Nyuki - Your African Beekeeping Newsletter

November 2005 Edition
 
Welcome to this issue of Nyuki (meaning bee is Swahili Language).  Thank you o­nce again for subscribing to this e newsletter.  Please send any comments o­n the e newsletter to tcarroll@apiconsult.com

Tom Carroll

Webmaster Apiconsult

-----November in a Kenyan Apiary-----

Honey harvesting season is here (Nakuru) and so far I have harvested my hives twice.  On 7^th to 8^th October and 7^th November.  Yields per hive are in the region 8-12kgs per harvest of comb honey so far from the Kenya Top Bar Hives (KTBH).  Total production per colony is up to 20kgs per occupied hive so far.  I expect another harvest of honey before Christmas.  Yields per occupied hives are encouraging however the problem is yield per hive!!  A number of colonies had absconded during the dearth period.  This is where the challenge in beekeeping comes in.  How to maintain colony occupation so that we don’t have empty hives producing nothing.  Another major challenge is the wax moth.  A colony in a Langstroth frame hive absconded leaving brood behind.  Before I noticed the combs were infested by wax moth.  The whole lot is a mess requiring new foundation.  The problem for resource poor farmers is where to obtain this foundation and the cost involved.  On the whole for a small scale operation, I prefer my Kenya Top Bar Hives and I harvest beautiful white comb honey!!

-----Apimondia 2005, Dublin, Ireland -----

Some people had asked me for copies of my presentation at the conference – please email me directly and I will send you o­n the information.

-----Dates for your diary-----

·          Baraka Agricultural College, Molo, Kenya has a o­ne-week course o­n Valued Added Products from Beekeeping from April 16-22^nd  2006. Please contact: baraka@sustainableag.org

Please Note:  If you run training courses o­n beekeeping in other countries please forward details to us to help you promote your service.

If you would like more information or have any questions/comments, please do not hesitate to contact us!

Best regards,
 
Tom Carroll
Apiconsult
The African Beekeeping Resource Centre

Box 3354, Nairobi, Kenya.

Tel:  254 733 716948
Web Site: http://www.apiconsult.com
E-mail:  info@apiconsult.com