Belfast beekeepers Association 14 th Nov. 2011

Who is here? Preliminary Course 2012 Preliminary Course nd - 3 rd year beekeepers Please speak to some of us at the end, there are many people here who will help and give {loads of} advice

Sources of Equipment Alan Jones – local Thornes agent Philip Earle – wax and acetic acid Thornes Maisemore Apiaries online.co.uk/

Other Sources Ebay – beware but some are very good – me and I will try to find out if someone has used them Omlet information/glassware/

2012 Preliminary Course Minimum – nothing just turn up Next level – practical course –Gloves: leather, marigolds, blue nitrile –Veil or half jacket and veil –Ebay a great source for these –£50 budget I want to keep bees – see next slide

2012 – Ready for bees Make sure you have a site. Speak to some of us for advice You will need –A hive: floor, brood, queen excluder, super{s}, frames, wax, crown board, roof –Gloves and jacket/veil –Hive tool –Smoker –Plus: brush, feeder, smoker material

2012 – Ready for bees Thornes catalog has a bewildering range Look for “Bees on a Budget” 3 major options {and some minor} 1.The hive: 2 supers all the frames 2.The hive and starter kit: jacket, gloves, hive tool, feeder, mouse guard 3.Option 2 plus honey extraction starter kit

2012 – Ready for bees Prices: 1.£117 2.£167 3.£250 Plus VAT and P&P – N.I. supplement

2012 – Ready for bees Don’t need: –Extraction kit – get some buckets from fragile planet and borrow the association extractor –Most things that sound expensive Do need: –Spare kit: brood, super, frames, crown board –A Nuc.

2011 Increasing Colonies Easy option – buy more “Bees on a Budget” hives Thornes Sale

2011 Increasing Colonies Thornes Sale starts next week Mostly BS kit - some other options? Popular items sell out – should have a few days but!!! Very busy – up to 2 months delivery Non sale items may come separately > £100 postage is free – group up tonight

2011 Increasing Colonies Key items {2010 prices}: –Brood £16 –Super £12 –Frames x 50 DN1, DN4, SN1, SN4 £28 –Frames x 50 Manley £32 –Crown £7 –Economy floor £12 –Roof £16 Plus VAT

Small Items Don’t forget its a good time to buy small items like: –Frame pins –Plastic queen excluders –frame ends/spacers –Spare hive tool

2011 Increasing Colonies Thornes also sponsor Greenmount conference: –Friday after lunch, seconds available but sell out within an hour or two –Pre order first quality or main catalog items – no postage.

Winter Work Assemble new hive – flat pack: £50 assembly charge –Thorne’s instructions are ok –Floor and roof - simplest –Brood and super – dry assemble and check, bottom bee space Partial assembly of frames