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Swarms
A swarm is the only way that a honeybee
colony can reproduce itself. When a
colony is particularly prosperous,
bursting with bees and honey (often
between May and July), the old queen
leaves the hive with around half of the
worker bees and attendant drones to
found a new colony elsewhere in the
neighbourhood. She leaves behind in
the old nest, several developing
princesses that will emerge from their
cells, fight for supremacy and
eventually the surviving member will
head the colony.
The bees are usually so intent on the
process of swarming that they are
particularly gentle and the swarm can
be handled without protective clothing.
To an active beekeeper, a swarm is not
worth any money, often being regarded
as a potential source of disease and
bees of unknown temperament, however we
have several members who are prepared
to collect swarms as a service to the
community.
If the swarm is difficult to access
there will normally be a removal fee
levied by the beekeeper. If you spot
an unwelcome swarm, please
phone our swarm liaison officer who will
be pleased to either collect himself,
or refer you to another member who can
offer assistance.
Our swarm liaison officer is Reg Davis.
01722 501201
System for allocating swarms 2009/10
Our Swarm Liaison officer, Reg Davis,
has reported that in the last three
years the number of members of S&DBKA
and the number of swarms he has been
asked to collect each season have both
increased. In the 2008/9 season Reg was
able to supply 15 swarms to members who
had requested this number by putting
themselves on his list.
Behind this apparently satisfactory
state of affairs it should be noted,
however that:-
Some swarms were waiting a week or more
in Reg’s garden for collection.
Some people requesting swarms lacked
appropriate equipment to house them.
Some people requesting swarms had no
experience of hiving them.
Some swarms provided by Reg absconded
due to incorrect hiving procedure.
The committee has examined how the
system might be improved, and taken
account of the following additional
factors:-.
Reg’s time, and the space he has to hold
swarms he has collected, are limited. He
has kindly agreed to continue though.
Swarms are valuable, particularly at a
time when bees are in short supply. (A
five frame nucleus from Thorne’s in 2010
will cost £200!)
It is unsatisfactory from every
viewpoint for swarms, once collected and
re-distributed, to abscond.
S&DBKA is eating into its capital, i.e.
spending beyond its income.
The committee has decided that the
system for managing swarms collected by
Reg for the coming (2009/10) season will
operate along the following lines.
1) Paid-up 2009/10 members - novice or
experienced - may ask to be placed on
Reg’s swarm list from now by contacting
him on 01722 501201 or r.davis6@ntlworld.com
2) On receipt of such requests Reg will
attempt to establish that the member has
the necessary equipment to transport and
hive any swarm allocated to them.
3) Reg will also ascertain from the
member whether they are “qualified” to
receive a swarm. Such “qualification”
may be by having completed John Troke’s
training course, having completed the
two-day Introductory course run by
Thorne’s (or equivalent), or by having
had several years’
beekeeping experience.
4) Once accepted onto the list, members
will be offered a swarm on a
first-come-first-served basis. If Reg is
notified of a swarm needing collection
and the member at the top of the list is
an experienced beekeeper, he may ask
whether they are able to collect it
themselves. If an applicant does not
want a swarm offered to them or are
unable to collect it from him within 24
hours, it will be offered to the next
person on the list.
5) If the member does want the swarm,
and can collect it within 24 hours, they
will be asked to give Reg a cheque
(payable to “S&DBKA”) on collection, for
£40 (for a prime swarm), or £20 (for a
cast).
6) A guide to hiving swarms - written by
John Troke - will be provided. John will
also hold a list of experienced members
of S&DBKA who have indicated their
willingness to “mentor” novice
beekeepers. It is hoped to provide
novice members with a “mentor” as they
complete John’s course.
7) Once a member has received a swarm
under this system, any further request
from them will go on the bottom of the
list for that season.
It is hoped that this system will
maximise the chances of swarms collected
by Reg being allocated fairly, collected
efficiently and given the best possible
chance of being hived successfully.
The income derived from the (very
competitive) charges both for swarms and
for John’s training will help us to try
to maintain downward pressure on
membership fees.
N.B. It will, of course, remain
completely acceptable for experienced
members to make their own arrangements
to collect swarms of which they are
notified directly (i.e. not by Reg).
CS 02/12/09
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