

South Chilterns Beekeepers' Association.
Getting a buzz out of bees ........chair@scbka.org
Training
"I'd like to know about the different components in a hive, how to extract honey, and how to do an artificial swarm, learn about queen rearing and disease recognition"
We run a series of Summer Experiences and Winter Workshops which will answer all these questions and more. For more information view our 'Activities' page.
or contact our Chairperson, Margaret Moore <chair@scbka.org>

“Honey Extraction”
The aim of this session is to go through the steps to get honey from the hive to the jar. We will have a number of extractors for participants to examine, including manual and electric, radial and tangental. We will illustrate the different ways of clearing the bees and how to get the honey filled supers to the extractor. Participants will be able to experiment with different uncapping methods, including knives and heat guns and will practice loading frames into the extractor. We will discuss storing the extracted honey, filtering and putting into jars.
Session outline
How to establish that a super is ready to extract
Checking for capped cells
Clearing the bees
Using porter bee escapes and the rhombus method
Brushing away the bees
Delivering the super to the extractor
Transporting and short term storage
Different extraction methods
Gravity – no machine
Manual extractors
Electric Extractors
Uncapping
Different methods of uncapping
Using the extractor
Loading frames
Spinning and knowing when to stop
Removing honey from the extractor
Storage buckets
Filters
Jarring the honey
Choosing jars
Sterilising used jars
Lids and labels
“The beehive: The varieties and how to identify and use the parts”
Participants will handle a number of different bee hives in order to see how they differ and what parts can be interchanged in different hives. As well as discussing the pros and cons of each type of hive participants will learn how to ensure the hive has been correctly assembled for top or bottom bee space, as well as looking at the different options for frame types.
Session outline
A look at what makes up the popular hives and how they differ from each other
National
WBC
Commercial
Langstroth
What can be mixed and matched
Different materials used for hives
Cedar
Softwood
PlywoodPolystyrene
Some of the finer points
Top bee space vs bottom be space
Manley frames vs Hoffman frames
Porter bee escapes vs rhombus
Runners and castellated bars
Hives for special tasks
Nucs
Skeps
Queen rearing mini nucs