East Lothian Beekeepers Association

(Founded 1887 - Scotland’s oldest Local Association?) (www.eastlothianbeekeepers.org.uk)

 

Newsletter 136                                     December 2005

 

Association Dinner

Eighteen members and partners gathered at Bonar’s restaurant in Haddington on 4th November for the revived Association Annual Dinner.

Douglas Bonar used honey from the Association apiary as the basis for a superb honey-themed menu and the evening flowed with wine and

conversation, bee-related and otherwise. George Barton presented Basic Beemaster certificates to Maureen and Allan Cameron, Margaret

Dunning and myself.

 

Forthcoming events (all on Thursdays at 7.30pm in the Haddington Town House):

 

12th January: AGM and Talk by Dr Peter Wright, University of Edinburgh “The Uniqueness of the Honeybee Dance Language”

 

9th February: George Hood, Ormiston: “How I keep my bees”

 

9th March: Talk and slide show from John Hoskin, Capstone Valley Apiaries, Fife

 

6th  April: Talk by Graham White on “The Dartington Long Deep Hive” (to be confirmed)

 

AGM

At last year’s AGM I raised the matter of our constitution, which appeared to be a bit out of date (20th April 1946 and slightly amended 7th April 1950).

 I have included the current text, and propose the following alterations:

Alter Item 2 to “The object of the association shall be the encouragement and advancement of beekeeping and the promotion of co-operation

 between local beekeepers.”

Alter Item 3 to “The office bearers shall be three in number:- President, Secretary and Treasurer, these officers to be elected annually at the A.G.M..”

Alter Item 4 to; “A committee shall be made up of the office bearers and up to six further members to be elected at the AGM., five to form a quorum”

Alter Item 5 to: “Membership is open to all upon payment of an annual subscription, the sum to be fixed for each calendar year at the AGM. Members

 who are under the age of 18 or are vulnerable adults must be accompanied at meetings by a parent or nominated parental guardian.”(see “Disclosure” below. (Item 5 continued) “Members may be nominated for Honorary Life Membership at the AGM for services rendered to the Association.”

I propose that we vote on whether or not to alter the constitution in these ways at the AGM. Please let me know in advance if you have any further suggestions or comments.

 

Disclosure

At the SBA secretary’s meeting in Perth in November, there was a presentation on “Disclosure”, basically the need for the Association to take steps to protect members who are under the age of 18 or who are “vulnerable adults”. The simplest way to do this is to make it a condition of membership for anyone falling into these categories that they attend all meetings with a parent or with an adult nominated by their parent. The alternative is that some members will have to go

 through a disclosure process, and then be present at all meetings.

Insurance

We were advised at the same meeting that the SBA Insurance policy covers Local Association apiaries as long as all hives belong to the Association or to SBA members. However, for all apiary meetings, the insurance only covers one or two non-members per meeting.

 

Varroa

I have further reports of varroa from a second site in Haddington, Tyninghame and Longniddry. Free Apistan strips are available from me for testing – it is unlikely that any of us are now free of varroa, though infection may not be apparent until hives are tested with a strip – an all clear from floorboard scrapings in spring does not mean that your hives will be clear at the end of the summer!

 

Beginners classes

Mike Bain has commenced a beginner’s course with a class of eight. Anyone who is interested in joining this group should get

in touch with Mike Bain (01875 341226). We hope to follow the theoretical lessons with practical sessions at the Association hives in the spring.

 

Disease leaflets

I have obtained an extra 10 copies of two new leaflets from DEFRA entitled “Managing Varroa” and “Tropilaelaps: parasitic mites of honey bees” – both very good and available from me (I will bring copies along to the meetings).

 

Honey samples at Knox

A final year Biology student at Knox Academy in Haddington under the guidance of Hilary Smith is in the process of examining honey samples donated by several Association members to look for differences in pollen content around the county. Hopefully, they will present the results at one of our winter meetings.

 

Library

The following books have been donated to the Association via Gordon Biggar by Paul Millar, Honorary Consul for the Czech Republic:

 

Bees and People Naum Ioyrish (translated from Russian) 1977

British Bee-Keeper’s Guide Book T.W.Cowan 1907

Basic Beekeeping Owen Meyer 1978

Backyard Beekeeping William Scott 1977

The Golden Throng Edwin Way Teale 1946

Principles of Practical Beekeeping Robert Coutston 1972

Kočováni se včelstvy 1980 (in Czech)

Vbry pro čvelí pastvu 1980 (in Czech)

Haltung und Zucht der Biene Zander & Bottcher 1979 (German)

Das Trachtpflanzenbuch Maurizio & Grafl 1965 (in German)

Der Honig Zander & Maurizio 1975 (in German)

 

The last five books I propose passing on to thpe Moir Library, unless any of our members can make use of them.

 

New members

We welcome Melanie Campbell of Gifford.

 

 

Donald  Smith (Secretary)

Garden Cottage

Clerkington

Haddington       EH41 4NJ       

01620 822441             gardencottage@ntlworld.com