INTRODUCTION TO BEEKEEPING

Session 1 - IntroductionSat 22nd/Sun 23rd March 2014

Introductions Nigel Hurst 3 yrs beekeeping Hives in garden

Honey bees and other insects

WaspVespula vulgaris

Honey beeApis mellifera

Bumble beeBombus terrestris

HornetVespa crabo

Social animals

Bees Female society Not domesticated Individual sacrifice Evolved with flowers

Cattle Male society Herd animals Domesticated Breeds developed

by man

Anatomy of a Honey bee

Tongue (glossa)

Mandibles

Antenna

Compound eyes

Hypopharyngeal Gland

Thorax

Wings ( 2 pairs)

Spiracle (breathing aperture)

Abdomen

Nasonov Glands

Sting

Wax Glands

Pollen Basket (corbicula)

Head

Bee Dances

Round Dance –

(General location)

food nearby

Waggle Dance –

(Precise location)

food further away

Ex: Encyclopaedia of Beekeeping by Morse & Hooper

Plants pollinated by honey bees

OSR +10% Beans Top fruit Soft fruit Salad crops – (for seed) Sunflowers Blackthorn Hawthorn

Importance of

Beekeeping UK consumption of honey UK production of honey Value to UK agriculture

85% of food crops rely on pollinators Value to the environment Number of beekeepers Number of honey bee farmers Number of colonies Number of wild colonies

£25m pa £11m pa £200m pa

?????????? ~30,000 40 (20) ~230,000 ~0

Environmental impact of no

bees High quality food No honey bee - no

early pollinators Less winter feed for

birds Changes in flora

Increase in grasses Late pollinated

plants

Hive tools and other equipment

Smoker

3 Hive tools

Porter beeescape

Gloves

Drawing pins

Butler cage2 Queen marking cagesQueen cell cageMatchesScissorsUncapping toolMouse guard

Marking fluid

Spacers

Mesh

Beekeeping support

Local Branches Support Training Mentoring

County Associations Representation

National (BBKA) Assessments Insurance Policy Government liaison etc.

Your Beekeeping Association

AVON 5 Branches

1 Bath2 Blagdon & Clevedon3 Bristol4 Keynsham5 Weston Super Mare

52

3

4

1