apiculture n. beekeeping
apiarist n. one who keeps bees
apiary n. a place where bees are kept
© Okehampton Branch of the Devon Beekeepers Association 2024 - Registered Charity 270675
Not a member?
Non-members are welcome to come along to any of our winter meetings; just turn up and introduce yourself. The Village Hall in Whiddon Down is on the road exiting the A30 in the direction of Moretonhampstead. The Village Hall is next to the Post Inn pub and there is a good-sized car-park.
If you are considering taking up beekeeping and want to see what it's like to work with live bees then you will be welcome to join one of our summer apiary meetings. However, you will need to contact us beforehand so we can arrange for suitable protective clothing to be provided
Apiary Meetings
Okehampton branch doesn't have its own apiary. Summer meetings are held at members apiaries. One advantage of this is that meetings are held all over our area so there should be a meeting nearby to all members at some time during the summer. Another advantage is that we get to see different styles of beekeeping in action.
Okehampton Branch’s Summer and Winter Programmes
2024/2025
The coming of Autumn marks a change in the tempo of the beekeeping year. Checking your colonies for swarm cells will now be a distant (fond??) Memory. Thoughts will be turning to autumn Varroa treatments. It is important to reduce each colony’s Varroa load impacting on the creation of your ‘Winter Bees’ - those workers, born in the autumn and built to survive through the winter to carry your colony through to when the queen starts laying again in earnest in the spring.
Okehampton Branch Summer Programme
- Sunday September 1st - Our final meeting of this summer’s programme. A visit to Simon O’Sullivan’s bees at Granny’s Meadow, Colebrooke.
Okehampton Branch Winter Programme - Note - meetings start at 7:30 pm at Whiddon Down Village Hall
- Thursday October 10th - A presentation by one of our newer members, Hanna Tainsh introducing the services offered by herself and her business partner (Matt, an experienced builder) for humane removal of bees from inconvenient locations, such as buildings.
- Thursday November 14th - Okehampton Branch’s 2024 AGM - to be followed by a fun (bee related) quiz, with prizes!
- Thursday December 12th - Ruth and Andrew will talk about their visit to Beekeepers in South Arizona.
Further evening winter meetings are planned for January, February and March and details will be confirmed when these are finalised.
Plans are also progressing to run another 8 session Basic Beekeeping Course next year - fortnightly evening sessions from January to April 2025.