Apiconsult News - July 2006

Nyuki

Your African Beekeeping Newsletter

July 2006 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

----Resources o­n the Apiconsult Web Site-----

We have updated the resources o­n the site.  We have a new book ‘A Beginner’s Guide to Beekeeping in Kenya’ available for sale as an ebook download (a hardcopy will be available soon).  A free preview of the book is available also for download – http://www.apiconsult.com/beekeeping-beginner’s-guide.htm

We also have the latest newsletter from the National Beekeeping Station, Nairobi available for free download – see http://www.apiconsult.com/beekeeping-resources.htm

You can also download a free Apiconsult ‘Flowering Plants of Kenya’ screensaver from the site http://www.apiconsult.com/index.htm

-----July in a Kenyan Apiary-----

I was called out o­ne night in early July to remove two wild colonies of bees from a neighbor’s house – the bees had gone wild and stung people and animals after being disturbed accidentally.  No real harm was done but it is a good reminder of the aggressive nature of our African bees.  Care in locating the apiary site and bee handling minimizes the danger of problems like this.

The Apiary Status:  

Much work needs to be done in the apiary as I write.  Hive occupation is far too low.  There are currently o­nly 5 hives occupied out of fifteen hives.  In addition there are two colonies in catcher boxes which need to be transferred to hives.  These two were transferred from the wild colonies mentioned above.  In the Nakuru area of Kenya Acacia senegal, Acacia seyal, Acacia xanthophloea, Acacia tortolis, Markhamia lutea, Cordia africana and Croton megalocarpus are in bloom (depending o­n which ecological zone you pass through).    

-----Participatory Action Research (PAR) o­n beekeeping-----

Baraka Agricultural College sent out their farmer researchers to collect data o­n the problem the farmers themselves identified as being their number o­ne concern – low hive occupation rates.  Baraka staff carried out a follow-up to see how the researchers were doing (July 4^th/5th).  The farmer researchers were very busy collecting information o­n the problem and suggested solutions.  A whole range of factors are being identified as causing absconding and low hive occupation rates.  The next PAR workshop is o­n July 21^st where the farmer researchers will come together to analyse the information they have collected and make a decision o­n what action to take to combat low hive occupation – a full report o­n the workshop will be given in the next apiconsult newsletter.

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

·          Baraka Agricultural College, Molo, Kenya has a o­ne-week course o­n ‘Establishing a Beekeeping Enterprise’ from August 6^th-12^th 2006.  See the apiconsult web site for more details o­n other Baraka Agricultural College beekeeping courses this year – http://www.apiconsult.com/beekeeping-training.htm

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

Best regards,
 
Tom Carroll
Apiconsult
The African Beekeeping Resource Centre

Box 12173, Nakuru, Kenya.

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