Basket

No products in the basket.

0

Club Apiaries

The club apiary is primarily a teaching resource to support training and development of our members, either hands-on at the apiary or via courses etc. Honey production is not a high priority but welcome if we get it!

The club currently has two apiary sites with colonies in national hives, 14 x 12s and a top bar hive (TBH).

 

We support some members with hands on experience and offer apprentice schemes enabling those enrolled to learn how to look after a hive over a full beekeepers year.

 

Any new beekeeper either without bees or just starting who wants to get some experience of handling bees, is welcome to come along to the apiary and perhaps join the A-team.

 

If you are interested get in touch with the Horton Apiary manager, Jeremy Percy.

 

If you have not visited the apiary before, please read the KBKA Rule Book section 4 regarding Apiary Rules.

Jobs for March

Spring is almost here, and your bees will soon become active. Now’s the time to prepare your hives and colonies for the busy season ahead.

 

Early Spring Checks

  • Check hive entrances: Clear away dead bees and debris accumulated over winter.
  • Remove mouseguards once regular bee flights resume, but keep a close eye on weather forecasts. Cold snaps can still happen!

 

Assess Food Stores

  • Heft your hives to gauge remaining winter stores. Colonies often starve in March if stores run low.
  • Provide emergency feeding if necessary—use fondant or pollen substitute placed directly over frames or above the crown board.

 

First Inspections

  • Wait for a warmer day (at least 12–15°C) for your first full hive inspection.
  • Look for signs of the queen’s presence (brood pattern, eggs, larvae). You don’t need to spot the queen herself if there are eggs.
  • Check for disease and pests, particularly Varroa, and plan your Integrated Pest Management strategy for the season.

 

Colony Management

  • Consider uniting weaker colonies using the paper method if necessary.
  • Prepare for swarm control by ensuring you have spare hives or nuc boxes ready for use by late March or early April.

 

Hive Maintenance and Preparation

  • Clean equipment and supers thoroughly. Repair or replace any damaged frames or boxes.
  • Prepare supers, adding fresh foundation as required, ready to add to strong colonies during nectar flows.

 

Queen Health and Replacement

  • Monitor colonies for signs of weak queens (patchy brood patterns, drone-laying, poor colony development). Consider ordering replacement queens or preparing to raise your own later in spring.

 

Pest and Predator Protection

  • Remove winter protection such as chicken wire (used against woodpecker damage) only when you’re confident the risk has passed.
  • Maintain vigilance for early-season pests, particularly Asian Hornets. Set out hornet monitoring traps provided by the Association.

 

Beekeeping Equipment and Training

  • Order any additional equipment or foundation to ensure you’re fully prepared for the season.
  • Attend the Association spring meetings and training events—it’s a great way to refresh your knowledge and connect with fellow beekeepers.

 

Garden and Apiary Preparation

  • Ensure hive stands are secure, stable, and positioned correctly, avoiding damp or shaded areas.
  • Consider planting bee-friendly plants around your apiary to support early spring forage.

 

Any questions, just ask. Jeremy our Apiary Manager. jeremypercy@gmail.com

Apiary FAQs

Will I need to bring my own bee suit / veil?

Please bring your own suit/veil if you have one. We do have some spare jackets available for guests but these can not be guaranteed. Long-sleeved shirt, trousers (not skin-tight), wellies and a pair of clean washing up gloves are also advisable.

What is in the bucket you put the hive tools in during and at the end of the Apiary inspections?
To limit the risk of infection, all hive tools and gloves are rinsed in a disinfecting solution before, after and between each hive.
This solution is :
  • 500g Washing Soda Crystals
  • 1 gallon of water
  • a squirt of washing-up liquid
Why are the frames always held over the hives?

There is always the risk that the queen is on the frame you are holding. If she drops off into the hive, then no damage done. If she drops off the frame outside the hive, and manages to avoid your feet, she will probably not make it back to the hive. (She may never have flown from the hive, possibly she was introduced to that hive or the hive has been moved).

What can I do about wasps around the hive?

A strong hive can defend itself against wasps, but at a cost. A bee that stings will die, a wasp won’t. So while a wasp may get killed trying to rob the hive, you will lose a few bees along the way. Two simple lines of defence are to reduce the size of the entrance, giving the bees a smaller space to defend, and install a wasp trap in the apiary. Download instructions for a wasp trap here.

How do I test for queenlessness?

Get a donation of a frame of eggs/very young larvae and see if the bees draw out a queen cell.

How do I get a Booker’s card?

Booker’s is a chain of Cash and Carry stores for trade only, but thanks to negotiations by Peter McFadden of Conway BKA members of the BBKA can shop at any Booker’s store. Each member should register individually with their local store by presenting their current BBKA membership card. You will be asked to fill in a registration form and will be able to shop straightaway with your Booker membership card being posted to you in the next 14-21 days.In particular, sugar can usually be purchased at Booker’s cheaper than other sources, which is useful if you need to buy it in any volume, as well as other items useful to beekeeping – gloves, icing sugar, etc.

What is Apiguard? How do I use it?

Follow this link:  https://www.dadant.com/Apiguard-FAQs.htm