Conwy Beekeepers' Association

                   Cymdeithas Gwenynwyr Conwy

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Application form for membership.

Beekeeping - An Introduction - CALU Technical note 040401 (compiled by CBKA)

Conwy Seed and Honey Fairs, information for stallholders.

News: 

CBKA Honey Show Rules

CSL Advisory Leaflets:

1.  Managing Varroa

2. Foul Brood recognition & control

3. Foul Brood statutory procedures

4. Small Hive Beetle factsheet

Beekeeping Course for Beginners

2008 / 2009

Following the successful courses offered in conjunction with CALU in 2006/7 and 2007/8, Conwy Beekeepers' Association are running a third ‘Beekeeping Course for Beginners’ starting in September 2008. This will be held at CALU, at the Henfaes Research Centre at Aber., just off the A55 between Llanfairfechan and Bangor and also at the CBKA apiary for practical sessions at Tal y Cafn in the Conwy Valley. The course extends over ten sessions. The first apiary session will be held on Saturday 20th September 2008 and lectures will start at Henfaes on 14th October 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm. The course will be delivered by Geoff Critchley, Master Beekeeper and N.E. Wales Bee Inspector. The course fee is £50.00. Numbers will be limited so don't delay in booking your place with the Course Organiser.  i.e. Pete Barrar, Conwy BKA, Tel: 01492 650764 and email: pete.barrar@virgin.net

See Information for New Beekeepers.

BOOKING FORM DOWNLOAD - Click here

Course Organiser: Pete Barrar, Conwy BKA, Tel: 01492 650764. 

Email: pete.barrar@virgin.net  

Classroom meetings will be held at the Henfaes Research Centre, Abergwyngregyn, Llanfairfechan, and Apiary meetings at the CBKA apiary at Tal y Cafn.

Session 1. In the Apiary. Saturday 20th September 2008, in two groups, at 11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. or 2:00 p.m. -     4:30 p.m. at the Tal y Cafn apiary in the Conwy Valley. An introductory hands-on session - the bees, the hives they live in and the art of beekeeping. Protective clothing – suit, veil and gauntlets are provided.

Session 2. Introduction to Bees and Beekeeping. Tuesday 14^th October 2008, 7.30 to 9.30 pm at Henfaes, Aber.

1.      History of beekeeping

2.      Types of bee

3.      Value of honeybees / relationship with flowers

4.      The bee colony

5.      Bee products

6.      Apiary selection and layout

Session 3. The Honeybee colony. Tuesday 11^th November 2008, 7.30 to 9.30 pm at Henfaes.

1.      Identification of worker, queen and drone.

2.      Marking the queen. Why and how

3.      The colony, what maintains the correct balance in the colony?

4.      Use of smoker, hive tool. Technique of opening and closing hives

5.      Preparing hives for transportation.

6.      Resiting / transportation of stocks of bee

Session 4. Summer management. Tuesday 9^th December 2008, 7.30 to 9.30 pm at Henfaes.

1.      Record keeping

2.     Supering – top / bottom. Use of supers or brood boxes, types of foundation and the queen excluder.

3.     Making divisions / uniting stocks

4.     Swarms

a.   Control

b.   Signs of swarming

c.  Action to prevent swarms

d.     Catching transporting and hiving  

Session 5. Honey extraction and Bottling. Tuesday 13^th January 2009, 7.30 to 9.30 pm at Henfaes.

1. Removing the honey from the hive

a. Clearing the bees from supers – types of clearer board

b.   Precautions to prevent robbing

c.   Transporting the supers

2. Uncapping and extracting

a.  Use of uncapping knife (hot, cold or electric) or fork

b.  Extractor – Radial or tangential

c.   Filtering and storage

3.  Bottling

a.    Hygene

b.    Labelling

c.    Selling?

4.  Cut comb and sections and problems with heather honey  

Session 6. Preparation for winter. Tuesday 10^th February 2009, 7.30 to 9.30 pm at Henfaes.

1.   Feeding – types of feeder, time of feeding, type of feed

2.  Pest and diseases – treatment (particularly treatment for Varroa)

3. Condition, weatherproofness and security of hives, mouse guards, etc

4.  Storage of equipment

a. Storage of combs – wet or dry?

b.  Spare hive parts, feeders, etc.

c.  Wax moth

5.  Beekeeping and the Law  

Session 7.Honeybee pests and diseases. Tuesday 10^th March 2009, 7.30 to 9.30 pm at Henfaes.

1.   Varroa treatment – integrated pest management

2.  Other bee diseases and their treatments.

3.  The future? Exotic Pests !!!  

Session 8.Hives, frames and equipment. Tuesday 14^th April 2009, 7.30 to 9.30 pm at Henfaes.

1.        Types of hive

2.        Frames and spacing

3.        Making frames (practical)

4.        Difference between brood box and super

5.        Use of queen excluder, crown board, clearer board.

6.        Hive tool, smoker

7.        Protective equipment – choice, care and use.

8.        Wiring frames, unwired and drone base foundation

Session 9. In the Apiary, hands-on. Saturday 25^th April 2009, 11.00-1:30 pm or 2.00-4.30 pm at Tal y Cafn

1.      Handling the bees

2.      Using hive tool and smoker

3.      Identification of Worker, Drone and Queen

4.      Identification of sealed brood, unsealed brood and eggs

5.   Identification of Queen cells (if there)

6.      Supering

7.      Artificial Swarm

8.      Use of clearer boards  

Session 10. Course Review and Revision preparations for WBKA Basic Examination (exam optional). Tuesday  12^th May 2009, 7.30 to 9.30 pm  at Henfaes, Aber.

  The course is supported by CALU, the Centre for Alternative Land Use.  See: http://www.calu.bangor.ac.uk/