News
Welcome to the West Dorset Beekeepers' websiteThe site is designed to be a resource for members of the West Dorset Beekeepers Association (WDBKA) and for interested members of the general public.
Our Association draws its members from West Dorset, the area roughly west of Dorchester and the A37 (a smaller area than that covered by West Dorset District Council!)
If you are a member of WDBKA, please sign up (to the right of this message), to give you access to more information, a channel for you to submit your own news items, and the ability to contact other members. Your contact details will only be seen by other members of WDBKA. Please note that sign up is only available to members of WDBKA.
What to do if you have a swarm of bees turn up in your garden? DON'T Panic! Find out more, and where to get help by clicking on the "swarms" tab above.
Interested in bees and thinking about starting keeping bees?... again, contact us and we should be able to help, guide and support you in this exciting new venture. We are not planning to run any more formal courses this year, but we have our own teaching apiary where you can get some experience in handling bees yourself even before you acquire your own. Let us know if you'd like to visit us.
Or if you've read or heard about the pressures facing the honeybee - diseases, parasites, and so on - and would like to know what you can do to help, click here to download a list of Ten Things to do to Help Honey Bees. There's guidance on everything from planting bee-friendly plants, through offering a home for a hive or two, to lobbying your MP to press for more support for research! If you're interested in helping by planting bee-friendly trees, flowers or shrubs, click here to visit the comprehensive list published by the Royal Horticultural Society
13/01 : Talk by Jeremy Owen from Vita Europe Ltd on Varroa Thursday 2nd February 2012
Jeremy Owen is from the Vita Europe Ltd Company he and his business partner (Dr Max Watkins) own this Private Limited Company which they founded as an MBO from Novartis AG in 1997This talk will take place at the WI Hall North Street Bridport - there is a large Car Park near by - All interested Beekeepers welcome - it starts at 1930hrs 2nd February 2012 - Please contact Secretary for more details 01308 456210 
19/10 : Talk by Richard Ball former RBI 1st December 2011 7:30pm
Richard Ball a very well known character in the South West as a former Regional Bee Inspector is going to talk to us about 'Foundation of Good Comb'The Venue is Haddon House Hotel West Bay Bridport on Thursday 1st December 2011 at 7:30pm.Please come along to a Free evening put on by the West Dorset Beekeeping Association for its members and friends plus any prospective beekeepers in the West Dorset Area - also we welcome any neighbouring Beekeeping Assocations- I am sure you will not be disappointed 31/08 : MELPLASH AGRICULTURAL SHOW THURSDAY 25TH AUGUST 2011
What a splendid day! The Marquee was so much larger this year which enabled us to spread our wings and have three new stands— Filberts Bees —Bee plants from Groves Nurseries and a Children’s CornerThe Marquee was buzzing all day with great enthusiasm for BeekeepingThe day would not have been such a success if it had not been for all the helpers prior to the show with the setting up and getting the live bees for the Demonstration and the Observation Hive in place which have always drawn the crowds, this year was no exception and on the day manning the main attractions—A BIG THANK YOU– without you there would be no Bee MarqueeThe judge was the Rev Francis Capener this year— he was very complimentary on our exhibits and enjoyed his day—he said he will write an article for me for the next Newsletter. We just mustered enough entries to qualify for the Blue Ribbon (over 100) which was great—thanks again to several of our new members for having the courage to show their honey entries for the first time—well done. Please can we have more entries next year—it is all a bit of fun and rivalry. There is the Massey Trophy which was given years ago by Eddie Massey which is competed for by gaining the most points in the 3 Shows in Dorset—so if you love competition you could enter all the shows—Shaftesbury & Gillingham, Melplash & Dorchester Well done to everyone 21/07 : MELPLASH AGRICULTURAL SHOW THURSDAY 25TH AUGUST 2011
It will soon be The Melplash Agricultural Show again for everyone and it would be great if we there are more honey/products and bee related entries from our own members and from outside our WDBKA on Thursday 25th August – Schedules can be obtained from the Show Office by ringing 01308 423337 or going on their Website www.melplashshow.co.uk WDKBA have been very lucky in having a larger Marquee this year so please come and see us in the Middle Field one over from where we were last year Our WDBKA Show rules can be found on our website www.westdorsetbees.org.uk and a copy will be sent with your class entries. So please make an effort to join in the fun on Show Day and talk bees all day!! There will be Live Bee demonstrations - equipment for sale and much more. . If you have not been before it is an excellent one day agricultural show. 21/07 : WDBKA Association Apiary meeting 4th June 2011
THE APIARY MEETING 4th June We had an excellent attendance of well over 20 beekeepers on a lovely sunny afternoon — we decided that we would have tea and cakes first due to previous Saturdays when the bees were behaving badly — eating and drinking proved a little tricky through a veil!!It all worked out very well in the end as the local farmer wanted to move some heavy farm implements right next to the bees — so it gave us time to ask lots and lots of questions to our local Seasonal Bee Inspector Kevin Pope who was our guest at the meeting before opening up the colonies — all were inspected for notifiable diseases, shaking all the bees off the frames to do a full inspection and thankfully found nothing to worry about.If any of you are worried about your bees please contact Kevin and he will come along and look at your colonies to give you peace of mind — Tel 01305 854838 or Mob 07775 119 466 What a useful tip Always have a small Maglite torch with you to shine on the combs to inspect eggs and larvae — especially useful on dull days when the sun is not just shining bright enough 30/05 : Saturday 4th June 2011 Apiary Meeting
If you have kept bees for over a year in Dorset why not come along to our Apiary Meeting at Netherbury at 1430hrs Saturday 4th June to meet Kevin Pope our local SBI - he will give us all an update on any diseases in the area and what to look out for. Please wear clean bees suits and marigold gloves (no leather gloves please as difficult to disinfect against diseases) Should be a very interesting afternoon - further details from the Secretary 07/05 : An Out Apiary Meeting Saturday 7th May 1430hrs
HONEY BEES BUZZ AT MODBURY FARM BURTON BRADSTOCK DT6 4NE SATURDAY 7th MAY 1430hrs All members of the WDBKA are welcome to come along to a bee demonstration by Peter Cariss one of our members who keeps in excess of 80 hives in the area. His bees at Modbury Farm are kept behind a screen of netting therefore bee suits not essential but if you feel more comfortable wearing the complete bee suit ,veil and marigold gloves, please do so— but make sure it is clean to prevent any spread of disease It will be a very interesting afternoon as Peter is one of our special characters—let’s hope it is a fine sunny day to see how Peter rears his queen bees Tea and cakes will be available after the meeting The Organic Farm itself is run by Tim & Julie Garry and they are well known for their prize winning ‘Coomber’ herd of Jersey cows and their well stocked farm shop selling Local organic produce 23/01 : What to do with Wax - Talk by Sally Beeson Thursday 3rd February 2011 7.30pm
‘What to do with Wax’— talk by Sally Beeson Thursday 3rd February 2011 7:30pm Haddon House Hotel West Bay All welcome 09/01 : News in Brief following Ron Hoskin's Talk 6th Jan 2011
News in Brief – following the Ron Hoskin’s Talk 6th January 2011 The evening was a great success at our new venue Marsh Barn West Bay for larger anticipated audiences – just as well as the Barn was full of beekeepers from all over the County – we had over 60 people which was fantastic - thank you for making the effort to come Ron gave a very informative talk on his project of breeding ‘Hygienic Bees’ which started in 2001 for more information please go to www.swindonhoneybeeconservation.org.uk Ron Hoskins in an email to us wishes to convey his thanks for our hospitality and for the very generous donation toward his project. He would also like to pass his thanks on to our membership and assure them their money will surely further the cause. Ron has engraved a plaque and fitted it to roof on one of the new hives for all to seeSwindon Honey Bee Conservation Group (Save the Honey Bee Scheme) This Hive and Equipment was Sponsored by West Dorset BKA 07/12 : RE-ARRANGED Andy Willis Talk Saturday Afternoon 26th February 2011 at 2:30pm
Due to the terrible weather conditions our Andy Willis Talk had to be cancelled but we have managed to arrange another day - this time it will be the Afternoon of Saturday 26th February at 2:30pm and it is Free!
Andy Willis on “Trials and Tribulations of a Beekeeper” How I avoided becoming a beekeeper until I was 27 years old and various stories and events since that have kept my interest and hobby going. Andy is both a good speaker and a good photographer and his talk will be entertaining and thought-provoking.
The Venue will be the same - Marsh Barn West Bay DT6 4PS (on the B3157 OS Grid SY4790)
There will be tea and cakes afterwards
Hope several of you can make it - should be an excellent afternoon
01 March at 1930