Some basic articles to help if you are interested in getting started with beekeeping
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Reigate Beekeepers Auction for 2012
Starting to get ready for what has become the annual auction for my association. With 6 weeks to go I have got around 100 lots but from just a few sellers so far. I will need to chase people up and send out reminders to get more sellers registered.
Last year there around 150 lots which took just over 3 hours to get through. Some real surprises in terms of prices fetched, for example:
- Bees – full size colony, just bees – no hives: £300
- Brood boxes – Nationals in poor condition: £24
- Super boxes – Dadant: £8
- Dadant – complete cedar hive: £25
Last year we were really lucky with the weather, so fingers are crossed for a similar sort of day this time around.
In case you are interested it’s on Saturday, 31st March 2012 and more information is on the Reigate website at: auction details
Annual Oxalic Acid Treatment
Annual treatment with Oxalic Acid for Varroa control. Temperature around 9c, bit warm but didn’t want to leave it any later in the month as one of the main triggers for the queen to lay is day length. Didn’t open up the hives, just applied 5ml of Oxalic acid to each seam of bees.
| Colony |
Q
|
BIAS
|
Stores
|
Comment | Next Inspection |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aqua |
–
|
6
|
15Kg
|
fairly active | |
| Blue |
–
|
4
|
10Kg
|
weakest colony | check store in a month |
| Cyan |
–
|
8
|
20Kg
|
very strong | |
| Green |
–
|
7
|
20Kg
|
plenty of stores | |
| Indigo |
–
|
–
|
not treated |