Belfast beekeepers Association 14 th Nov 2011 Who

Belfast beekeepers Association 14 th Nov. 2011

Who is here? • Preliminary Course 2012 • Preliminary Course 2011 • 2 nd - 3 rd year beekeepers • Please speak to some of us at the end, there are many people here who will help and give {loads of} advice

Sources of Equipment • • Alan Jones – local Thornes agent Philip Earle – wax and acetic acid Thornes - http: //www. thorne. co. uk/ http: //fragile-planet. co. uk/ http: //www. peak-hives. co. uk/ http: //www. parkbeekeeping. com/ Maisemore Apiaries http: //www. beesonline. co. uk/

Other Sources • Ebay – beware but some are very good – Email me and I will try to find out if someone has used them • • Omlet http: //www. paynesbeefarm. co. uk/ http: //www. ridgeway-online. com/ http: //belfastbees. wordpress. com/generalinformation/glassware/

2012 Preliminary Course • Minimum – nothing just turn up • Next level – practical course – Gloves: leather, marigolds, blue nitrile – Veil or half jacket and veil – Ebay a great source for these – £ 50 budget • I want to keep bees – see next slide

2012 – Ready for bees • Make sure you have a site. Speak to some of us for advice • You will need – A hive: floor, brood, queen excluder, super{s}, frames, wax, crown board, roof – Gloves and jacket/veil – Hive tool – Smoker – Plus: brush, feeder, smoker material

2012 – Ready for bees • • • Thornes catalog has a bewildering range Look for “Bees on a Budget” 3 major options {and some minor} 1. The hive: 2 supers all the frames 2. The hive and starter kit: jacket, gloves, hive tool, feeder, mouse guard 3. Option 2 plus honey extraction starter kit

2012 – Ready for bees • Prices: 1. £ 117 2. £ 167 3. £ 250 • Plus VAT and P&P – N. I. supplement

2012 – Ready for bees • Don’t need: – Extraction kit – get some buckets from fragile planet and borrow the association extractor – Most things that sound expensive • Do need: – Spare kit: brood, super, frames, crown board – A Nuc.

2011 Increasing Colonies • Easy option – buy more “Bees on a Budget” hives • Thornes Sale

2011 Increasing Colonies • Thornes Sale starts next week • Mostly BS kit - some other options? • Popular items sell out – should have a few days but!!! • Very busy – up to 2 months delivery • Non sale items may come separately • > £ 100 postage is free – group up tonight

2011 Increasing Colonies • Key items {2010 prices}: – Brood £ 16 – Super £ 12 – Frames x 50 DN 1, DN 4, SN 1, SN 4 £ 28 – Frames x 50 Manley £ 32 – Crown £ 7 – Economy floor £ 12 – Roof £ 16 • Plus VAT

Small Items • Don’t forget its a good time to buy small items like: – Frame pins – Plastic queen excluders – frame ends/spacers – Spare hive tool

2011 Increasing Colonies • Thornes also sponsor Greenmount conference: – Friday after lunch, seconds available but sell out within an hour or two – Pre order first quality or main catalog items – no postage.

Winter Work • Assemble new hive – flat pack: £ 50 assembly charge – Thorne’s instructions are ok – Floor and roof - simplest – Brood and super – dry assemble and check, bottom bee space • Partial assembly of frames