Get busy with bees

9:00am Saturday 20th September 2008

LACKHAM Country Park held a bee and honey open day tomorrow to introduce visitors to the world of beekeeping.

Around 600 people attended the second annual event to see bees in their hives, sample honey and buy products made from beeswax.

Apiary manager John Whitford, whose colleagues gave beekeeping demonstrations on the day, said: "It went absolutely brilliantly. We opened up the apiary to the public and showed them the internal workings of a beehive."

One of the beekeepers was making straw skeps' or old fashioned beehives.

Beeswax candles, honey cakes and hot dogs with honey mustard were very popular with visitors.

Members of the Melksham and District Beekeepers Association were on hand to encourage visitors to take up beekeeping.

They were highlighting the fact that bees have dwindled in numbers in recent months as a result of viruses and a deadly mite known as the varroa destructor.

Mr Whitford said: "It's a national problem and we have had to spend more time protecting and proliferating bees.

"The virus carried by the varroa destructor can kill a hive in three weeks. We lost three or four colonies during the spring."

To find out information about taking up beekeeping visit www.wiltshirebeekeepers.org.uk/melksham or call 01225 709414.

To help eradicate varroa sign the online petition at petitions.number10.gov.uk/BeeResearch.