Margaret Wilson - Chair Expand CHAIR I got into beekeeping by attending a very inexpensive training course on what I thought was an endangered species, the Honey Bee, it was held in a Barn on a Farm where there was absolutely no heating at all and we were warned to attend in warm clothing. We were provided with a hot drink mid-morning but continued to shiver, by Lunch time I decided that something must be done, so I went to the car and got two blankets. After a lunch of hot soup and a sandwich, we sat in our chairs, muffled up with clothing and then wrapped the blankets round us to try to keep warm. I have to say, after that year all training courses were in centrally heated accommodation. My biggest work achievement has been building up a Security Business from nothing into a Multi Million Pound company that is still growing. Email here
Margaret Murdin, NDB - President Expand PRESIDENT Margaret Murdin has been keeping bees for about 15 years and a trustee of the BBKA for the last 7 years, Chair last year and is currently the President of the BBKA Trustees. Margaret has been a member of the Exam Board and is currently Assistant Moderator for the written exams. Margaret is a BBKA Assessor for the Basic, General and Advanced Husbandry Assessments and writes, moderates and marks the written papers. She is also a tutor for Correspondence Courses. Previously Margaret was the Principal of a large further and higher education college in the North West of England, and retains a particular interest in education. Email here
Do honey bees hibernate overwinter? Expand No, bees overwinter as a strong colony clustered together, using their bodies to generate heat. This cluster is about the size of a football, with bees taking turns to be on the cold outside.
How fast can honey bees fly? Expand The normal top speed of a worker would be about 15-20 mph (21-28 km/h), when flying to a food source, and about 12 mph (17 km/h), when returning laden down with nectar, pollen, propolis or water.
How far can honey bees fly? Expand A honey bee will not fly much higher than the height of any obstacle in its path. The bee will learn to fly straight out from its colony at high speed and will be most surprised if it strikes an new obstacle, such as you standing in the way. It may lash out and you will receive a sting, so be careful when walking close to the front of a busy beehive. Mating drones will fly up to 30 metres above ground to find a queen, and can go much higher if warm rising thermal air carries them.
Mating drones will fly up to 30 metres above ground to find a queen, and can go much higher if warm rising thermal air carries them.
Can a honey bee see colour? Expand Yes, bees' eyes are sensitive more to the blue end of the light spectrum and into ultraviolet. Flowers reflect large amounts of ultraviolet light and will appear very bright to a bee. Bees are totally red blind.
How does a honey bee navigate? Expand Bees use the position of the sun to navigate and there is evidence of their sensitivity to the earth’s magnetic field. Also bees' eyes are sensitive to polarized light, which penetrates through even thick cloud, so bees are able to ‘see’ the sun in poor weather.
Why bees sting and why they die when they do so Expand A bee only stings under two conditions. To protect the colony or when frightened. When a bee stings, barbs in the lance of the sting cause it to firmly stick into the victim pulling out the venom sacs and glands when the bee is shaken off. The venom sac muscles continue to pump after these organs have been torn from the dying bee. Only the female workers and the queen can sting, the queen having a smooth sting which she uses to kill other queens, while surviving herself.
The importance of pollen Expand Pollen is mixed with water to form a type of bread that is fed to the growing larvae. It provides a rich source of protein and fat whilst honey provides energy (carbohydrate). Bees collect about 20kg of pollen every year - that’s 1 million pollen loads at 20mg per trip! Get planting! We need people to plant more flowers wherever they live – the more flowers, the more food (forage) for the honey bees. Greater food sources enable honey bees to be much stronger in the face of disease.
Deadly diseases Expand Friends of the Honey Bee is a campaign to help protect the honey bee particularly from the predations of the Varroa mite. However, there are a number of diseases affecting bees, some more serious than others. They are not infectious to humans but dangerous for the bee. Some of the most serious AFB (American Foul Brood) and EFB (European Foul Brood) are normally treated by destroying the colony (UK). If left they can spread throughout out the whole apiary and affect surrounding beekeepers. Spores from AFB can remain dormant for over 50 years in old beekeeping equipment and cause problems decades later.
Fly me to the moon – distance, flight and speed statistics Expand The distance each bee flies in its life is astonishing. It is possible for bees to fly as far as 5 miles for food, however an average distance would be less than a mile from the hive. A strong colony therefore flies the equivalent distance of to the moon every day! Flies straight A honey bee will not fly much higher than the height of any obstacle in its path. The bee will learn to fly straight out from its colony at high speed and be most surprised if it strikes an new obstacle such as you standing in the way. It may lash out and you will receive a sting so be careful when walking close to the front of a busy beehive. Drone congregations Mating drones will fly up to 30 meters above ground to find a queen and can go much higher if warm rising thermal air carries them so. Speed The normal top speed of a worker would be about 15-20mph (21-28km/h) when flying to a food source and about 12mph (17km/h) when returning laden down nectar, pollen, propolis (resin collected from tree buds) or water.
What types of bee do we find in a honey bee colony? Expand In any hive there are three types of honey bee: a single queen; thousands of female worker bees and, in the summer, hundreds of male drones. The drone bee does no work and in the early autumn they are evicted by the workers and die.
Bumblebees Expand Bumblebees Bumblebees, or as the Victorian’s called them ‘Humble bees’, are similar to wasps in that only the queen hibernates and survives the winter. In the spring the queen bumblebee seeks an old mouse- or vole- hole and builds within it a nest of leaves and moss. She constructs nodular wax cells and incubates her young as a bird would. As her first offspring hatch and begin to fly the queen increasingly stays within the hive to produce young. Bumblebees do make a small amount of honey and store it in one special cup like cell. There is no more than a tablespoon at any time. The typical maximum population of a bumblebee colony is tiny, compared to the honey bee, being between 50 and
Wasps Expand Wasps Wasps begin life in the spring with a single queen wasp that has hibernated under leaves or in cracks. The queen wasp builds a new hive constructed from paper and about the size of a golf ball. This hive (or bice) builds up through the summer, but no honey is stored. In the autumn the colony organization breaks down, with homeless wasps becoming an increasing nuisance around bins and rubbish. The typical maximum population of a wasp colony is just 2,000.
The bees knees – fact or fiction? Expand We’ve all heard the popular expression ‘Its the bees knees’, meaning something which is the best or has everything one could wish for. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the phrase originated in the late eighteenth century meaning something very small. However, its current meaning is believed to stem from American slang in the same way as “the cat’s whiskers”. Although bees have legs with joints like any insect, they do not have a knee cap and, apart from the articulated nature of the joint, they do not technically possess knees.
Mythbusters and FAQs post 1 Replace this with your content Expand Do bees sting? How much honey does a hive produce?How many bees typically live in a hive?etc.
2. DELIVERY, STAGING AND COLLECTION OF EXHIBITS Expand Exhibitors may only stage exhibits when permitted by the Show Executive to do so. Exhibits shall not be removed before the time stated in the Schedule or, if none is stated, before the end of the show. Competitors are responsible for the delivery and collection of their own exhibits ether personally or by a named third party. The containers of exhibits sent to the show must be easy to open and repack. Lids to be fastened with approved fasteners. Nailed lids will not be accepted. Cardboard containers should not be used as they constitute a fire hazard.
1. ENTRIES Expand No exhibit may be entered in more than one class. Exhibitors are permitted to make more than one entry in a class, to a maximum number specified in the Schedule, but shall not take more than one award in that class. Joint owners are to be regarded as one exhibitor. The product of a colony or colonies jointly owned may not be exhibited by more than one of the joint owners. The preparation of all the entries (except where otherwise stated) must be by the exhibitor. Classes may be amalgamated or cancelled at the discretion of the Show Executive. The Show Executive has the power to refuse any entry or exhibit without giving reason.
3. DISQUALIFICATIONS Expand An exhibit found to be adulterated shall be disqualified. (The colouring of wax in display, trophy and similar classes is not deemed to be adulteration for the purpose of this rule). ALL HONEY AND WAX MUST BE THE NATURAL PRODUCE OF BEES OWNED BY THE EXHIBITOR. (This rule may be waived for Candle, Foundation, Cakes and Confectionery classes at the discretion of the Show Executive)
4. LABELS Expand The labels as supplied by the Show Secretary must not be altered in any way. Except where otherwise stated, no label, trade mark, name or writing or other distinguishing mark may be placed on or attached to an exhibit. Labels shall be affixed as follows: a) To jars and bottles so as to leave 2cm between the bottom edge of the label and the base of the vessel. b) To wax: on the upper surface of the wax displayed and if applicable, a duplicate label on its container. On small blocks of wax a label shall be affixed to each item. c) To sections and comb honey frames: at the top right hand corner of the front vertical face of the case and a duplicate on the top right of the horizontal bar of the square section or frame within. On round sections one label to the rings and the duplicate on face of the section. On candles the label is to be affixed near the base. d) To cut comb containers: one on the lid and a duplicate label on the side of the container. e) To cakes and confectionary: on a plain white cardboard plate placed together with the exhibit in a clear plastic bag or cake cover on which a duplicate label is affixed. Only and bag, or cake cover supplied by the show at the time of staging will be permitted. f) To displays, shop window, trade exhibits and all other exhibits: so as to be completely visible on the base or table. g) To photographic classes: On prints or images in the top right hand corner of the mounting card. Exhibits in commercial or shop window classes should conform to current food labelling regulations.
6. UNIFORMITY Expand When a class requires the staging of more than one exhibit of the same type, the containers (when used) and the exhibits shall be matching in all respects. Mould marks are not relevant.
5. GIFT CLASSES Expand Exhibits in all Gift classes become the property of the Show Executive and may be sold before the conclusion of the show. The exhibitor must provide a label conforming to current food labelling regulations so that it may be affixed to the exhibit enabling it to be sold after judging has taken place.
7. EXTRACTED HONEY Expand Extracted honey must be exhibited in plain clear 454g (1lb) squat glass jars with lacquered metal or gold plastic commercial screw or twist off lids and matching except where otherwise stated. Display, shop window and special classes are exempt from Rule 7.1). Colour will be judged using the new (2016) BD Standard Grading Glasses. (Grading Glasses should be viewed against the side of a standard 454g (1lb) honey jar with a matt white background. Do not use grading glasses against a direct light source). Jars must contain the weight specified in the Schedule.
8. SECTIONS Expand Square sections approximately 454g (1lb) must be enclosed in cardboard commercial sale section cases or white show cases. An area not less than 8cm by 8cm of the comb must be visible. Lacing, if used must be white. The section must be easily removed from the container. Round sections must have clear covers on both sides.