The Scottish Native Honey Bee Conservation Project
The Scottish Native Honey Bee Society is asking beekeepers in Scotland to help find examples of the native honey bee, Apis mellifera mellifera.
If you think you have dark bees with no significant orange banding, please consider taking some good photos and submitting them to the SNHBS survey.
For more information about the project, and how to participate, please visit the SNHBS website here, and here.
Our annual meeting on 27 April was a mixed event of Association matters, a celebration of Barbara Cruden’s contributions to our Association, and two talks about honey, honey, honey.
David presented Barbara with the Association quaich as a thank-you from all of us for all her generous contributions to the Association.
In our February newsletter John Cooper, a previous ADBKA Chair, wrote: Continue reading “The AGM, the Quaich, and honey”
We are pleased to announce that at the SBA AGM on 18 March, Graham Torrie was presented with the SBA’s “Local Association Award”. This is awarded to beekeepers for recognition of the quality of their contribution within their Local Association, and for their active promotion of the art of beekeeping in the environment of that Association.
ADBKA members interested in our native honey bee, Apis mellifera mellifera, may be interested in attending the Scottish Native Honey Bee Society’s annual meeting at Loch Leven Community Campus, Kinross on Saturday 17 March 2018 at 10:00-16:00.
Scottish Native Honey Bee Society
Annual Meeting – Loch Leven Community Campus, Kinross
Saturday 17 March 2018 at 10:00-16:00 Continue reading “Scottish Native Honey Bee Society”
I come from the Caucasus region of southern Russia – from the resort town of Sochi which has a sub-tropical climate and is not like the frozen north that people associate with Russia. In the Caucasus region beekeeping is very popular and there are many large-scale bee-farms where they harvest honey and breed bees for export around the world. My parents are honey lovers and still buy it in 3 kg jars, which is a traditional container in Russia for many products. In recent years I have taken Aberdeenshire heather-honey to my parents and other family members in Sochi which they enjoyed. On one trip to Sochi, I carried 15 kg of honey to the great shock and amusement of customs officers. [Read more about the trip in the January 2018 Newsletter.] Continue reading “Olya Macaulay”
‘The first bit is the hard part’, instructor Bryce Reynard announced as six ADBKA members gathered for a workshop in the noble art of skep-making. The tables were covered in straw. Bales of string and alarmingly large needles were ready for use. Bryce had kindly brought along a collection of his work, and after he had introduced himself and his background in forestry and his own introduction to basket-making via a birthday present, the workshop started with a discussion of skep-making around the various part- and fully-finished examples. The wide variety of possible materials, from straw to brambles, nettles, various grasses and so on, was of interest to everyone. Continue reading “Skep-making workshop – November, 2017”
Each year Aberdeen Beekeepers run a series of evening classes intended for beginners. The classes are open to all, and there is no obligation to become a beekeeper or to join the association afterwards. Some people just want to learn more about the fascinating world of the honey bee. However, those who do wish to progress will be given sufficient knowledge and practical skills to start on this popular hobby in a way which is both enjoyable and mindful of the bees’ needs.
[This is the first of a series of articles based on interviews by Lindsey Macaulay and Olya Kurasova with Murray McGregor.]
My season starts in September when all my colonies are at the heather moors of Scotland waiting for us to harvest the honey crop.
The first thing we do is remove the bees from the honey crop within the hive. We do this by using a New Zealand type clearing board which normally clears all the bees in a matter of hours and, in my opinion, offers several advantages over the alternatives. See Note 1.
Continue reading “Murray McGregor – My Beekeeping Year, September – November”
This year’s honey show was very well attended and most categories were represented with an entry. The show was judged by Hugh Donohoe who has been a member of ADBKA for many years, a former committee member and, more recently, has been appointed an SBA examiner.
by Graham Torrie & John Cooper, both past Chairs of ADBKA
Members will be sad to hear the news that David Pert passed away on Monday the 6th of November. He had been ill for some time. David was an enthusiastic beekeeper and a much valued member of the ADBKA committee.
