December delivered the really cold weather that many beekeepers hope for during winter, writes Ethel Irvine of Fermanagh Beekeepers' Association, in her latest report.

The period of 10 days of freezing weather will have given the colonies a break in brood rearing, which benefits them in that the Varroa mite will have had nowhere to breed, helping to reduce their numbers in the hive.

There will have been no brood to feed and look after during that time, lessening the strain on the colony and its resources but, on the other hand, the effort to combat the cold puts more pressure on their winter stores.

Any beekeeper wishing to treat to control Varroa mite population can calculate when the number of capped cells will be at its lowest and, in Fermanagh, that was around December 22.

Hefting becomes very important because of the increased rate of consumption of stored honey during the icy weather.

I hefted my own hives just before Christmas and was surprised by how much the weight had decreased.

I can see that, contrary to my usual practice, I will have to feed fondant in the very near future. Fondant is used in winter as the bees take it as they need it, and do not have to expend energy on its conversion into a form which will not ferment as they would have to do with sugar syrup.

Other checks, such as making sure that the roof is still waterproof by gently lifting it off and checking that the crown board is dry, should be carried out.

If the crown board is slightly damp, it will suffice to change the roof, but if it is wet, it should be changed, quickly and gently, so that the cluster is disturbed as little as possible.

Also check that the entrances are clear of debris as the colder weather has meant that bees have not been able to fly to carry away the remains of any dead bees and other detritus. The mouse guard should still be firmly in place.

A lack of flying bees always gives the beekeeper, however experienced, a niggling sense of unease. I have not seen bees flying since the beginning of the month, but I would expect that they have been taking cleansing flights as conditions allow when they know I am not looking!

I know that they are still alive, because the fresh cappings, removed as they use their honey stores, have fallen through the open mesh floors to the ground beneath.

It is inevitable that some colonies, especially if they were smaller in autumn than the beekeeper would have liked, will succumb.

If it is thought that a colony has died, be very careful as you open it to confirm.

I have been taught a lesson many times (where once should have been enough) by the ‘dead’ bees showing their defensive traits.

If the colony is dead and the bees are fresh, send a sample to the Entomology department of AFBI, New Forge Lane, Belfast BT9 5PX, for diagnosis.

We are often asked whether or not bees hibernate during winter. The answer is "No" but what they actually do to escape the ravages of the cold of winter is even more interesting, and is complex and not fully understood.

They form the cluster referred to above – that is, they gather together to form a ball of bees, roughly spherical in shape, to conserve heat.

This is the way in which honey bees keep their temperatures at a level at which they can function. This amalgamation is not unique to winter.

When the temperature is 18C, bees move away from the walls of the hive and concentrate towards the brood nest, and at 15C the cluster begins to have recognisable form.

This can have a real impact on a rapidly expanding colony in spring if the temperature plummets at night and the brood is left unattended and without heat.

However, it is the winter cluster in which we are interested. The rate of heat loss from a given mass – that is, a colony of bees – depends on, amongst other factors, the surface area of the cluster, ie its radius.

The smaller the radius, the less heat is lost. Thus, as the ambient temperature falls, the bees cluster more tightly together, even using the empty cells in the brood nest.

The cluster is not uniform in density as at its core the bees can move about to either look after brood or to tend to the queen, while on the outside – known as the mantle – bees form a dense, insulating shell, heads buried in the cluster and wings folded over their exposed bodies.

The temperature of the cluster is not uniform either. At the centre it will be around 35C if there is brood present, and around 27C if there is no brood, while the temperature of the mantle can fall to 10C, at which temperature the bees in the mantle will be torpid.

To keep the temperatures at the required levels, some of the bees, known as heater bees, shiver their wings to generate heat which is spread to the others in the cluster and travels outwards to areas of lower temperatures.

This shivering requires a lot of energy, so there is a big demand on the stored honey. The cluster will expand and contract in response to overheating or chilling as necessary.

There is also the impact of the production of water vapour and carbon dioxide as waste matter when honey is consumed.

Carbon dioxide levels rise within the cluster while the oxygen levels fall, decreasing the metabolism, meaning that food consumption falls for all but the heater bees.

Research has shown that the optimum temperature for overwintering is 5C, below and above which the consumption of food increases.

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The Ulster Beekeepers' Association will hold the Annual Conference in CAFRE, Greenmount Campus, Antrim on Friday and Saturday, February 17 and 18.

The theme is 'Building Sustainable Beekeeping', and the keynote speaker will be Professor Juliana Rangel, of Texas A and M University.

There will be lectures from a wide range of well-qualified speakers in addition to a number of workshops directed towards beekeepers at every level of experience. Tickets can be booked via: https://buytickets.at/ulsterbeekeepersassociation.

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If one of your New Year’s Resolutions has been to be more active in helping to conserve our environment, perhaps beekeeping would be your choice!

Looking after honeybees, like any kind of animal husbandry, requires a certain amount of knowledge and Fermanagh Beekeepers’ Association, in conjunction with CAFRE and Open College Network, runs an ‘Introduction to Beekeeping’ course for those wishing to take it up.

The course, which is tutored by Jackie Barry, will begin in early February and consists of seven theory sessions, most probably by Zoom online meetings, followed by sessions in the apiary, which give the opportunity for handling of bees in a safe and supervised environment.

Instruction at the hives will be given by experienced beekeepers, under the lead of Jackie.

It provides a good basic knowledge of beekeeping, which allows the new beekeeper to examine their bees with confidence and secure in the knowledge that they will have the support of FBKA members.

If you are interested, the link: introductiontobeekeeping-Beekeepers|CAFRE will give more detail and allow application for the course.

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Finally, the next meeting of FBKA will be held on January 26 in the Enniskillen Hotel at 7.30pm and will be the Annual General Meeting of the association.

Also, we hope to present the ‘Introduction to Beekeeping’ 2022 class with certificates recognising their achievements.

We would ask as many people as possible to attend so that the views of members can be taken into account as a new programme of meetings is planned.

It will be followed by the annual dinner – always a lively and enjoyable affair, fuelled by the excellent food served by the hotel.

Anyone interested in attending the dinner, please contact Lorraine at info.fermanagh@gmail.com.