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Introduction to Beekeeping

Introduction to Beekeeping. Session 1 - Introduction Sat 22 nd / Sun 23 rd March 2014. Introductions. Nigel Hurst 3 yrs beekeeping Hives in garden. Honey bees and other insects. Honey bee Apis mellifera. Bumble bee Bombus terrestris. Wasp Vespula vulgaris. Hornet Vespa crabo.

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Introduction to Beekeeping

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  1. Introduction to Beekeeping Session 1 - Introduction Sat 22nd/Sun 23rd March 2014

  2. Introductions • Nigel Hurst • 3 yrs beekeeping • Hives in garden

  3. Honey bees and other insects Honey bee Apis mellifera Bumble bee Bombus terrestris Wasp Vespula vulgaris Hornet Vespa crabo

  4. Social animals • Bees • Female society • Not domesticated • Individual sacrifice • Evolved with flowers • Cattle • Male society • Herd animals • Domesticated • Breeds developed by man

  5. Anatomy of a Honey bee Thorax Wings ( 2 pairs) Spiracle (breathing aperture) Hypopharyngeal Gland Abdomen Compound eyes Nasonov Glands Head Antenna Sting Mandibles Wax Glands Pollen Basket (corbicula) Tongue (glossa)

  6. Bee Dances Waggle Dance – (Precise location) food further away Round Dance – (General location) food nearby Ex: Encyclopaedia of Beekeeping by Morse & Hooper

  7. Plants pollinated by honey bees • OSR +10% • Beans • Top fruit • Soft fruit • Salad crops – (for seed) • Sunflowers • Blackthorn • Hawthorn

  8. 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

  9. 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

  10. Hive tools and other equipment Gloves Drawing pins Butler cage 2 Queen marking cages Queen cell cage Matches Scissors Uncapping tool Mouse guard Marking fluid Spacers Mesh Smoker Porter bee escape 3 Hive tools

  11. Beekeeping support • Local Branches • Support • Training • Mentoring • County Associations • Representation • National (BBKA) • Assessments • Insurance • Policy • Government liaison etc.

  12. Your Beekeeping Association • AVON • 5 Branches 1 Bath 2 Blagdon & Clevedon 3 Bristol 4 Keynsham 5 Weston Super Mare 3 4 2 5 1

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