BEE ALL AND END ALL!!
There is a serious crisis affecting the honeybees in the UK and America.
Honey bee losses have been substantial over the last few years and as the bees are pivotal to man’s existence as the main pollinator of an incredible NINETY plants and crops, steps must be taken to discover the reason for their demise.
The bees are dying and disappearing in many millions!!
Experts all over the world are searching for a solution to this imminent catastrophe.
This may sound hysterical but the state of the honeybees is a barometer to the health of the planet!
So what are the possible causes, well many and various it seems, from untreatable paralysing viruses and destruction of their natural habitat i.e. hedgerows removed for one-crop production, to poisoning by pesticides which can affect the bees memory and navigation skills and thus their ability to find their way back to the hive after visiting possibly 1000 flowers in a day!
Climate change i.e. unseasonal weather can also play havoc with a bees behaviour.
In the short term Australian bees, as yet unaffected by the most virulent parasitic infestation (spread by a particularly disgusting mite called Varroa!), are being exported to the USA and all over the world and in the UK (Sussex University) trials are happening to produce a more disease resistant bee.
In the US bees are transported coast to coast to pollinate the crops and something like 80% of bees have been lost. (Colony Collapse Disorder)
What can we do?
Grow more flowers wild and garden, buy organic (avoid pesticides), buy local honey, have your own hives or let a beekeeper use your land and keep your hedges!
If you want to save the planet SAVE THE BEES!!
Apropos of this massive problem, at this years WI AGM at the Royal Albert Hall in June the annual resolution will be:
“SOS for Honeybees this meeting urges HM Government to increase funding into Bee Health” (abbv.) (The recently promised grant is for all pollinators and not necessarily for research) Until a cause for the honeybees decline is found, no remedy can be forthcoming.
The Women’s Institute is a powerful organisation and this resolution was the unanimous choice countrywide because of its immediate importance and urgency.
Bee afraid!!
In March, Ken Andrews, a local bee-keeper (coincidentally) gave an entertaining and enthusiastic talk about his bees.
Ken is passionate about his hobby and regaled the members with numerous facts and figures i.e. a queen bee can live for five years, lays up to 2000 eggs a day for the first year or two and rules her hive of 50 to 100,000 bees royally.
Ninety-five percent of bees are female and these workers can visit 1000 flowers a day, clean up regularly (natures sweepers) provide the queen with regular meals and make cosy hexagonal beds for the larva to develop in, (no change there then!)
Sadly for the males, the drones, once their job of fertilizing the queen is over they die!!
They hibernate in the winter and in the spring start their frenzied activity for the summer months.
The old woven straw skep (much loved by Pooh) was replaced in the nineteenth century by hives which give the bees a specific living space in which to create the combs and produce the honey.
Ken himself has experienced a decline in the amount of honey produced in the last two years due to the bad summers, but 2009 is to be a bumper honey year apparently
For information on bees and associated links visit: www.britishbee.co.uk
Going, Going, Gone!
The annual mock auction was again presided over by our own “auctioneerbird” (real Australian bird!!) Nora Grace, her inimitable jokey style of selling to the reluctant bidder has raised valuable funds for the institute for years.
Sadly Nora is hanging up her gavel this year and will be a very hard act to follow!
Steve Jordan was the Master of ceremonies at Marchwood’s eighty-eight birthday party!
The members looked magnificent in marvellous millinery and supped on a simply sumptuous supper.
This glamorous group of glorious gorgeousness were superlatively serenaded, with a versical variety of vocal versatility by this ebullient entertainer of effervescent eccentricity!!
The talks this summer all have a hint of the economical about them, Grace Gray will be coming in June to show how to make bags from recycled materials, in July, Anne Virgo will be using scarves to vamp up an outfit, and in September, how to stretch your autumn supermarket bouquet with Yvonne and Nora from Marchwood WI.
The biennial Craft and Produce Show is to be held in the village hall on Saturday August 11th and will be open to the public during the afternoon from 2 until 4 p.m.
The members expertise in baking, craft, needlework, photography and gardening will all be on view, do come and visit!
Marchwood WI is a great place to make new friendships, and discover new interests.
The monthly meetings are held in Marchwood Village Hall on the second Tuesday of the month from 7.15. p.m. and everyone is welcomed.
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