FIBKA has organised a series of on-line lectures for members for the next few weeks. Associations are unable to host the usual Autumn series of lectures due to Covid-19.
There are some very interesting speakers.
To register for these lectures see your email address as the registration link was sent to you all today 22/09/2020
See our Real-Time Calendar for details
The date for EWBA AGM is 14/10/2020 at 7PM.
Covid-19 restrictions mean we may have to have the AGM via Zoom or some other similar media.
We are watching the restrictions and if they change we will make every effort to have a physical meeting.
If you have any motions or nominations for the Committee, Apiary Team, and Education Teams please send them by email to the Hon. Secretary at waterfordbees@gmail.com
The following article was published in the Irish Independent on July 14 2020.
Beekeepers in the southeast have been urged to be on the lookout for American Foul Brood (AFB) disease after an affected hive was identified in Waterford.
A notifiable disease, AFB is a bacterial infection which kills the hive’s young bees. The disease is highly contagious and affected hives have to be burned or otherwise destroyed in order to prevent its spread.
The Irish Beekeepers Associations confirmed that AFB had been identified in an old hive of wild bees which was being removed from a house in the southeast.
Brendan Murray of the Irish Beekeepers Associations explained that AFB spores can remain viable for up to 50 years, as they are remarkably resistant to heat and cold. As there is no treatment for the condition, the only way of eliminating the disease is to destroy affected hives.
“There’s no alternative but to kill all the bees and burn the frames. It is suggested that you can re-use the boxes after charring with a blow torch, but to be safe, it’s probably best to burn everything,” Mr Murray said.
Controlling this latest outbreak of AFB could be particularly difficult, Mr Murray maintained, because it is wild bees that are infected.
There could be a lot of infection for 20 miles around the site near Portlaw where ithe AFB was discovered, Mr Murray said.
He urged bee keepers in Waterford, south Tipperary and Kilkenny to be vigilant. He added that the Honey Bee Health Protection Programme at the Department of Agriculture’s Backweston Laboratory Complex in Dublin should be contacted if further suspected outbreaks are identified.
Credit to Declan O’Brien, Indo Farming
Original article: https://www.independent.ie/business/farming/beekeepers-on-alert-for-foul-brood-after-deadly-disease-strikes-southeast-39363925.html
Report from FIBKA Regional Meeting/Workshop
Date: 08/02/2020 Firgrove Hotel, Mitchelstown
Attendance from EWBA:
Speakers:
Paul O’Brien : FIBKA Update
Management Boards
Financial Status
Membership Income Expenditure
2019
3557 290,000 265000
2018
3100 260,000 241000
Michael Maunsell: Bee Genetics
Michael gave a very interesting scientific talk explaining in detail bee genetics, some relevant terms, how genes determine everything i.e. the bee’s developmental characteristics, appearance, and behaviour.
We learned that the greater the drone genetic diversity the stronger our colonies will be, how genes determine the difference between bees and other organisms, that drones carry different genes for a variety of bee traits, and because of multiple mating bees in a colony will have different fathers and therefore workers influence within a hive will vary genetically in terms of pollen/nectar gathering, queen rearing, larval care, hygienic behaviour and swarming…which is good.
We also learned that genetically diverse swarms establish new colonies faster, build more comb, and have high foraging levels and gain weight better.
Genetics are affected by in-breeding thus the need for a diverse drone population. Inbreeding results in queen problems i.e. low egg production, reduced lifespan, reduced drone fertility and reduced flight activity.
Diverse genetics are crucial to colony strength. The greater the genetic diversity of our bees, the greater the health, the build-up and the productivity.
Tom Prendergast: Preparing for the season ahead
Tom, gave a very practical lecture and asked us to decide “What is it that we want from our Bees”.
He said that deciding what we want decides how we are going to plan the coming season.
Tom talked about
In summary: Work with your bees. Don’t keep poor colonies or queens. Keep the Apiary clean and tidy. Feed during the winter and check for disease in spring i.e Nosema, AFB, EFB. Keep a few spare queens and have Nucs to replace poor performers.
The Honey Bee Colony, Lifecycle, Occupants of the Hive, Roles within the hive, What bees collect and why. Plus siting an Apiary the Hive parts, How many hives do you want/need, what equipment you need, protective clothing, the beekeepers year. If you would like to attend, please complete our membership Application form which is available under the Membership tab on the website or email Anne Marie.
Preparing Honey for Sale and for Show is a lecture that will given by Dennis Ryan of South Tipperary Beekeepers’ Association on Wednesday 8th April 2020. The event is free to members and €5 to non-members. All are welcome to attend and we hope to see you there.
