Programme of Events 2025
January 2025
Both Apiaries closed
February 2025
Sat 15 – Ruxley Apiary
9:30 am Colonies checked for damage. Weather permitting, quick check for amount of stores in colonies. If required colonies fed with bee fondant or with dry sugar.
10:00 am Newly bought equipment assembled. Please bring suitable tools – power drills/screwdrivers. New hive parts painted with timber preservative, bring old clean brushes.
March 2025
Sat 1 – Ruxley Apiary
9:30am The apiary officially opens for the season.
Colonies checked for stores, health, viability, a note taken if stocks need equalizing. All live colonies given a pollen substitute food. In poor weather new frames made and fitted with foundation sheets.
Sat 8 – 167 Tower Bridge Rd., SE1 3LN
9:30am Introduction to Beekeeping, Theory part 1
Sat 8 – Baldwyns Apiary
2pm The apiary officially opens for the season.
Weather permitting, routine inspections commence.
Colonies checked for stores, health, viability, a note taken if stocks need equalizing. All live colonies given a pollen substitute food. In poor weather new frames made and fitted with foundation sheets.
Sat 15 – Ruxley Apiary
9:30am Weather permitting, routine inspections commenced. If the season progressed well thus far, 2nd brood box or 1st super added. Suitable colonies for the queen and drone rearing selected and noted.
Sat 22 – Baldwyns Apiary
2pm If the season progressed well thus far, 2nd brood box or 1st super added. Suitable colonies for the queen and drone rearing selected and noted.
Sat 29 – 167 Tower Bridge Rd., SE1 3LN
9:30am Introduction to Beekeeping, (Beginners’ Course) Theory part 2
Sat 29 – Ruxley Apiary
9:30am Routine inspection of colonies, swarm prevention measures undertaken.
Supers added to the colonies if needed. 2nd best colony selected and prepared for raising the drones for the queen rearing program: it will be given a frame with drone foundation and fed with sugar and pollen substitute.
All other colonies will be given the Varroa entrapment frames
April 2025
Sat 5 – Baldwyns Apiary – also BBKA Spring Convention, Harper Adams University, TF10 8NB
2pm Routine inspection of colonies, swarm prevention measures undertaken.
Supers added to the colonies if needed. 2nd best colony selected and prepared for raising the drones for the queen rearing program: it will be given a frame with drone foundation and fed with sugar and pollen substitute.
All other colonies will be given the Varroa entrapment frames
Sat 12 – Ruxley Apiary
9:30 Routine inspection of colonies, swarm prevention measures undertaken.
Supers added to the colonies if needed. Varroa frames checked. The colonies selected for queen rearing and for drone rearing given feed supplement: both sugar syrup and pollen substitute should be given.
Sat 19 – Baldwyns Apiary
2pm Routine inspection of colonies; swarm prevention. Supers added to the colonies if needed. Varroa frames checked. Old frames rendered down to retrieve beeswax.
Sat 26 – Ruxley Apiary
9:30am Introduction to Beekeeping, (Beginners’ Course) Part 3; 1st Practical session.
Apiary closed to all members, except for those helping with the course. All other members are advised to come to the Baldwyns Apiary.
May 2025
Sat 3 – Baldwyns Apiary
2pm Routine inspection of colonies; swarm prevention. Supers added to the colonies if needed. Varroa frames checked.
The colony selected for the queen rearing is to be prepared (demareed).
Sat 10 – Baldwyns Apiary
9:30am Introduction to Beekeeping, (Beginners’ Course) Part 4; 2nd Practical session.
Apiary closed to all members, except for those helping with the course. All other members are advised to come to the Ruxley Apiary.
3:30pm Queen rearing (QR) part 1; Grafting.
Sat 10 – Ruxley Apiary
9:30am Routine inspection of colonies; swarm prevention. Supers added to the colonies if needed. Varroa frames checked.
11am Queen rearing (QR) part 1; Grafting.
Sat 17 – Baldwyns Apiary
2pm 2pm Routine inspection of colonies; swarm prevention. Supers added to the colonies if needed. Varroa frames checked. QR pt 2: Check on the grafting outcome, preparation of the mating nucs.
Tue 20 – Ruxley & Baldwyns Apiary
Time TBC QR pt 3: Distribution of ripe QCs into the mating nucs.
Sat 25 – Ruxley Apiary
9:30am Routine inspection of colonies; swarm prevention. Supers added to the colonies if needed. Varroa frames checked. Check on the grafting outcome. QR pt 4. If needed, the grafting process re-done.
Sat 31 – Baldwyns Apiary
2:00pm Routine inspection of colonies, swarm prevention. Varroa entrapment frames checked. New queens checked if laying.
June 2025 TBC