OKEHAMPTON Beekeepers held the third of their summer meetings earlier this month.

Held at Paul Reddaway's apiary in South Zeal, the well-attended meeting with around 20 members looked at his three standard WBC double-walled hives. The meeting included the added attraction of a sale of Fi Reddaway's bee-friendly plants, sold to raise funds for the Okehampton Beekeepers branch.

Splitting into two groups, inspections of all three hives were carried out.

The first colony, inspected by Will Pyne, was particularly strong, with bees and substantial quantities of stores. The second was also in good shape, with eggs and brood in all stages of development. No sign of varroa infection was spotted.

The third hive, inspected by Glyn Berrington, showed that the hive's queen had got above the queen excluder, and into the supers. The queen was returned to the brood chamber, an additional frame of eggs and young larvae was transferred into the hive, and the colony reassembled.

The meeting then enjoyed a bring and share tea at Paul's. The sale of plants raised £40 for the branch.

The group is next meeting on the evening of Wednesday July 11 at Castle Drogo.