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Spring is in the air
With World Bee Day on the 20th and the start of the Beekeeping Season, the month of May is an important one for bees. For a short time it felt like we had skipped spring and jumped straight to summer, but as I am writing this newsletter it is freezing cold and raining outside! Our bees are struggling - they were looking really good in the warm spell, with lots of bees flying and food arriving back at the hive. But this cold spell has really knocked them back. We have moved one colony into a polystyrene nuc hive to give them more protection from the cold and added feed to try to get them through this critical stage when so many colonies collapse.
Bees are struggling worldwide, with honeybee losses being higher than the long term average in recent years, caused by a whole series of factors including loss of biodiversity, intensive farming practices and pesticides. So it is good news to hear that EU member states have voted to ban the use of neonicotinoid pesticides on outdoor crops. We now just need to make sure that the pesticides used in place of the banned substances do not lead to other harmful effects on honey bees or other pollinating insects.
Locally, it was great to be invited along to Battle Town Assembly with our local Beekeeping Association to encourage wild flower grass verges on the road sides. Battle are one year into the project and have as partners East Sussex Highways, Kew and Great Dixter. The town Mayor is promoting this important work for our pollinators; let's hope neighbouring parishes join in.
May is the start of our shows season and this month we are off to the Heathfield Bee Festival (see below for more details). This show is great for all, with lots to see relating to beekeeping. We will be in the trade hall, and this year to celebrate World Bee Day, we are offering a 10% discount to all pre-ordered beekeeping items for collection at the show.
This month Jason concludes his starting with poultry article. Amanda discusses spring preparations, solitary bee sightings and hygienic bees in her beekeeping notes, and Ian promotes natural integrated pest management in the garden for this month's gardening tales article. We have details of the Heathfield Bee Festival, the Crowhurst Plant Fair (THIS WEEKEND) and our offer on Poultry Red Mite Control.
To end on some lovely news... With congratulations to Andrew and his wife Yubin on the arrival of little Rhona, a lovely little bundle of joy (and no doubt many sleepless nights!) Andrew works hard here mainly behind the scenes, getting these newsletters to you (amongst many other things I have struggled with while he's been off on Paternity leave!) So we are pleased to have him back (just in time to help with the new data protection regulations - but more on that in next month's newsletter!)
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