BIBBA ran its first set of six webinars between 18th June and 8th July. These were very ably presented by Roger Patterson and hosted by Nick Mawby.
Before the webinars started, there was a discussion whether to have the facility to permit 100 attendees or, by paying a bit extra on the Zoom licence, increase the capacity to 500. We soon had over 500 people registered to attend!
The statistics have been a delight to see.
There have been more than 2000 viewings so far.
Early Years:-
Thurs 18 June. 7pm Keep Your Swarms to Yourself
This will help the beekeeper understand what is happening in a colony when it is preparing to swarm, so they can understand what the various swarm control methods are trying to achieve. Triggers for swarming will be discussed, including some that are often overlooked. A simple method of swarm control will be described that doesn’t result in extra colonies, as many swarm control methods do.
members can download a pdf of the powerpoint presentation
Fri 26 June. 7pm Queen Cells. Their Recognition and Uses
Beekeepers often decide what type of queen cells they have in their colonies by where they are placed on the comb. This can be very unreliable, often resulting in the wrong action taken. Attendees will be given some clear guidance on what to look for, so they can manage colonies accordingly. There will be tips on how to use queen cells.
members can download a pdf of the powerpoint presentation
Thurs 2 July. 7pm Simple Colony Increase
Beginners are often told to have more than one colony, but aren’t always taught how to do it. If you have a queenright colony, there is no need to buy another colony, as there are many opportunities to make increase.
members can download a pdf of the powerpoint presentation
Intermediate/advanced:–
Tue 23 June. 7pm The 2 frame nuc
Roger has used this simple and economical method of making increase for well over 40 years. It is not well known because many think that it is too small, although in recent years more beekeepers are using it successfully. Attend this webinar to find out how to do it.
members can download a pdf of the powerpoint presentation
Mon 29 June. 7pm The Patterson Unit
This simple method treats the whole apiary as one, rather than as a group of individual colonies. It was originally introduced to overcome the problems many beekeepers have with queens, by bringing together several techniques. It keeps honey production colonies fully productive and is very versatile.
members can download a pdf of the powerpoint presentation
Wed 8 July. 7pm Colony Increase for the Established Beekeeper
Established and larger scale beekeepers often need a constant supply of nucs, so they may use different techniques than the beekeeper with only a few colonies. Included in this webinar is a method, where in good conditions 10 or more colonies that are strong enough to go into winter can be made from one strong colony in the spring. It can be used by local BKAs to provide nucs for beginners and can also be modified to provide fewer nucs if required.
members can download a pdf of the powerpoint presentation