January Roundup
The winter sale is now over and we are working hard to fulfil those final orders. If you do still have an order outstanding with us please be patient. It will arrive very soon.
We are now accepting orders for the spring beekeeping shows. This year we are attending the Ulster Spring Convention, Bee Tradex, the Welsh Spring Convention and the BBKA Spring Convention. We will also be going to the Holsworthy show this year in Devon. You can pre-order your bargains and any of our equipment for collection at these shows.
Our new 2019 catalogue is now with the printer. If you have not had yours by the second week in March then please drop us an email at sales@thorne.co.uk. As usual we have plenty of new and exciting additions to our range. A sneak preview of the front cover is below!!
We also have a new batch of memory sticks available. If you are running a beginner’s course, and would like to take advantage of these to use for your course notes, then please email sales@thorne.co.uk.
Equiptment Focus
Asian Hornet Identifier
Reading through the bee press of late has made us realise that identifying the Asian Hornet, has and will, be quite a problem for a while.
They are quite small, especially when young and only ‘fill out’ as the season progresses. At a first glance they might be mistaken for a queen wasp.
Whilst in London recently, in Covent Garden, there was a craft stall selling exotic insects, arachnids, crustaceans etc encased in acrylic resin. A light bulb moment occurred, why not source Asian Hornets, similarly encased in clear acrylic resin?
Through our many contacts we have now sourced a supply and they will be here towards the end of February. Each Hornet Identifier is very light, measures 45x30x15mm and can easily be carried around all the time. It will provide 100% accurate identification. See image – although it isn’t easy to photograph!
The Identifiers have been approved by the NBU (National Bee Unit) and the NNSS (Non-Native Species Secretariat) £5.00 each or £40 for 10 or more.
Asian Hornet Trap
This is the most popular and effective trap on the market.
France, at the moment, is in the forefront of the fight against the Asian Hornet and this trap is by far the most popular and successful in the country.
The lure is an all natural product so no insecticides are used. The traps come with five sachets of lure and cost £6.
It has been tested by The French Technical institute for Bees and Pollination in two departments of France and it was found to be the most effective device available.
If you are interested in buying as a bulk purchase via a local association then please contact us for prices.
Ask our Expert
Please email us at sales@thorne.co.uk if you have a question for our experts.
We often get queries about how to use oxalic acid as a winter varroa treatment. Here are a few of our frequently asked questions.
When is it best to treat with oxalic acid?
It is best to treat with oxalic acid in winter when the colony is broodless. The basic principle is that oxalic acid cannot penetrate the wax cappings and it is in these sealed cells where varroa reproduce. Therefore, the best time to treat is when the queen has stopped laying over winter and there are no capped cells for the varroa to hide in. Some say the best time to treat is after two weeks of consistently cold weather, on a dry, still day. Any phoretic mites i.e. any mites on the backs of bees and walking around the hive will be targeted and killed.
What oxalic acid treatments are available?
We supply two different oxalic acid treatments. The first is Oxybee, which comes as a bottle of oxalic acid and two sachets of powder. These are just shaken up together and used as a trickle treatment. The other product is the licensed crystals, Api-Bioxal, which can be used in a pan on a vapouriser or mixed together with sugar syrup to be administered as a trickle treatment.
Can I treat with supers on?
We believe you can, as long as the honey in the hive is left solely for the bees. Any honey in the hive may be at risk of becoming contaminated, particularly honey in uncapped cells. We do not recommend treating with any oxalic acid product while you have honey stores on that you intend to take off for human consumption. Keep in mind that Bee Inspectors carry out spot checks on honey to test for contaminants and there may be repercussions for any beekeeper whose honey is found to be contaminated.
Can I treat when feeding?
As oxalic acid is normally administered in winter, you may have already given the bees some fondant. There is nothing to say that feeding fondant will affect the efficacy of the oxalic acid treatment. If you are trickling, placing fondant on top of the hole in the crownboard will be much easier. This is because if it is placed directly on top of the frames, you will have to scrape it off before trickling between the seams, which is a messy job sure to annoy the bees.
How long will oxalic acid last once it is mixed up?
Oxybee is the longest lasting oxalic acid on the market. It will last for two years unmixed and one year once mixed, as long as it is kept in the fridge. Api-bioxal should be used immediately once mixed up.
Beekeeping Blog
January 2019
At the beginning of this month, I treated all the hives that needed it with our new product Oxybee. It was a very simple process, making a cold job a quick one. Firstly, I warmed the bottle of oxalic acid in some warm water, added the two sachets to it and shook it all up.
Then, using a syringe, I administered 5ml of the mixture to each seam where bees were present. Luckily, most of the colonies were all clustered up inside the hive so treating was no problem. Some were not quite so tucked away, like this one in the picture, but the process was still very quick and easy. As you can see from the numbered frames, this was a nucleus from earlier in the year.
If you look closely, you can see that the newer, outer frames have been drawn, which shows the colony did expand to a full-sized hive. Now, it is clustering back to around 6 frames, which will hopefully emerge in spring as a strong and healthy colony.
As we head into February, I will heft the hives to make sure they have enough stores and may start thinking about giving them a small slab of Nektapoll. This will give them a protein boost which may just help them to get going at the beginning of the beekeeping season. Other than that, making sure the cabin and all the equipment needed for the year ahead is ready will be the main job!
If you require any more information, please send an email to Alexandra at sasha@thorne.co.uk who will be happy to help or call one of our sales team on 01673 858555.
Bees for Development Update
The beekeepers we train in Ethiopia tell us about their recent honey harvest. Tege Fantahun says he had a very good harvest: "I am willing to share advice with other beekeepers who still need some help".
Tiringo Endashaw is a role model for other young women: "I am doing better every year. This excellent quality honey will fetch a high price in the market". Tege and Tiringo live in Derbanta in Amhara in northern Ethiopia.
They have been assisted for three years, as their beekeeping has progressed into worthwhile business. Tilahun Gebey, Director of Bees for Development Ethiopia says: "The support we receive from beekeepers in the UK enables us to reach people in extreme poverty. We see every day how beekeeping is making a real difference to people's lives".
Beekeepers Tege and Tiringo with their recent harvests
Save the date !
Bee Garden Party,
Wednesday 12 June, 4-30-8pm.
Bees for Development’s fabulous Bee Garden Party in the gardens of Marlborough House, The Mall, London. Hosted by Martha Kearney and Bill Turnbull, with many VIP guests!
Early bird tickets available now, click here! Or call 01600 714848 to ensure you do not miss this year’s special event.
National Honey Show News
Several videos from last year’s National Honey Show lecture programme are now available to view from the luxury of your armchair on The National Honey Show YouTube Channel. It’s a great resource if you were too busy enjoying yourself, caught up with so much else going on, or busy in a skep making workshop all day with no chance to attend lectures.
Didn’t make it to the show and don’t know what all the fuss is about? There’s a great write up of the show published by a regular Australian visitor, John Kennedy, in the Australian Bee Journal. You can find the link here and glean an idea as to why some visitors come so far to our fantastic show.
You may be aware that the show is held during what for many schools is their half term week. There are dedicated entry classes for junior exhibitors, schools and other groups of young people e.g. scouts. In 2018 various activities were available for children, and for 2019 we are planning to offer more. If you have ideas for attracting the future generation of bee keepers and beekeeping supporters, for activities, or can offer to help with the stand, do contact Val: publicity@honeyshow.co.uk Or just come along and bring the youngsters, too.
As always we look forward to seeing you at the next National Honey Show Thursday 24th to Saturday 26th October 2019.
National Honey Show dates for next year are Thursday 24th October, Friday 25th October and Saturday 26th October at Sandown Park Racecourse, Esher, Surrey KT10 9RT.
Upcoming Events
Ordering begins for Spring Shows – Monday 4th February
Ulster Beekeepers Convention – 15th and 16th February
Holsworthy Show – Saturday 23rd February
Bee Tradex – Saturday 9th March
Welsh Beekeepers Convention – Saturday 30th March
BBKA Spring Convention – Saturday 13th April
