East Lothian Beekeepers Association

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

 

Newsletter 137                                     January 2006

 

Minutes of Annual General Meeting held 12th January

1. Apologies: none. Thirteen members attended.

2. Minutes of the previous AGM 24th Feb. 2005 were approved.

3. Accounts. Rosemary Carthy presented provisional accounts for the period 1/1/05 – 30/11/05 which are summarised below:

            Initial balance    £580.62

            Income                         £505.24

                        Expenditure                  £360.80

                        Purchase of Extractor   £275.00

            Cash balance    £477.56

            Fixed assets      £247.50

            Total                £725.06

Despite the Association’s purchase of a honey extractor, our funds remain healthy.

4. The meeting voted to maintain the membership fee at £5.00

5. The amendments to the Association constitution proposed in the last newsletter were all adopted unanimously (see below).

6. The office bearers (George Barton, President, Donald Smith, Secretary and Rosemary Carthy Treasurer) were all re-elected without opposition.

7. Presdents report. George Barton surveyed the year’s events, commenting in particular on the large number of new members.

8. Correspondence. Leaflets from DEFRA on Varroa and Tropilaelaps are available at meetings or from the secretary.

9. AOCB. Efforts will be made to re-site the Association Apiary at Alderston for the forthcoming season.

 

Revised Constitution adopted at AGM

1. The name of the Association shall be “The East Lothian Beekeepers Association”

            2. The object of the association shall be the encouragement and advancement of beekeeping and the promotion of co-operation between local beekeepers.

3. The office bearers shall be three in number:- President, Secretary and Treasurer, these officers to be elected annually at the AGM.

4. 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.

5. 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. Members may be nominated for Honorary Life Membership at the AGM for services rendered to the Association.

6. The Financial year shall end on 31st December each year and the AGM shall be arranged not later than 30th April.

7. At the AGM reports and audited accounts of the previous year shall be submitted to the members for adoption. The officers shall be elected & questions as to the government of the Association and any other competent business shall be discussed. A special General meeting may be called by the Secretary within 14 days upon a requisition signed by six members, the notice calling the meeting also stating the business for which the meeting was arranged. The President or chairman shall have a casting vote in the event of equal voting.

8. These rules shall not be altered except by a two thirds majority of the members present at the AGM, or at a special meeting called for the purpose. Any proposed alteration shall be stated on the notice calling the meeting.

 

“The uniqueness of the honey bee dance language”

Following the AGM, Dr Peter Wright of the University of Edinburgh, Department of Psychology, gave a thought provoking talk on the scientific study of bee dance communication. The solid foundation of Karl von Frisch’s classic experiments have been taken a step further in recent years. One example was “Gould’s Lie” experiment, in which scout bees gave misleading directions about the location of a food source. A horizontal light source inside the hive meant that other bees interpreted a horizontal dance as being towards the sun. However, the scout bees had their ocelli covered and couldn’t detect the light in the hive and so danced as if “up” meant towards the sun. The result was that newly recruited foragers went to the wrong place – the scouts had lied! Dr Wright recommended an observation hive for any budding scientists.

 

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

 

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)

 

Beginners classes

Mike Bain’s beginners class is now 10 strong! 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.

Bee Boles

The International Bee Research Association has made its UK register of bee boles available on-line: (http://www.ibra.org.uk/beeboles/home.asp) There are photographs and information about the boles at Luffness (0343), Garvald (0342), Pilmuir (0433), Beech Hill (0595),  Fountainhall (0782) and Byres Tower (1009). The latter appears to be unique in Scotland, with eight boles in two rows of four built into the south wall of a 16th Century defensive tower.

 

Varroa

Free Apistan strips for Varroa testing are still available from me.

 

Library

We now have 25 books in our modest lending library, as well as back issues of the SBA magazine, Beecraft and Beekeepers Quarterly. A full listing is on our website. I bring the books along to the meetings, or you can collect them from me.

 

Knox Academy honey survey

Thanks to all members who donated samples for this project. Preliminary results are that oil seed rape pollen is everywhere!

 

Annual Membership

Please complete the attached membership form and return it to Rosemary Carthy or bring it along to the next meeting. If we reach 50 members this year it will be the record since 1985!

 

Donald  Smith (Secretary)

Garden Cottage

Clerkington

Haddington       EH41 4NJ       

01620 822441             gardencottage@ntlworld.com