Mid-Ulster Beekeepers Association

Welcome to the MUBKA website!

 

The club meets at 8.00pm on the 2nd friday of every month at Loughry College in Cookstown

 

If you have ever been interested in keeping bees or you are curious to see what goes on inside a hive, get in touch via the contact us page

 

 

News

Listen to the work done at the bee unit here

Queen rearing using the cupkit system is taking place this week at the apiary

Pictures from the Hillsborough Garden Show have been added to our events gallery

Please take the AFBI Honey Bee Husbandry Survey 2010



Buying a Nucleus Hive

After learning the basics of beekeeping and purchasing the necessary equipment (see our getting started page) you will be ready to populate your hive with bees! This is usually through the purchase of a nucleus hive a.k.a nuc. As always it is buyer beware as there are minimum standards you should expect. It is advisable to inspect the nuc before purchasing to check for the following:

•  5 reasonably new, deep-brood frames consisting of 3 with brood (eggs, larvae and sealed) all from the resident queen and the remaining 2 containing sufficient stores of honey and pollen
•  A laying queen (marked) of course of known age and origin displaying a good brood pattern
•  Details of any Varroa treatment used that year
•  The Nuc box is usually returned to the seller after the bees have been transferred
•  Cost - this varies depending on the time of year but expect to pay £90-£130
  

Varroa Mites

These Varroa destructor mites are a widespread parasite of the Honey bee. They weaken bees in development by feeding on their haemolymph leaving malformed bees. They have also been implicated in numerous viral diseases of the Honey bee. All beekeepers should treat their hives for varroa infestation either through proprietary medications or a combination of interated pest management strategies. These can include drone culling (the mites target drone larvae), open mesh floors, dusting with icing sugar and treatments based on certain essential oils - most typically thymol.

 

Spring clean up!

 

To reduce disease build up in your hive it is good practice to clean up any equipment you use. Hive tools should be cleaned in a solution of soda crystals. Floors and other hive parts should be exchanged for clean items (just scorch with a blow torch). Don't forget to wash your beesuit as well!

You can also sterilise any old frames you intend to use this year using a solution of 80% acetic acid in water. A plastic tub is filled with a couple of pieces of kitchen roll and around 200mls of acid is poured in. The tub is placed on top of the frames and the boxes enclosed in a bin liner for at least one week. A further week is needed to allow the frames to air before they can be used. Take care not to breath in the fumes and wear gloves. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Spring  Management and Pollen

 

Tom Canning spoke on friday 12/02/10 about spring management techniques. Important temperatures were noted such as minimum to open hives (15oC) and temperatures when bees collect nectar (17-18oC).

Pollen is important at this time of year in order to rear brood. If bees have no pollen a substitute can be fed consisting of 3 parts fat free soya flour, 1 part bakers yeast and 1 part skimmed milk powder. A small amount of vitamin C is added and a patty formed by mixing the powder with sugar syrup.

 

The best pollen though is natures own, the photo on the left shows a honeybee collecting snowdrop pollen a day after Tom's talk. On the right a honeybee collects Gorse pollen.

                                                                                                          

                                                                                              

 

 

 

 

 

 

Save the Honeybees

The recent high publicity surrounding honeybees worldwide is not without cause. Recent losses particularly in America are unprecedented. A range of parasites and disease have largely erradicated the feral honeybee from the UK. More importantly than ever the importance of the honeybee not just for the production of honey but also the pollination industry is being felt.

By supporting your local beekeeping club you can do your part to promote responsible beekeeping in this country.  

We Offer

If you don't have room at home to keep bees we can offer a site at our Loughry Campus (places limited). A full range of facilities are available to members with membership costing only £15 per year (including insurance). 

We have a new show tent available for local shows, please use the 'contact us' form to enquire