y
March 2023
Sat 4 – Ruxley Apiary
2pm The apiary officially opens for the season.
Colonies checked for stores, health, viability, a note taken if stocks need equalizing. All colonies given a pollen substitute food. In poor weather making up new frames and fitting them with foundation sheets.
Sat 11 – Canada Water, City Business Centre, SE16 2XB
9:30am Introduction to Beekeeping Course, part 1.
Sat 11 – Baldwyns Apiary
2pm The apiary officially opens.
Weather permitting, routine inspections commenced. Colonies checked for stores, health, viability, a note taken if stocks need equalizing. All colonies given a pollen substitute food. In poor weather making up new frames and fitting them with foundation sheets.
Sat 18 – Ruxley Apiary
2pm Weather permitting, routine inspections commenced. 2nd brood box or 1st super added, but only if the season progressed well thus far. Suitable colonies for the queen and drone rearing selected and noted, but only if queen rearing is deemed essential.
Sat 25 – Canada Water, City Business Centre, SE16 2XB
9:30am Introduction to Beekeeping Course, part 2.
Sat 25 – Baldwyns Apiary
2pm 2nd brood box or 1st super added, but only if the season progressed well thus far. Suitable colonies for the queen and drone rearing selected and noted.
April 2023
Sat 1 – Ruxley Apiary
2pm Routine inspection of colonies, swarm prevention measures undertaken. Supers added to the colonies if needed. 2nd best colony prepared for raising drones for the queen rearing programme, fed with sugar syrup and with proteins-rich pollen substitute. All colonies given the Varroa entrapment frames
Sat 8 – Baldwyns Apiary – Easter Saturday
2pm Routine inspection of colonies, swarm prevention measures undertaken. Supers added to the colonies if needed. 2nd best colony prepared for raising drones for the queen rearing programme, fed with sugar syrup and with proteins rich pollen substitute. All colonies given the Varroa entrapment frames.
Sat 15 – Ruxley Apiary
2pm Routine inspection of colonies, swarm prevention measures undertaken. Supers added to the colonies if needed. Varroa entrapment frames checked.
Sat 22 – Ruxley Apiary
9:30am – 3:30pm Introduction to Beekeeping Course, part 3: 1st Practical – Basics, handling and working with bees.
Sat 22 – Baldwyns Apiary
3pm Routine inspection of colonies, swarm prevention, Varroa entrapment frames checked. Old frames rendered down.
Sat 29 – Ruxley Apiary
2pm Routine inspection of colonies, swarm prevention, Varroa entrapment frames check. Old frames rendered down. Varroa entrapment frames replaced.
May 2023
Sat 6 – Baldwyns Apiary
2pm – Routine inspection of colonies, swarm prevention, Varroa entrapment frames check. The colony, which is selected for the queen rearing programme, is to be prepared.
3pm Ruxley: The colony selected for the queen rearing is to be prepared
Sat 13 – Baldwyns Apiary
9:30am – 3:30pm Introduction to Beekeeping Course, part 4: 2nd Practical – Basics, handling and working with bees.
12:30pm – 1:15pm Queen rearing part 1: Grafting young larvae into queen cell cups
Sat 13 – Ruxley Apiary
1pm – 2pm – Queen rearing part 1: Grafting young larvae into queen cell cups.
2pm – Routine inspection of colonies, swarm prevention, Varroa entrapment frames check.
Sat 20 – Baldwyns Apiary
2pm – Routine inspection of colonies, swarm prevention, Varroa entrapment frames check. QR 2: check on the grafting outcome. Preparation of the mating nucs
Tue 23 – Baldwyns and Ruxley Apiary
Time: TBA – Queen rearing part 3: Distribution of ripe queen cells into mating nucs.
Sat 27 – Ruxley Apiary
2pm – Queen rearing part 4: Check on virgin queens emergence from queen cells. Routine inspection of colonies, swarm prevention, Varroa entrapment frames check. Supers added.
June 2023
Sat 3 – Baldwyns Apiary
1pm – Routine inspection of colonies, swarm prevention, Varroa entrapment frames check; marking and clipping the new queens.
Sat 10 – Ruxley Apiary
2pm – Routine inspection of colonies, swarm prevention, Varroa entrapment frames check; marking and clipping the new queens.
Sat 17 – Baldwyns Apiary
2pm – Routine inspection of colonies, swarm prevention, Varroa entrapment frames check. Supers added.
Sat 24 – Ruxley Apiary
2pm – Routine inspection of colonies, swarm prevention, Varroa entrapment frames check.
July 2023
Sat 1 – Baldwyns Apiary
2pm – Routine inspection of colonies, swarm prevention, Varroa entrapment
frames check.
Sat 8 – Ruxley Apiary
9am – Routine inspection of colonies, last swarm prevention, last Varroa entrapment frames check.
Sat 15 – Baldwyns Apiary
9:30am – Routine inspection of colonies, consolidation of frames with honey for possible extraction in two weeks’ time.
Sat 22 – Ruxley Apiary
9am – Tidying up of the newest shed and of the pavilion prior the extraction, consolidation of frames with honey.
Thu 27 – Both apiaries
6pm – Separation of bees from their honey, transport of boxes with the honey from Baldwyns’ site to Ruxley.
Sat 29 – Ruxley Apiary
9am – 4pm Extraction of the honey crop. 12:30 Picnic lunch with drinks.
August 2023
Sat 5 – Ruxley Apiary
9am – Check up on stores and colonies
fed with sugar syrup and with pollen substitute.
Sat 12 – Baldwyns Apiary
2pm – Colonies fed with sugar syrup and with pollen substitute.
Sat 19 – Ruxley Apiary
9am – All colonies treated for Varroa
Sat 26 – Baldwyns Apiary
2pm – Top-up of food to all colonies
September 2023
Sat 2 –
Ruxley Apiary
9am – Colonies fed as required, both
with sugar syrup and with UltraBee.
Sat 9 – Baldwyns Apiary
2pm – Colonies fed as required, hedges trimmed.
Sat 16 – Ruxley Apiary
Time TBC – Colonies fed as required, elderberry bushes growth removed and hedges trimmed from inside.
Sat 23 – Baldwyns Apiary
2pm – Last check on amount of stores in all colonies and topped up if required.
Sat 30 – Ruxley Apiary
Time TBC – Removal of all Varroa treatment
October 2023
Sat 7 – Baldwyns Apiary
2pm – Repairs to hive parts, Tidying of apiary. Bring suitable tools.
Sat 14 – Ruxley Apiary
2pm – Repairs to hive parts, Tidying of apiary. Bring suitable tools. Bonfire.
Sat 21 – Baldwyns Apiary
Meeting cancelled. Potential attendees will be welcomed in our Ruxley Apiary, starting at 9am.
Sat 28 – Ruxley Apiary
2pm – Installation of mouse guards and woodpecker protection cages.
Meeting cancelled. All apiary managers will be attending the National Honey Show in Esher.
November 2023
Sat 4 – Hall Place
2:30pm – 4:30pm AGM.
Sat 11 – Ruxley Apiary
9:30am – Cleaning of equipment, repairs.
Sat 18 – Baldwyns Apiary
2pm – Cleaning of equipment, repairs
Sat 25 – Ruxley Apiary
9:30am – Early mince pies with mulled wine, final check before the apiaries are closed for the winter.
Meeting cancelled. Apiary closed for the winter.
December 2023
Apiaries closed for winter.