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Notice Board
Neonicotinoid ban
The Government has denied an application for the use of neonicotinoids on sugar beet in 2025. Read more at https://www.bbka.org.uk/use-of-neonicotinoids
Latest update
I-Spy June ’25
Improvers Days 2025
Wax moth in the hive
When Asian hornets come to Devon
Weather and bees Feb ’25
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Reports
I-Spy June ’25
Improvers Days 2025
Wax moth in the hive
When Asian hornets come to Devon
Weather and bees Feb ’25
Better season Jan ’25
Winter Social 2024
Report of AGM 2024
Insulating hives Oct 24
Winter preparation 2024
Honey Processing 2024
Varroa update 2024
Swarm Control 27/4/24
Cut-outs and queen marking
Island Beekeeping Mar ’24
Keep Calm, Feb ’24
Winter Social-Tips and Tricks
Bee Microbiome 10/23
Bee Myths, April ’23
New solitary bee species in UK
The European orchard bee, Osmia cornuta, has established itself in southern England. First spotted in London in 2014, warmer spring weather enables this continental bee to survive our climate. Read about it HERE
Planting 150 Year Anniversary Trees
To commemorate their 150th anniversary the BBKA kindly funded a tree for East Devon Beekeepers to plant. We chose a lime tree to provide good forage for our bees at the beeshed and for other local insects. It is planted adjacent to the club hives. Pictured planting the tree are our President Hilary Kirkcaldie, our youngest member Harry Burrough (16) and Mandy Wiscombe the widow of our oldest member, David Wiscombe, who sadly passed away in December 2024 aged 91.
For over 60 years David served the branch with great dedication as a mentor to anyone needing support, as well as, at various times, holding the offices of Apiary Manager, Chairman and President. We hope our youngest member will come back to see the tree on the 200th Anniversary of BBKA! We also hope that the tree fares well with the present challenges facing our environment and becomes a beautiful feature of the local landscape.
See the entry on the BBKA website.
You can help pollinators by planting suitable trees or bushes near your apiaries. Plants in this list of suggestions are known to grow well in most East Devon soils and are available in many Garden Centres.
Mahonia – lots of varieties to choose from. Flowers early in the year with bright yellow flowers producing nectar and pollen. Beautiful scent. Can grows to 20ft or more.
Skimmia – usually a ground-hugging shrub with evergreen leaves. Flowers from February to April. Very attractive to honey bees when in full sun. Also has an attractive scent. Tolerates shaded areas.
Viburnum tinus – has small, pink flowers suitable for honey bees to collect nectar in the early part of the year. A much-grown ornamental shrub.
Sarcococcus or winter box – a winter flowering plant with small white flowers that have an amazing scent, very attractive to honey bees.
Mimosa – flowers from February to April. Fills the garden with a sweet scent and the sound of buzzing bees. Grows quickly to 30ft or more.
LETS SPARKLE
A Talk and Presentation at the December Social meeting 2022
Introduced by Val Bone, with Nick Silver and John Badley. 44 people attended the evening.
Introduction by Val Bone: Our Honey judge at Honiton Show said, ‘Show honey should sparkle’, hence the title. We aim to look at how you go that little bit further to produce honey for the Show table. Just as with livestock at the Show, the competitors spend time turning an everyday animal into a perfectly washed, groomed and polished specimen. It’s the same with honey. We have on show two perfectly good, wholesome jars of honey straight from stock, but how do you achieve that little extra to present it as ‘Show Honey’? Nick will now take you through those steps to produce the SPARKLE!
Nick. Processing Run Honey
The schematic below shows the steps necessary for processing run honey. Liquifying (if the honey is set), straining to remove debris, settling to remove bubbles and conditioning to produce the sparkle.
How much heating?
Honey subjected to heating will produce a breakdown substance called hydroxymethylfurfuraldehyde (HMF) which has a legal limit in honey of 40mg/kg honey. The graph below shows the relationship between Time and Temperature. Following the blue dashed lines, a temperature of 40°C for c9days will reach the 40mg limit, whereas a temperature of 50°C will only take 2-3 days to reach the same amount. At 60°C the safe limit is well under 1 day!
Liquify
This can be achieved by either heating in a warming cabinet (below left) or a bain marie (below right). Stirring occasionally will speed up the process. Hooper suggests 52°C for 2 days. Basterfield Honey Farm suggest ‘up to 50°C’
Strain
For the hobbyist beekeeper, straining immediately the honey is removed from the hive and spun from the frames is an easy option (below left). The honey is still warm so will flow through your straining system easily. Double stainless sieves recommended (coarse followed by fine) as they can be quickly washed and dried if blocking occurs.
Straining liquified honey can cause problems with sugar crystals blinding the mesh. The heated sieve (below right) is a useful piece of kit for speeding up the operation. The heated conical mesh is 350 micron, followed by a 200 micron straining cloth over the settling tank.
Settle
Settling allows any bubbles to rise to the top of the tank prior to bottling. Without settling your honey jars will look like the example on the left. Settling should produce sparkling honey shown on the right. Hooper suggests ’24 hours in a tall, narrow tank’.
Condition
Conditioning removes all the remaining tiny crystals and will ensure clear sparkling run honey for 3-6 months. Hooper recommends 62°C for 1 hour. Basterfield Honey Farm recommend 62°C for 30 mins.
See images below. In either case, add the water to just below the lid. Jars should not sit directly on a hot metal container. Cool rapidly after heating.
John. Hints and Tips for Award-winning Honey
Meet our Honey Judge
Jack Mummery
BBKA Senior Judge
Checking head space aroma
What is the Judge looking for?
Read the Schedule !
- Class 1. Two matching 454g (1 lb) jars of Light English Honey.
- Class 2. Two matching 454g (1 lb) jars of Medium English Honey.
- Class 3. Two matching 454g (1 lb) jars of Dark English Honey.
- Class 8. Six matching transparent jars of English Honey, minimum jar size 345g (12 oz), labelled as for sale…
There are also Novice Classes for honey. A novice is anyone who has NOT won a prize at any Honey Show.
- Class 16. Two 454g (1 lb) jars Light English Honey.
- Class 17. Two 454g (1 lb) jars Medium or Dark English Honey.
- Class 18. Two 454g (1 lb) jars soft set English Honey.
- Class 19. Three 454g (1 lb) matching jars of English Honey.
Honey should be:
- Free from bubbles, crystals or debris.
- All jars filled to the same level.
- Once filled, keep jars upright.
- Put lids on immediately to maximise head space aroma.
Do try this at home!
Checking for bubbles, crystals and debris.
Jars should be:
- Matching i.e., from the same batch.
- Must be spotlessly clean.
- Free of chips or damage.
- Polish the outside when on display.
Lids should be:
- Matching i.e., from the same batch.
- Must be spotlessly clean.
- No rust or scratches.
- Polish the outside when on display.
Lids must be spotlessly clean.
Some lids are manufactured with a powder on the polyurethane seal. This is what will happen if you do not wash your lids!!
The Joy of Winning!
We look forward to seeing your honey and other exhibits at the Honiton Show on August 3rd 2023!
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© 2025 East Devon Beekeepers
Queen marking colour for 2025 – BLUE
The International queen marking colour code:
Years ending 1 or 6 are White , 2 or 7 are Yellow, 3 or 8 are Red, 4 or 9 are Green, 5 or 0 are Blue
Remember with the mnemonic Why You Rear Good Bees.