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Welcome to the Fleet and District Beekeepers Association

Practical Training Session
The Fleet & District Beekeeping Association (FBKA) exists to encourage, train and support local beekeepers to maintain healthy, docile and productive honey bees as well as advancing the education of the public in the importance of bees in the environment. We hold regular meetings and other events to promote best practice and further the craft of beekeeping and have many members in and around Fleet and surrounding towns and villages including Crookham, Odiham, Hook, Hartley Wintney and Farnborough. Over the last few years with the growing interest in beekeeping as a hobby, our numbers have continued to grow significantly.

Prospective beekeepers are always made welcome in our very friendly association. If you are interested in becoming a beekeeper, or just want to learn more about this fascinating hobby, you can download an introduction to beekeeping and our association here or use the contact form if you have a specific question.

We also have an informal "Beer and Bees" social gathering on the third Tuesday of each month at the excellent Coach and Horses pub in Rotherwick where all beekeepers or those interested in the subject are made most welcome. Next months meeting is on the 20th March and all members, especially those on the 2012 Beeginners course are most welcome.

Please note that the FBKA shop will be open on Friday the 13th April from 6.30pm to 7.30pm for all your beekeeping consumables including frames, foundation and other essential items. Location is inside the members area.
The Beekeeping Year

April - Waiting for the rain...
Well Spring has got off to a sunny start with one of the warmest March's on record and very little rain.

Whilst not serious yet, if we don't get some proper rain soon we could have a repeat of last spring when we noticed a number of Queens stopped laying as the supply of nectar coming into the hive dried up….

Please make sure your bees have access to a local supply of water to keep the colony strong and healthy, a washing up bowl with water flu of clean stones is a good idea as it gives the bees access to the water without them falling in and drowning.

Meanwhile, keep an eye out for potential swarms and remember drones + an active Queen + a strong nectar flow will result in the colony potentially raising Queen cells and once these are sealed the colony will swarm!

Happy Beekeeping

Simon Cavill