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15th October 2024 - Jim Moynagh
A Beekeeper's Year
Biggar Probus Club
continued their autumn programme on 15
October 2024 when Jim Moynagh came to tell us about A Beekeeper’s Year,
and to demonstrate how he is kept busy
throughout the year.
Jim started by
announcing that the main aim of beekeeping
is Keeping the Bees! He went on to say that the best way to explain how a
Beekeeper works is to show what he will be doing in each month.
He began in September,
when the major work of emptying the hives is largely over, and preparations
start for the autumn, and worked his way through the winter, when the colonies
have to kept going, into the spring and summer when they will hopefully emerge
and start to thrive. He showed us hives are constructed and how the queen bees
are managed so the colony grows and any swarms can be collected and housed in
new hives.
He also discussed the
threats to bees, in particular the verroa mite which has introduced many
diseases which weaken the colony. It is now managed by biological controls and
regular cleaning.
Jim brought some frames
for us to look at and several jars of newly extracted honey, which readily sold
to those attending the meeting. We learned a lot
about something we often take for granted from an enthusiast who loves
explaining what he does.
The vote of thanks was
given by the President, Neil Ingram.
The next meeting is on
Tuesday 5 November in Biggar Municipal Hall at 10.00, when we will hear the
Clydesdale Foodbank from its founder Liz Bartham. All are welcome to attend, and
invited to bring contributions to the Food Bank.