Apiary Schedule 2027
The 2027 apiary schedule has not yet been arranged. Details will appear here as soon as possible. Sessions usually begin when we are confident that it is warm enough to open colonies for inspection without setting them back – this is usually around mid-April
Apiary sessions are held on Saturdays, starting at 14:00
We’d love to welcome all our members to come along to our regular apiary sessions, help out with the colonies, have a cup of tea and a chat, and enjoy an afternoon’s practical beekeeping!
If the weather isn’t good for opening colonies, or the colonies aren’t strong enough, the Apiary Manager may decide not to bother the bees that day. However, there are often other jobs or training that we can undertake in the club house. Even if we can’t do inspections, it doesn’t necessarily mean that sessions will be cancelled.
If a session has to be cancelled, we will mailshot our members to let them know. A decision to cancel might be made at short notice. Mailshots will be sent to the e-mail address members gave us when they applied for/renewed their membership, so please check your e-mail on the morning of a scheduled session just to make sure that the session will be running. Always let us know if you change your e-mail address so that your contact details are up to date.
About Our Club Apiary
We have great facilities, beginners and experienced members are encouraged to join us for the fortnightly training sessions held throughout the beekeeping season.
During the season we carry out a variety of manipulations, some of which are :
- Finding queens and colour marking them
- Health inspections, including testing for varroa mites and treating against them
- Replacing old brood boxes and brood frames with clean and new
- Controlling swarming, as in, trying to prevent it
- Rearing replacement queens
- Taking honey and demonstrating honey extraction
- Winter Feeding
Summer evening and everything is quiet…
As well as working directly with the colonies in the apiary, we have a well equipped club house which we use for new beekeeper training during the beekeeping season. After apiary inspections we relax for a brew, a biscuit, and a chat about what we found during the inspections, asking and answering questions about the day and where experienced keepers give advice on understanding and managing their own bees.
Our club apiary sessions begin each spring when the bees become active, and run through until late summer.
For more information about the branch apiary, please contact ApiaryManager-WWBKA@outlook.co.uk