We have a page with free honey label templates to download. The page can be found here. We have also provided details on the page of how to buy your own printed labels from the label manufacturers.

A Bit of a Do will be taking place at Truro School (Trennick Lane, Truro TR1 1TH ) on Saturday 17th September with refreshments available from 9.00 am for a 10 am start.

Modern Beekeeping will be attending with a full range of equipment for demonstration and for sale.

The keynote speaker for the day is Graham Royle .

More information for the day can be found here: www.westcornwallbka.org.uk/bitofado

The importance of preparing colonies to enter the winter in a healthy state with an
adequate supply of young healthy bees and stores cannot be over-emphasised.  Please click here for FERAs check list for winter.

We will be attending The National Honey Show between 27th October and the 29th October 2011 at St Georges College Weybridge Surrey KT15 2QS.

DOORS OPENING TIMES
Thursday 27th October 1.45 pm – 6.00 pm
Friday 28th October 9.00 am – 6.00 pm
Saturday 29th October 9.00 am – 4.30 pm

While stocks last we are holding a SALE ON ALL OUR PRODUCTS. Under this sale if you enter the code SALE2011 into the website on the first page of the checkout process it will take 10% off all your purchases. This offer applies to all products, including bulk offers for 10 hives etc, and it applies to telephone orders as well as on-line sales until the 15th August.

Fera the UK Government body concerned with agriculture and other related activities has produced a new leaflet on hive sterilisation.  This includes guidence on polystyrene hives and is therefore very applicable to our hives and nucleus boxes.  The guide can be found here.  The advice in the leaflet is in line with the advice we have previously given but as an official document this is a very useful addition to Fera’s range of leaflets and guides.

Prices start at 60.05 for a complete hive including VAT

you can purchase a National Hive here.

Frames and Foundation are also available.

Our new National hive is constructed to have the same external dimensions as a normal wooden National which because of the thicker walls means it has room inside for 10 Hoffman frames and a dummy board if desired. We do not see this as a limitation because in poly hives the queen will frequently use all ten frames for brood rearing. In wooden hives, where the outer frames are rarely used for brood rearing because of excessive temperature fluctuations the outer frames are rarely used for brood rearing.

Once you have your first hive you can register on the National Bee Unit’s (NBU) BeeBase database. The NBU uses this database to help monitor bee populations and levels of disease, and provides advice on identifying pests and diseases. They will also advise on the legal requirements for beekeepers.

Registered beekeepers get a free advisory apiary visit from their local bee inspector, who can provide help and advice on all aspects of beekeeping. You can register on the BeeBase website www.nationalbeeunit.com or call on 01904 462510.

We have just written some instructions on getting the best from our Kieler mating hives. They can be found on the website here.  We would very much welcome feedback from other users of this hive so we can improve these instructions further.