SE Herts news by John Mumford

The September Association Apiary Meeting I am told was well attended, and the bees found in fine fettle. Laying Queens and plenty of stores should see them through the most severe winter. They have now been given their Thymol Treatment. One is showing signs of a high mite population (deformed wings) but I’m sure they will come through OK. I am now half way through extracting their honey which will be about 100lbs. Any members wishing to purchase some honey in tubs or jars should give me a ring. The surplus is not bad for such a difficult year with so much swarming going on. I was bringing bees back from the North York Moors and so unable to attend the meeting myself.

I was please to get such a good response to my request for help with the Bee World event. Phil Amer, John Dockerill (a new member who has no bees at present), Andrew Watters, and Janice Nicholson who is of course a Barnet member, together with those who didn’t let me know they were coming. I trust they all had an interesting and enjoyable day. Denis Osbourne did a very good job of the organizing the event and I am obliged to Alan Lewis for the loan of his Workmate to hold the Observation Hive.

The committee are proposing to run another beginners course at the Hoddesdon Baptist Church Hall on Sundays 17th and 24th February and 2nd, 9th, and 16th March from 2.00pm till 4.00pm. Anyone interested should contact Derek Driver for more details.

The Harvest Supper is on Saturday 13th October at 7.30pm for 8.00pm with carriages at 11.00pm. It is free to members and their partners, and to members children. Visitor £3.00 each. Raffle prizes would be appreciated. Bring along a jar of your very best honey (unlabeled) and compete for the Skillman Shield. Please let Derek Driver (☏) or myself know if you will be attending so that proper provisions can be made.

Erratum – Counting Varroa Mites
I am trying to get to grips with some new technology - a new Computer - with an awkward Word Processor and American Spellcheck, and must correct the piece in last months news letter. Anno Domini I suspect is also partly to blame. The 5th paragraph should read:

“So, if we make an average daily mite count over days 6, 7, and 8 after the treatment is first applied, and we make another average mite daily count over days 18, 19, and 20 after the treatment was first applied and the treatment is refreshed on day 13, the second average divided by the first average will give the SURVIVAL RATIO.”