Hon. Newsletter Editor:
Mike Osborne
E-mail: M.Osborne@care4free.net

This is being held on Friday, 16th November at Stratford College at 7.30pm and provides an opportunity for you to voice your opinions on how you think the running of the Association could be improved, or put yourself forward to serve on the Committee, so that you can help to put your ideas into action. Should we be spending some of our reserves for the benefit of members or is it best to hang on to it for a 'rainy day'? New blood is needed to bring new ideas. The Committee is constantly aware of those members who do not come to meetings or use the various facilities on offer. Let us know what the Association can do for you. Please come. The meeting is held in room BG1, near the small car park on the left as you leave the Safeway island.

The National Bee Unit has carried out spot checks throughout England and Wales to establish the extent of pyrethroid resistant varroa mites. At October 1st 2001, no resistant mites have been found outside those in Devon. But the number of tests was relatively small, so the NBU is encouraging as many beekeepers as possible to carry out a simple test using a kit that they have provided for all associations. Presumably it is too late to do anything this year, but next season we are asked to collect about 400 bees, put them in the modified plastic beaker supplied, expose them to Apistan (also supplied), kill them, and count the mites that have and have not been affected by the pyrethroid. One hopes that the ratio of the former to the latter will be high. More details next season!

DNK

Winner: Will Spencer

Winner: Will Spencer; 2nd Mike Osborne; 3rd Denis Keyte & Peter Edwards (joint)

Winner: Moira Osborne

Our thanks to David Lishman who did such an excellent job of judging, making worthwhile comments as required and generally giving encouragement for us to do even better next year.

It was most heartening to see several new faces amongst the entries and the winners. Congratulations to Will on a most impressive effort, gaining 38 points in the Challenge Cup compared with only 12 points for the 2nd place. All the cake classes proved popular, including the new class for a cake to one's own recipe (see below). It was also good to see the increased number of entries in classes 21 and 22. Of particular interest were Hilary's photographs of beekeeping in Cuba and Peter Edwards' mouse-guard (see below).

The BBKA forums held periodically at Stoneleigh are informal meetings for association chairmen and secretaries to discuss a variety of topics in advance of the formal annual delegates' meeting, which in 2002 is on 19 January. It looks as if there will be a proposal to increase the BBKA capitation fee from £7.50 to £10 from 1 October 2003. This rather steep increase seems to be necessary to meet the costs of new ventures, such as developing the BBKA website, setting up BBKA Enterprises Limited, improving the examination system and funding the direct mailing of BBKA News to every member.

The forum heard from Tim Lovett, one of the BBKA's newer and younger executive committee members, who used his marketing skills to try to persuade us that it would make economic sense for BBKA News to be mailed directly to every member. He didn't deny that the cost would he passed from the associations to the BBKA; it seems to me that efficient organisations like ours, which distribute the News promptly and at little or no extra cost would end up subsidising those associations that do not communicate frequently with their members. This matter is not unconnected with the intention of the BBKA to enforce its Rule 33, which requires all affiliated associations to send an annual return of its members' names and addresses.

Mike Brown of the National Bee Unit described the latest thinking on synthetic pyrethroid resistant varroa mites that have been discovered in Devon. He was reasonably optimistic that the natural spread of resistant mites would he slow. Colonies with such mites are not being destroyed, but are being treated by other means. It seems that if pyrethroids are not used for five years, resistance to them will have disappeared. Meanwhile there are several alternatives to pyrethroids that are likely to be approved for controlling varroa before long. The NBU has launched a campaign to establish the extent of pyrethroid-resistant mites - see separate note.

No forum would he complete without a debate on GM crop trials. It seems inevitable that such debates generate more questions than answers!

DNK

Will anyone who has not yet paid their subscription for the current year please send it to the treasurer as soon as possible. Thank you.

Below is the recipe for the winning cake in the 'to your own recipe' class at the Honey Show.

6 oz. margarine

2 oz. muscovado sugar and 2 oz. castor sugar mixed together

8 oz. chopped apricots and 4 oz. honey (heather if available) mixed together

3 eggs

1 oz. ground almonds

8 oz. self-raising flour

Flaked almonds as required to decorate

Beat the margarine and sugars together. Add eggs one at a time, beating well each time, adding a little flour with the last egg.

Mix half the flour and the ground almonds together and add to the mixture.

Mix the remaining flour well into the apricot and honey mix, and fold this into the mixture. Put the mixture into a greased and pre-lined tin of 7" diameter, and sprinkle almonds on top.

Bake at 145ºC in a fan oven, 150ºC in a conventional oven.

Among the entries in the items of general interest at the Honey Show was a mouse-guard entered by Peter Edwards. This consists of taking the standard galvanised strip mouse-guard and bending the top at right angles along its length, so that the bent over bit can be inserted between the floor and brood chamber to hold the guard in place (not suitable for WBCs). No messing about with drawing pins etc. I and other members have since tried it and can confirm how easy it is to fix in place.

9th November, Friday. GM crops talk at National Beekeeping Centre, Stoneleigh at 7.30pm.

To be given by Dr. I Puddephat from the HRI at Wellesbourne. Anyone with an interest in this subject should attend. Organised by the Warwickshire BKA, refreshments are available. Contact me for instructions on how to get there if needed.

16th November, Friday. Annual General Meeting at Stratford College at 7.30pm.

Please come along and voice your opinions on how the Association is run.

15th-17th November. National Honey Show, London, at Kensington Town Hall.

Worth visiting to see the amazing range and quality of the entries, including such exhibits as the wax models and photographs. Easy nearby parking and on-site refreshments available.

7th December, Friday. Skittles match at the Lygon Arms, Chipping Camden at 7.30pm.

Held in conjunction with the Shipston branch of the Warwickshire BKA. Refreshments available. Come along and see if we can make this the year that we win!