Would all members please note that you will shortly receive your membership renewal documents for 2022. If you can return these promptly it would be very much appreciated.
For anyone interested in becoming a member, please email Gary at neworcsbeekeepers@gmail.com . I'll do my best to answer any questions you may have !
This unusual phenomenon has caught the attention of a Cambridge University scientist. See the report here.
The origin of the most common honeybee species - the western honeybee (Apis mellifera) has been long debated. Did they originate from Asia or from Africa?
A new study may finally settle this dispute - click here.
We are often reminded about the importance of honeybees in the pollination of crops and flower, but just how effective are they? New research yields some surprising answers in this article.
A recent study has shown that bees in Costa Rica can produce edible honey by feeding on dead flesh, rather than nectar or pollen. Would you like to try it?
See the article here.
The link between gut bacteria in bees and their memory is explored in this fascinating article.
There are many alternatives to using herbicides such as Roundup. Please see some ideas in this article: click here
For more information about other potential risks around the home, click here.
Please have a look at our Diary Dates page, for updated details of our Social events and Winter Talks. The next Social meeting is on Monday 6th December, followed by our next Winter Talk on Tuesday 7th December.
Thousands of rare forest honeybees that appear to be the last wild descendants of Britain’s native honeybee population have been discovered in the ancient woodlands of Blenheim Palace. Please click here for more information.
A new study by researchers at UCL and the University of Sassari, Italy has demonstrated that honeybee colonies respond to Varroa infestation by modifying the use of space and the interactions between nestmates, to increase the social distance between young and old bees. Please click here for more information.
Researchers at National Taiwan University have identified a cheap and natural means of defending bees from the ravages of Deformed Wing Virus. Please click here for more information.
Following the success of the Social Evening at the Bowling Green Inn earlier this week, it is hoped that we can hold another in October. Please look out for more details nearer the time and come and meet your fellow members for an informal drink and chat.
The Joint Honey Show is being held this Saturday (4th September) at Hagley Free Church, Worcester Road, Hagley from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm.
There are no entry fees this year, so this is your chance to enter in as many categories as you wish, be it liquid honey, set honey, honey cakes, beeswax, mead, cut comb, a shallow frame ready for extraction or a craft exhibit.
Alternatively, just come along and see what all the hard work (by the bees !) has produced.
Do you think it will catch on?
Please reserve a date in your diary for Saturday 4th September when NEWBKA will be hosting the 2021 Joint Honey Show. More details to follow nearer the date.
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| The Bailiff at our Windmill Apiary with Alex Bignell and Bob Powell |
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| Oyez at the Apiary (but don't upset the bees) |
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| Cutting the ribbon |
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| The Windmill Apiary is officially open ! |
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| The moment of (honey tasting) truth |
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| Alex's Avoncroft honey is certified ! |
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| Alex manning the NEWBKA stand |
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| Bob and Alex explaining hive principles to a Court Leet member |
Two Honeybees in Sao Paulo have shown that teamwork pays dividends - at least in getting the cap off a soft drink bottle.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9616351/Two-honeybees-work-lift-bottle-Fanta.html
The Swarm Warning proved too late at the Avoncroft Windmill apiary today. However, despite the rain, the situation was rescued by Alex Bignell and his Tuesday Meeting group, as shown below:
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| The Escapees |
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| Impromptu Rain Cover |
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| A New Home |
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| Nearly there ! |
After the unprecedented cold weather in April and early May tending to keep bees in their hives, they are likely to be keen to swarm as soon as there is a hint of warmer weather.
It is suggested you set up fully framed up bait hives, which might obligingly attract a passing swarm or into which you can put a captured swarm.
Also check your colonies as soon as possible for queen cells and consider splitting them if necessary.
Thanks to the efforts of Alex Bignell, Ken Greatbatch and Peter Redfern in the face of heavy rain showers, the damage caused to the Avoncroft "Orchard" apiary by a falling tree has been repaired.
It now looks better than ever, as shown in the photos below (taken during the brief sunny intervals).
Scientists in a Dutch university have been training honeybees to identify Covid-19 infections.
To read how and why, please click:
https://modernfarmer.com/2021/05/bees-can-be-trained-to-detect-covid-19/
The new Avoncroft apiary - dubbed the "Windmill" apiary, as distinct from the original "Orchard" apiary, now has some residents. Thanks go out to Greg Hunt, Jay Rixon and all the other members of the team for making it happen, as shown below.
Most of the BIBBA webinars have now been uploaded to YouTube.
If you subscribe to their channel here, it will help them provide further services.
Among the virtues of bees you may not be aware of is their knack for detecting bombs. Thanks to the fact that they can pick up the scent of explosives with their antennae, researchers in countries such as Croatia have spent years perfecting how to use bees as landmine locators. But there's a problem............
A reminder to join us for the last (but not least) in our series of winter talks,
which should appeal to all beekeepers:
"Drones"
Friday, 19th March, at 7:30pm via Zoom
Presented by Celia Davis
Work has been carried out this week on the new "Windmill" apiary at the Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings in Bromsgrove. It is now ready for the arrival of our over-wintered colonies, subject to March weather being kind enough for their transfer.
Below are a couple of photos of the site, which allows plenty of room for future practical sessions (covid restrictions permitting).
Honeybees can solve a type of maths test without any need for numbers – a discovery that could be used to develop smarter artificial intelligence – according to new research from the University of Sheffield:
https://www.techdigest.tv/2021/02/how-maths-solving-honeybees-could-help-ai.html
For a more detailed analysis, please see the Royal Society research article:
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2020.2711
Don't forget - the next NEWBKA Beekeeping Question and Answer Forum will be on
Tuesday 23rd February, at 7:30pm via Zoom
Members are very welcome to come and join in. At previous meetings we have had a variety of questions, from the “straight forward” (are they ever?) problems of colony management to unusual problems and less common approaches to beekeeping. Whether you have been beekeeping for many years or for a short time, you have experiences to contribute to our discussions that may be of help to others, so please join us on Tuesday, and bring some questions for discussion. Please see Bob Powell's email for the meeting link.
A reminder that the fourth of our Winter Talks is being held on Monday 15th February at 7:30 pm:
"Recovering Beeswax"
Presented by Chris Broad
As a perennial issue for beekeepers, this talk will be of interest to all and you will have the opportunity for questions at the end of the session. The meeting link will be emailed to members nearer the date.
The next NEWBKA Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 9th February.
If there is anything you would like to raise with the Committee, please email the Secretary (Ed Payne) at least 24 hours in advance.
Don't forget - the next NEWBKA Beekeeping Question and Answer Forum will be on
Tuesday 19th January, at 7:30pm via Zoom
Please see Bob Powell's email for the meeting link.
All members are welcome, so please join us on Monday to listen in, ask questions and/or share your experiences.
The next NEWBKA Committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday 21st January.
If there is anything you would like to raise with the Committee, please email the Secretary (Ed Payne) at least 24 hours in advance.