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South Tipperary Beekeepers Association
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South Tipperary Beekeepers Association
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Note from the Editor It gives me a great sense of achievemen= t to revise this newsletter. I’m sure some of ye will remember that w= e did have something similar a few years ago. Like most activities it relie= d on a few dedicated people to do all the work. Hopefully this time we will= have a few extra people willing to submit articles and then we can issue t= wo copies one in September and another in April. These are outside the busy= season so no excuse. We hope that this will be another format for keeping = members updated on activities and related topics. We have several interesti= ng articles Gerry Ryan tells us how he managed to clip all his queens this = year, we all have problems in that area. The queen has also addressed us no= t to mention an article from Michael Mac. Mark Hearne talks about Bayvarol = resistant mites Something for everyone. I would like to thank those that he= lped so far with articles, helped to format and print this issue. Please do= not be disappointed if you were not asked for help as we have you name dow= n for issue no.2
Exam Success Congrats to all our students who did so= well in their exams. Pride of place goes to our newest honey judge Jim Pow= er. To the senior class, well done to Gerry, David, Moss, Irene not to ment= ion our 2010 lecturer Mary.
Also well done to our beginners too man= y to name. |
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à Editor’s Notes à Clipping and Marking that Queen à Recent Activities à Study Group à Further Activities à It started in Gormanston à Tips & winter work
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à Plan for 2010 à Resistance Movement à Have you got native bees à Honey for Mead à Important facts about bumble bees= à Ivy à Buzz Board
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Clipping and Marking That Queen. Gerry Ryan
There is an easy and alternative method of clipping = and marking the queen in your hive and I myself use this method more often = than not. It’s using a marker cage with a plunger. The cylindrical cage is made of clear plastic = about 8 cm. long and 4 cm. in circumference. One end of the cage is open an= d at the other end there is a plastic mesh-about 3mm.squared- affixed. This= mesh does not allow the queen to go through it when she is in the cage. The plunger is like a wooden lollipop stick with a c= ircular flat wooden platform on the top of the stick and a piece of foam at= tached to the top of the platform. The plunger moves freely up and down the= cage. As I said I use it frequently. I encourage the queen= into the cage gently and when she is in I push her up to the top of the ca= ge with the plunger. I press her up against the mesh gently. When her thora= x is visible between one of the mesh squares I mark her. Then I leave her w= alk around on the foam of the plunger for a few seconds. I then press her u= p against the mesh again and manoeuvre her to reverse by pressing the cage = against her head very gently. When one of her pair of wings protrudes throu= gh the mesh I hold her in position firmly and I clip her wing. Then I loose= n my hold of her against the mesh. <= /span> |
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When marked and clipped and standing on the plunger = I withdraw it gently from the cage and release her on to a frame of brood a= nd into the hive.
The advantages of this sys= tem are:-
1.
2.
3.
The disadvantages of the s= ystem are:-
1.
2.
3. However all in all it is a very good safe and altern= ative system, though a slow one, of clipping and marking the queen and the = cage and plunger is available from Thornes for about 5 euro. |
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Recent Activities Nationa= l heritage day was on Sunday 30/08/09. STBA had a stand in the Abbey car pa= rk along with several others ranging from basket makers, food stalls and fa= rm animals. The purpose of the day was to promote crafts and local produce.= Overall apart from the occasional heavy shower the day was a great success= resulting in about 20 enquiries for our beginners’ course <= /span> Study group I don&#= 8217;t know about you but come September we always seem to talk about winte= r classes and end up doing nothing. If you are considering doing some extra= curricular activity this winter why not consider joining our bee study gro= up. It is a very enjoyab= le evening every 2nd Monday and also y= ou can learn a great amount about the bees. Persona= lly I think that the day of not keeping up to date is over for the beekeepe= r. With the arrival of the varroa you really need a far greater amount of k= nowledge on the subject. The best way to acquire this is to join our group = and hear what other beekeepers have to say. For further details contact any= of the committee members. <= /span> Further activities We have= our web site up and running. Many thanks to Irene Power and a young man&nb= sp; called Jack.. It’s an excellent site check it out at w= ww.southtippbees.com. |
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shows m= eetings etc explaining what the association has to offer. <= /span> DonR= 17;t forget that our AGM will be held in December your opportunity to voice= your opinion and more importantly your opportunity to put yourself forward= for the committee. We need new people on the committee with fresh ideas an= d enthusiasm. Remember new blood is the life of any organization.
It starts in Gornamston: Irene Power = A Year as Irish Honey Queen She liv= es in splendid palaces with servants forever at her beck & call, and me= ets thousands of people during the year, ok not really, but being Irish Hon= ey Queen is a much more prestigious position. It involves travelling = the country with the President, attending honey shows, agricultural shows, = horse shows, ploughing championships, GBBG workdays, London Honey show amon= gst other events. I get the most pleasurable job of presenting prizes= to successful winners at the honey shows, receiving a kiss or two from the= gentlemen. What more could an outdoor beekeeping gal wish for?
Upon be= ing selected I was curious about the history behind the Irish Honey Queen s= o did a little digging & thanks to Peter O’Reilly, Jim Ryan &= the many articles written in An Beachaire by Dan Deasy I managed to obtain= some |
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We = ; published a flyer to hand out at information. I also got photos fro= m others, too many to mention. In 1967= it was decided to select a honey queen as part of the honey show at Gorman= ston Summer course, which would add prestige to this popular event. T= he first winner was Moya Corry from Kildare. In those days they also = had runner-up & third prizes & would you believe even the title of = “Queen Mother” was given to Mrs. G.V. Poulton of Dublin in 1968= . Since then there has been many a fine, Honey Queen, including our w= ell known National Treasurer, Bridie Terry.
As I tr= avel around to shows the most frequent question I get asked is “What = do you have to do to become Honey Queen”. I most enjoy this que= stion when it comes from young giggling girls who obviously dream of being = the Rose of Tralee or Miss Ireland or even Miss World, & if all this fa= ils well then (sizing up the current one) maybe Irish Honey Queen could be = more within reach. Wishing to educate the young = about the importance of honeybees in daily life & promote the use of ho= ney, honey products & beekeeping I talk to them about pollination, bees= & bee products. I generally find that the young are fascinated by the = subject, curious & keen to learn & often wonder are we doing enough= to promote the craft to them. When the same questi= on comes from a handsome drone, I like to respond that the criteria for sel= ection is: 21 or |
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younger, single & good-looking, similar criteria to Rose of Tr= alee selection (see us young girls never stop dreaming).
So for = your information the Regulations for Selection of Honey Queen are as follow= s: ¨&nb= sp;Fullt= ime Course resident at Gormanston= ¨&nb= sp;Minim= um age of 17 years ¨&nb= sp;Basic= knowledge of beekeeping essential ¨&nb= sp;Entra= nt must be available for the Federation stand during All Ireland Ploughing = Championships (for one day) ¨&nb= sp;If re= quested availability for Honey shows at different centres ¨&nb= sp;She m= ust co-operate with Honey Show Secretary to sell tickets and any other duti= es requested of her while attending the course. ¨&nb= sp; Issu= ed by Honey Show Committee
Not a big ask, but being Irish Honey Queen is fun & comes with th= e opportunity to meet & chat with fellow-beekeepers throughout the coun= try. As the sash attracts attention, it provides the occasion to talk= about bees to non-beekeepers, promoting the craft at every opportunity.&nb= sp; What beekeeper does not like to talk about their bees? As Irish Honey Q= ueen my desire is not to live in a palace with servants but to in some smal= l way to promote the craft of beekeeping & let people know about the qu= een who has her |
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attendants around her looking after her every need & = who meets thousands of workers everyday…. Don’t Pan= ic. If your colony numbers are gone down = in the Autumn try to resist the temptation to split. Better to double up the brood boxes wait until spring, feed to encourage bro= od rearing and then split. Quotation from beekeeper “In Autumn you ta= ke the hit and come Spring you increase with a split”. To avoid the above situation you should plan to make up n= ucs early in the season. At this stage I’m convinced that between eac= h two hives you need a nuc. You can build them with minimum loss to the hon= ey crop. Most beekeepers are now talking about 20% winter losses not to men= tion queenless and drone laying queens at this time of year. More about thi= s in the April Issue but now is the time to start making equipment. Remembe= r make an Ashford feeder for each nuc allowing for constant feeding which i= s the whole secret to powerful Autumn nucs. |
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Over wintering tips = ¨&nb= sp;Onl= y over winter strong colonies ¨&nb= sp;Hav= e adequate stores, ¨&nb= sp;Goo= d weatherproof hive, ¨&nb= sp;You= ng laying queens ¨&nb= sp;Ple= nty of bees ¨&nb= sp;Dis= ease free ¨&nb= sp;Var= roa treated |
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Winter work ¨&n= bsp;Clean down old combs frames ¨&n= bsp;Melt the wax into blocks ¨&n= bsp;Repair preserve boxes ¨&n= bsp;Make up new equipment |
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The year gone by. . . . . To many beeke= epers 2009 was again another bad year, that’s three in a row, lets ho= pe we are not following in the foot steps of that mighty Kilkenny Senior hu= rling team. Come on lads lighten up I’m only joking !!! Plan for 2010
Now that 2009 ha= s drawn to a close and most beekeepers would rather forget about the year i= t is important that you reflect on how you managed your bees for the season= just gone by. This is the only way you will learn from your mistakes and m= ore importantly how to avoid repeating them again next year. Not only shoul= d you consider your bees it is important that you consider yourself as well= . Are you suffering from constant back ache while examining your bees? Well= if so your hive stands are too low, you should upgrade to a more suitable = size. A plan can be as big or as small as you want. It’s important th= at is stretches you a little but no point in being too ambitious.
My plan usually is centered on the following. . . . . . .
Well the answer = to the first question is a definite big NO. I think I have reached my goal = on that one. Time is just not there for any more unless I really improve on= some of my other questions. Every year you will find you need new equipmen= t in the apiary, roof, OMF, crown board etc. Keep things in good shape and = replace what is needed. Extracting the crop if we had one can be made more = enjoyable with a little extra equipment so plan to treat yourself to that u= ncapping machine or maybe a new bottling bucket would help. We should all b= e looking at the possibility of making life easier and reducing the time ne= eded at our bees. It is now you should be considering setting up that new a= piary so that you can move the bees out of that inaccessible site that caus= es you untold grief
The last two questions should be in the minds of all = serious beekeepers. We all spend a large amount of money on our bees, give = up plenty of weekends looking after them so we deserve a return from them.<= /span> It’s important that you write down your plan an= d then follow it through |
