A ‘taster’ session

A ‘taster’ session is held during the latter part of each year summer for those considering taking our beginners course. This will show you something of what is involved. There is a £10 per person cost for the ‘taster’ session. Check the events diary to find the next ‘taster’ session.

If you do not wish to or cannot attend a ‘taster’ session all is not lost. We invite you to join SWBK after 1st December and to attend our New Beekeepers’ Course which starts with the theory session being held in January.

We will arrange for you to meet a Mentor in April/May when the temperature is above 15 degrees C and you will be able to work with that Mentor to gain experience of bees and beekeeping. This will provide a great start to your beekeeping career and you will be confident and competent to run your own bees at the end of the course.

New Beekeeper training

SWBK runs a comprehensive training course for those interested in becoming beekeepers or those ready to take the plunge and acquire a hive and some bees. We want all participants to have experienced an apiary with bees before they join this course.

The course covers every aspect of beekeeping, including equipment, technique, the beekeeping year, honey extraction, diseases/pests, swarms/prevention and much, much more.

The course runs annually and this year all the classroom sessions will be held at Hillmead Primary School, Bishops Stortford. In April/May when the temperature is above 15 degrees, you will be able to work with a Mentor to gain experience of bees and beekeeping. There is a choice of times and locations for the apiary sessions. The purpose of the course is to enable those attending to be able to manage a colony of bees on completing the course. Afterwards a bee buddy / mentor is assigned to those attending to provide support throughout the rest of the year. Further classes are offered to extend the training as beekeepers start their second year.

As in recent years the course has been oversubscribed. A provisional list is kept until final details are published in December.

Health & Safety awareness for beekeepers

Introduction

Bee keeping is exciting, rewarding and great fun but it also comes with risks, which with careful planning and forethought can be mitigated.

The risks come in many guises and this guide is intended to act as a prompt for the reader to consider keeping themselves, family, neighbours, and pets safe. There are common risks which all beekeepers face such as the risk of stings, and then bespoke risks such as the size and location of the apiary. The bespoke risks all require their own assessment, which could be answered by liaising with the many experienced members of our organisation. Please refer to the attached checklist to help in compiling your bespoke risk assessment.

The overarching advice is to read your preferred bee manual (e.g. Haynes, Ted Hooper etc) , review on-line portals such as BeeBase (Home » APHA - National Bee Unit - BeeBase) and the BBKA website (British Beekeepers Association ) and then make one’s own written risk assessment. Finally, seek the opinion of your peers, and other more experienced members to ensure that you have considered, and mitigated the risks. Whilst experienced beekeepers may think they operate safely, a periodic review of the risk assessment is recommended to ensure precautions are taken as circumstances change.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• Suit: Invest in a good suit and veil, and make regular checks to ensure that there are no holes, tears, faulty zips etc.
• Footwear: It is important to protect your ankles where the bee suit ends. Wellington boots offer good protection, but can be very cumbersome and hot in warm weather. Mid-calf, or ankle wellingtons may suit you better.
• Gloves: You should always wear gloves. Latex gloves are the best for manipulation, but a nick from a hive tool will leave your hand exposed. Carrying a spare pair of gloves in your suit pocket is recommended. Always make sure you have the right size as overly small will tear, and dispose of them after each use.

Bee stings

It is inevitable a beekeeper will get stung at some point. Wearing the correct PPE is the first consideration of risk management. Secondly the risk of reaction needs to be assessed, for you and anyone in the immediate area of the apiary. If you have heightened risk of anaphylaxis and have had an EpiPen prescribed make sure you have one with you and it is in date. Always ensure that you have a well-stocked first aid kit and it is easily accessible.

As well as your health, it is important to think about risk to your family, neighbours and pets of being stung. Advising your family that you are inspecting your apiary, keeping pets indoors for that period, are risk mitigation factors which are recommended. Should you be stung, and have a reaction, having a family member or friend on hand to help remove the sting(s), and give first aid will help.

If you do get stung you should get the sting out as fast as possible. Once you have found the stinger, try scraping it off with your fingernail or the edge of a credit card. Avoid using tweezers to remove a stinger, as squeezing it can cause more venom to release into your skin, which will exacerbate the burning sensation. You should then wash the area to reduce the risk of infection. The NHS website suggests taking paracetamol if the sting is painful, and taking an antihistamine to reduce the itchiness. If the redness and soreness persist over the next 24/48 hours it is recommended that you seek professional medical intervention. See the NHS website Insect bites and stings

Smokers

How you use your smoker, and ensuring you avoid being burnt should be considered. Having a hook to hang onto the brood box works well. Be wary of putting the smoker on uneven ground, as it could topple over.

After an inspection making sure the smoker is fully extinguished is important. Both to avoid burns, but also to avoid fires, especially in hot and dry periods.

Hygiene

Always keep your PPE, kit and hives clean and free from disease. If you believe your colonies have become infected seek advice from The Bee Inspectorate, or fellow beekeepers.

Chemicals

When using chemicals read the labels and observe the manufacturers advice, and always wear gloves and a mask. Be careful after use, and ensure that you close all jars, dispose of wrappings before removing your gloves, and then wash your hands thoroughly.

Strains / pulls

Lifting heavy brood boxes, full supers etc can cause injury. If you can, get help with heavy lifting from a peer. Use wheel barrows when practical rather than carrying boxes longer distances. Limbering up with some arm swinging and twisting is always recommended before lifting.

Neighbours

It is only fair to inform neighbours that you have bees on your property. If someone lives close to your home and is allergic to bees, you could save them an allergic reaction if they know to stay clear of your hives.

Apiary location

Siting the hives with the entrances pointing away from your property, and ideally the neighbours is recommended. The position should also have flat ground free from tripping obstacles. When lifting boxes you need free space to manoeuvre, as you will not be able to see your feet,

Having your phone in your pocket to call for help if need, and letting your family know that you are inspecting your bees are both recommended. If you have pets, or small children then fencing off the apiary is a useful precaution to consider.

In summary, think through the risks and if they are mitigated you will be able to enjoy your beekeeping safely.
You can access the EBKA Health & Safety Policy.