We have had a holding page on bee health for some time. It has now been updated with lots of useful links to resources on the web, especially information on BeeBase.

Please see the Members area for details of Committee members who are retiring at the 2019 AGM and hence we are looking for members to take over their vital roles.

Our Annual Taster Day, for those interested to get a bit of hands-on experience of beekeeping, is on 17th August 2019. See the Annual Taster Days page for more information including an application form to attend the Taster Day 2019.

Our long-serving Treasurer, Peter Randall, has decided to retire after 17 years. Please see the Members area for details about the role and contact details if you are interested in the position.

Please make every effort to attend, as the AGM is a great opportunity for you – the members of OBKA – to express your views about what the Association can do for you, or where you think we can improve. The Trustees and Committee always welcome feedback from members.

More details in the Events calendar.

Witney Bees are pleased to invite members of OBKA to the second of their winter talks by an authority on bees Ged Marshall – ‘Master Bee Farmer’:

‘Swarm control – without nine day checks’

The talks is at 1930 hrs on Wednesday 14th November in the Wesley Room in Witney.

Full details, including a bio of Ged, are in the Events calendar.

Congratulations to everyone who successfully completed the course this year. Hopefully many of you will get your first colony of bees next Spring and start the exciting and absorbing experience of seeing your colony develop successfully. If you would like to receive a Certificate of Achievement – the criterion being attendance at four or more of the training sessions – please email me and I will send it to you by return.

Pete Chaunt

Ian Gorlay (ian.gourlay@plants.ox.ac.uk) has contacted to Association to ask if anyone has 30lb  tubs of honey to sell. He tells us:

‘Not a good year for me? Lost 2/3rds of my stocks and all of Bridewell’s by late spring!

However, regained numbers by mid summer thru mostly swarms entering empty hives! Including one at Bridewell on our first open day in May (numerous visitors informing me of a swarm going down thru’ the vinyard to empty hives)!

Never the less virtually no honey (except the one at Bridewell)! I conclude a combination of new colonies and everything drying up in such a hot summer?

I just wondered if (anyone at the Association ) might have some honey for sale in 30lb tubs, say three or four.’

If you can help Ian please contact him directly using his email address, above.

Government announce the National Bee Unit has confirmed a sighting of the Asian hornet in the Fowey area of south Cornwall.

See Here for full details.

Be vigilant!

The Annual Delegate Meeting is held in January each year. Each Area Association Member (AAM) is invited to send a delegate to receive a report from the Executive Committee for the previous financial year, to elect Trustees, Members of the Exam Board and to vote on propositions setting the policy of the BBKA.

Peter Chaunt is the OBKA rep at the 2019 ADM on 12 January 2019.   If any member of our Association has a burning issue they would like discussed at the above event, would they please send him a draft proposition (max 250 words) by Friday 28th September. This can then be discussed at our OBKA Committee meeting on 1st October, and if supported will be put forward to the BBKA by the 19th October deadline. If a proposal involves a financial outlay, an estimate of the cost must be included in the proposal.