Hon. Newsletter Editor:
Peter Edwards
E-mail: beekeepers@stratford-upon-avon.freeserve.co.uk

AFB IN KENILWORTH

I understand that there have been five cases of American Foulbrood (AFB) in the Kenilworth area.  I have not been able to ascertain whether there has been any contact with members of our own Association but I would suggest that any members who have apiaries in that direction, or who may have had any contact, should be vigilant when examining their own colonies.  AFB, although deadly, does not spread very fast naturally and is usually transmitted by beekeepers; the spores can easily be moved from an infected colony to a healthy one if frames, honey or brood is moved across. However, robbing of dead or dying infected colonies is also an important mode of transmission. If left to run its course, all colonies infected with AFB will eventually die from the disease.

Our last case of AFB in Stratford was, as far as I know, in 1984 so it makes sense to take great care not to introduce AFB (or other diseases) to our area if you are buying bees or perhaps, attending courses elsewhere.
Peter Edwards

HYGIENE AT THE ASSOCIATION APIARY

It now seems appropriate to remind everyone of our hygiene policy for the Association apiary.  Group activities are excellent for learning about beekeeping – but they can also be an opportunity to spread disease!  However, this can be avoided very easily with a few simple precautions.  In 2002 the committee agreed that single use latex gloves would be provided at the apiary and that all members handing colonies must use them; they may be worn over leather or, preferably, rubber gloves (Marigolds).  In addition, members should not bring their own hive tools or smokers as these can also carry disease if not properly sterilised; the Association will provide this equipment.
Peter Edwards

MEETING AT TERRY HITCHMAN’S APIARY

Our chairman is bravely inviting us all to his home apiary at Church View, Pillerton Hersey on 11 June at 2.30pm.  Directions: take the Banbury Road from Stratford, through Ettington and turn left in Pillerton Priors; after entering Pillerton Hersey take the first left and Church View is, unsurprisingly, opposite the church.  This will be a good opportunity to assess Terry’s bees in advance of the Bee Improvement Group (BIG) meeting on 17 June!
Peter Edwards

BEE IMPROVEMENT GROUP (BIG)

So far, eleven members have expressed interest in BIG (we have substituted ‘Improvement’ for ‘Breeding’ in the title).  Our first meeting will be on 17 June, probably at 7.30pm, at a venue yet to be decided.  When we have final numbers I will let everyone have details, so if you have not yet contacted me there is still time to be included – ring or email me now!

Except for some committee members, many of those interested are newer members and I have been asked how they can help – or even if they are eligible to join – as they may not have many stocks, or their stocks may not be particularly good.  All will be welcome!  Although we have not yet defined our objectives (that will need to be done on 17 June), it is clear that we will be raising queens from good stocks at the Association apiary, and elsewhere, and then making these available to members – either as mated queens or, perhaps, as queen cells.  It is only by working together that we will improve bees across our area.

Sue and I have just finished evaluating our colonies and now have data on around 160 queens.  We scored each queen on a scale of 1-5 for ten different traits and by using filters on the spreadsheet were able to get some excellent data.  We are now setting up software for a Stud Book for breeding.  I will try to cover more in future newsletters.
Peter Edwards

GUIDED WALK IN HAMPTON WOOD

To coincide with our apiary meeting on 18 June and as a prelude to National Insect Week, we have been invited to take part in a guided walk in Hampton Wood to look at butterflies.  Depending on numbers, we anticipate that walks will take place at 2.15pm and 3.15pm.  We will also open our apiary to Wildlife Trust members and plan to have a display set up with the observation hive.  Please arrive at 1.30pm if you would like to help set up the display.
Peter Edwards

SUMMER WALK AND SUPPER

Our very popular summer walk and supper will take place at 6.30pm on Saturday 29 July in the Wootton Wawen area.  Denis Keyte will, no doubt, find us an interesting walk and Shirley Davies has offered to arrange a fish (or chicken) and chips supper, together with a seasonal pudding (those who sampled her summer pudding after the walk in 2003 will not want to miss the walk this year!).  The cost will be £6 per head.  Booking details next month.
Peter Edwards

DAVID STANLEY

I am sure that those of you who enjoyed our visit to the Heart of England vineyard in July 2004 will be sorry to hear that the owner, David Stanley, died recently.  A card was sent on behalf of the Association.
Peter Edwards

FOR SALE

9 frame manual radial extractor, £20.  Telephone: 01789 762378.
Geoff Sreeves

STREAKERS!

Swarms containing as many as 15,000 bees are guided by "streaker" scout bees that fly very fast above the swarm and lead it to its destination, according to a new study published in the latest journal ‘Animal Behavior’ [sic].

This study contradicts the previously held belief that scout bees released pheromones that guided the swarm to its new home.  The discovery of streaking scout bees suggests that the other bees simply look up to get visual cues about the correct direction to fly.

"A bee's eye is rather large and is not placed at the front of the bee's 'face' like ours, but is sort of positioned on top of the bee's head," explained Madeleine Beekman, lead author of the study."  This means that the bee has a clear view of what is happening above her."

Ms Beekman, who is a bee expert and researcher in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Sydney, believes that when scouts fly fast above a bee that doesn't know where to go, this fast-flying bee will be visible as a streak and this streak points into the direction of travel.
Peter Edwards

HONEY NOW OUTSELLS MARMALADE

I hear on good authority that honey is now outselling marmalade and that speciality honeys are now outselling the standard  supermarket own brands.
Peter Edwards

BOOKS FOR LIBRARY MYSTERY

About 20 books have recently been donated to the Association library, which is now looked after by Mary Mills at her home in Stratford-upon-Avon, 01789 204235. This means that we now have an excellent selection of interesting and informative beekeeping books, plus a number of videos. For example, there are several copies of Hooper's "Bees & Honey", which I always recommend as a suitable first book for beginners. The books were left on my doorstep, together with a short note, which unfortunately was not signed, so we don't know where they have come from. If any member has an idea please let me know. Many of the books were apparently at one time in the High School library (there used to be a hive there). Found amongst the books is a photograph of three children in their blue school uniforms and a St. Botolph's Green (Worcester) Newsletter.
Mike Osborne

TREATING BEE STINGS

A recent item on www.apitherapy.com made the point that speed is essential in removing stings.

Many medical texts and first aid guides recommend a time-honoured approach: use a sharp object, such as a penknife, to gently scrape away the sting or, even worse, find some tweezers and pull the sting out.  The point of this advice is to get the sting out without squeezing or pulling which was thought to increase the odds of more venom entering the wound.

But there is a small problem.  Numerous studies have found that when it comes to treating bee stings it is time, not method, that makes the difference.  One study, published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, demonstrated this several years ago.  In it, researchers collected honeybees and provoked them into stinging disks made from filter paper and other surfaces, which they weighed at different intervals in the stinging process.  At the end of the study, the results showed that on average a sting released 90 percent of its venom within 20 seconds.

The best treatment, therefore, is to scrape out the sting immediately with anything that comes to hand quickly – and one thing that is always ‘to hand’ is your fingernails!

It is also worth pointing out that treatment with antihistamine creams and sprays such as Waspeze should be avoided as their use can cause the patient to become allergic to further stings.  Antihistamines taken orally are fine, but are slow acting so you should take them a couple of hours before being stung.  I’ll stick with the fingernail treatment!
Peter Edwards