Useful advice
September 2024 "Preparing for Winter" document is available here.
March 2024 "The first inspection" document is available here. This will explain how to avoid the tension and worry of carrying out the first inspection of the year.
March 2024 The presentation by Lorraine Johnston on the use of nuc hives is available here.
December 2023 - We have received the following advice from Arthur Hill -
I am aware that we have Association members who purchase fondant from local bakeries, and this could have side effects for the bees.
A) Most sugars used today in the baking industry are not cane sugars at all being mainly beet sugar.(not recommended for bees)
B) Some of these fondants contain an added preservative, and I'm not at all sure what that preservative is as there are different chemicals available all of which could be harmful to the bees.
I therefore recommend the use of fondant manufactured for the apiculture industry to be on the safe side.
November 2023 - Using nucs in beekeeping operations James D Ellis. This document featured in the November meeting when we discussed queen rearing.
September 2023 - A HAZARD ANALYSIS and CONTROL POINT document can be downloaded from here. This HACCP document was prepared by Shires Vineyard and Apiary. The purpose of the plan is to identify any risks associated with the production, extraction, filtration, packing and storage of Honey produced at your address and intended for retail sale.
July 2023 - Hints for showing honey can be found here.
September 2020 - "Preparation for over-wintering bees" - This document is available here.
August 2021 - Advice on preparing your bees for the winter can be found here. These were presented at the meeting at Fairfield Apiary on 21st August.
October 2022 - A gallery of photos from our member Jane Thomson showing her technique for processing heather honey.
September 2020 - now members will be getting on with extracting with a centrifuge there are times when the complete comb has to be melted down and the wax and honey separated. This page of photographs shows the technique used at Findon Mills for separating wax and set honey using a heated uncapping tray.
September 2022 - A gallery of photographs showing one method of processing scrap wax can be found here.
September 2020 - In view of this being the time for processing honey this document detailing the various temperatures related to honey, wax and mead should be useful.
July 2021 - Advice on how to identify and cure a colony suffering from Parthenogenesis (a laying worker) can be found here. Submitted by Arthur Hill.
March/April 2020 - "Hefting hives" - this article for the SBA website will be of interest.
September 2020 - "Acquiring bees" - a document prepared by the Committee offering advice on negotiating the 'purchase' of bees.
April 2020 - Advice on frame replacement - Members should always have a few new frames handy at this time of the year ready to replace old ones before the colony is in full flow. and that the queen hasn't been cornered into laying on such poor comb. If that happens move the bad comb to the outer limits of the brood box and when the brood has hatched remove and replace by placing the new frame in the centre position in the brood box. Throughout the season substandard comb should be worked to the outer limits of the hive in order that these may be removed if necessary without disturbing the brood nest too much. Arthur Hill, 10th April 2020
March 2020 - This link will take you to a document and photo provided by Arthur regarding the action to take if Dysentery is suspected in your colonies.
July 2020 - Whilst doing more housekeeping on the web site I came across "Varroa drone brood" - a paper prepared by Arthur Hill on his thoughts for a modification to a hive to encourage the creation of a small volume of drone brood foundation. My guess this was made available in "Latest news" and subsequently and erroneously deleted.
July 2020 - As above - discovered that the Asian Hornet link in the Library showed the image upside down! This link will recify that.
June 2020 - Whilst doing some housekeeping on the website I came across "A NOVICE’S GUIDE TO OPENING UP A HIVE FOR INSPECTION", dated 2019 and can't see its availability for members, quite why I don't know. Click on this link.
June 2020 - "Splitting a colony into a nuc box". This amended article can be downloaded here.
May 2020 - "Early Swarming" paper from Arthur Hill. This article can be downloaded here.
August 2019 - "Honey supering" document and "Dyce" method of creaming honey
In response to the many questions we get regarding the handling of honey, especially at this time of the year we have produced a document offering advice as to how to handle honey supers etc. In the "Honey supering" document there is reference to the "Dyce" method of creaming honey. These documents are stored in alphabetical order within the [LIBRARY] page available to members who have logged onto the site.
Some snippets from the Daily Telegraph for Saturday 16th March 2013 are available here.
This link takes you to the Chain Bridge Honey Farm website and some notes on beekeeping written by Willie Robson. Willie gave a very informative talk to the Association on Wednesday 16th November 2011 and judging by the numbers of copies of his book "Reflections on Beekeeping" that were sold many members were impressed with his knowledge.
Clicking on these 'links' will open the article in a new tab.
Hints and instructions to beginners in bee culture. (Which still hold good today.)
Extract from “Highland Folk Ways” I.F.Grant
Extract from Ross-shire Journal 9.8.1926 Heather Honey
Extract from "Beekeeping" March 2007 To banish bee stings!
Extract from "The Handy Book Of Bees" A.Pettigrew 1870 Beekeeping before our time