10 Super 10

• Capacity 52,000 brood box – smallest

4. Recap - Essential Equipment

• Clothing all in one or jacket from £30

• Gloves latex NOT leather £10

• Wellington Boots ?

• Hive Tool J-type or spade type £15

• Smoker large £17

• Blow torch £15

• Hive (incl. frames & foundation) £240

• Bees £30-£200

5. Getting your Bees

• Buying a nucleus (5 frame nuc) £160 -£200

• If available buying a nucleus from our Apiary

• Catch yourself a swarm! – highly unlikely!

Buy from reputable local bee supplier:

Adam Vevers Ashburton 01364 653325

Ray King Crediton 01363 772007

Apiary Pilot Project

This depends upon the club catching sufficient swarms or

producing nucs for those that would like them

Plan

• The club catch swarms – June/July time

• Health check

• If confident you may purchase the nuc for a nominal

cost probably £30

Recap of the course

1. Meet the Bees What an experience!

2. Intro to Bees social insect all year - honey bees & Beekeepers Year social part year – bumbles, hornets,

wasps all needed for pollination

3. Hive & components Floor, Brood Box, frames, QE, Super, crown board, Roof

4. The Colony 16 21 24 10˚ 15˚ 35˚

5. Colony management natures way, artificial swarm

6. Bee & Colony Health varroa, nosema, E.F.B, A.F.B, chalkbrood

7. Plants & Hive products June gap

8. Getting Started How do I start?

6.

Look at the equipment during our break

7. Practical Sessions

at our Knightshayes Apiary

Saturday 2 – 4 pm

Session 9 - Apr First Spring Inspection

Session 10 – Apr General Insp. + a super?

Session 11 - May Swarm Prevention

Session 12 – May Swarm Control

Session 13 - June General Insp

Session 14 - Aug Honey Harvest

Session 15 - Aug Extraction (venue tba)

Session 16 - Sept Preparing for Winter

Directions to Knightshayes Apiary

• Drive up the driveway to Knightshayes NT

• head towards the Stables/Restaurant

• Just before the Stables take the road to the LEFT towards the Walled

Garden

• then immediately on meeting the hedge on your left

• drive into the yard on the LEFT

• Park

• Now walk out of the top LEFT of the yard, turn RIGHT and head up

the field. You will see the Green Portakabin, which is the club store

Devon Beekeepers Association

Tiverton Branch

President Keith Owers 01884 254977

Chairman Malcolm Crook 01884 821927

Tutors

• Keith Owers 01884 254977 Posthill

• Derek Evans 01884 257726 Tiverton

• Malcolm Crook 01884 821927 Willand

Apiary Team Manager

• Keith Owers 01884 254977

Local Bee Inspector

• David Packham 01392 881253

When you get your bees

register with BeeBase

• BeeBase is an invaluable resource

• The website also provides information on

the National Bee Unit, legislation, pests and

diseases, including their recognition and

control, interactive maps, current research

areas, publications, advisory leaflets

www.secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/beebase/public/register.cfm

A note from our Regional Inspector

• ‘The work of the Bee Inspector is quite broad, but the primary roleis bee health. This involves inspecting hives for notifiable pest anddiseases, but also includes giving advice and training on all otheraspects of bee health. There is a great deal of information onBeebase about our role which you might find useful. Pleasewould you emphasise to your new beekeepers theimportance of registering themselves on to Beebase.

• If you suspect that you have one of the four notifiable diseases orpests (American Foulbrood, European Foulbrood, Tropilaelaps,Small Hive Beetle) then you are legally required to notify aBee Inspector.’

Simon Jones SW Regional Bee Inspector

Sources of Equipment

• David Pearce a Club Member is the local agent for Thorne’s . Hecan take orders & bring then along to club meetings for collection.He also makes very good National Hives and frames. Bathealton,Wiveliscombe Tel No. 01984 623851

Useful Websites for all types of equipment:• www.thorne.co.uk Thorne (S.Molton)• www.bees-online.co.uk Maisemore• www.beekeeping.co.uk National Bee Supplies• www.simonthebeekeeper.co.uk Simon the Beekeeper• www.bee-equipment.co.uk Bee Equipment

• www.easibee.co.uk Bow• www.paynes-beefarm.com Paynes• www.bjsherriff.co.uk clothing only very good but expensive

Recommended reading

1. Haynes Bee Manual by Claire and Adrian Waring

ISBN 978 0 85733V057-4

2. The BBKA Guide to Beekeeping by Ivor Davis &

Roger Cullum- Kenyon

ISBN 978 1 4729 2089 8