Christchurch Beekeepers Club

AGM
2023-08-19 13:30 - 17:00 (Pacific/Auckland) | Catholic Church Holy Trinity Hall, 108 Jefferies Rd, Bryndwr, Christchurch
All members are welcome to attend.
The Silence of the Mites-
Our speaker is Rose McGruddy whose study into varroa mites will be of interest to us all.

We are also calling for expressions of interest in the role of club secretary please get in touch with any of the committee or directly with Jo if you think you will be able to help.

Field Day
2023-09-02 09:30 - 12:00, 2024-01-13 09:30 - 12:30, 2024-02-03 09:30 - 12:30, 2024-03-02 09:30 - 12:30, 2024-04-06 09:30 - 12:30 | Club, 681 Cashmere Road, Christchurch, Canterbury, 8025, New Zealand

Beginners Course Part 2
2023-09-09 09:00 - 16:00 | Club, 681 Cashmere Road, Christchurch, Canterbury, 8025, New Zealand
2 day Beginners’ Beekeeping Course
22 July & 9 Sept 2023 – 9:00 – 4:00
Part One: Planning your Beekeeping for Pleasure or Profit

What do you need to know before you begin
Costs
Your legal requirements
Where’s best for your hives
The time it takes to beekeep
Plants to grow
Diseases and downsides

Part Two: Building and creating the hive and equipment you need

Build your hive
Learn how to maintain it
The best tools to use and why
Products you need and what you do with them and where to buy them
Clubs and organisations locally and nationally that will support you

Cost $50 for members- non-club members $95.00.
Prepay to register using the Club’s bank account,
Number 03 – 0767 – 0323307 – 00
Remember to put your name and BEECOURSE in the details and contact Kerry Kearney to confirm 021 120 0135
Additional contacts for details of the course are the tutors:
Gordon N 027 538 9568 or Jeff R 021 073 4148.

Field Day
2023-10-07 09:30 - 14:30 | Club, 681 Cashmere Road, Christchurch, Canterbury, 8025, New Zealand
TO DO FOR THIS WEEKEND 9.30 START
BEELINE SUPPLIES/ Brian Pilley will be here with bee gear for sale.

BEEKEEPING HEALTH and SAFETY

Walk around re health and safety

Remember re cleaning their gear.

SWARM TIME and how to deal with it, catching swarms, splits and disease and treatments and spring dwindling.

Jeff showing
9.30am- 10 am-showing waxing frame demonstrations (wiring and embedding). pollen trap is set up.
Plate to Share

Field Day
2023-11-04 09:30 - 12:00 | Club, 681 Cashmere Road, Christchurch, Canterbury, 8025, New Zealand
Shout out for help with our library- can you help we need librarians to help our members access our excellent books. Let Jo know if you can help 021 410429.
Please park on the road, the field is unavailable.
A small plate of food to share is always welcome.
Brian Pilley will be up this week if you need gear contact him asap at Beeline Supplies.
We will be waxing frames, checking for disease in our 4 hives this week to complete our COI-Lindsay will supervise.
Mead and mead making is our focus with honey comb cutting -ready for Christmas gifts.
Our next working bee will be on the 25th early start early finish.
A&P Show -helpers see Allan Patterson and Jo
On sale we have: $3.00 Sticky boards
$10.00 -hive tool
$15.00 engraved hive tool.

A&P Show
2023-11-15 - 2023-11-17 | canterbury show grounds, 102a Curletts Road, Hillmorton, 8042, Christchurch, New Zealand

Working bee
2023-11-25 08:30 - 12:00 | Club, 681 Cashmere Road, Christchurch, Canterbury, 8025, New Zealand
Firstly Thank you so much to everyone who has volunteered their time and nergy to making the club grounds look as good as they do.
And thank you also for the volunteers and helpers at the A & P show. The stand looked great and it couldn’t have been done without all our wonderful volunteers.
This Saturday at the club, we plan to load up Jeffs truck and trailer with all the weeds and tree stumps that are still there
.
Other important jobs will be
Windbreaks to be secured.
Sump to be cleared out
Sorting shed space
Sorting out library
If you have a weedeater please bring it along, plus spades, shovels, forks, pruning tool etc.
Just as a reminder folks
Subs are due for the 2023/2024 season – please submit $45.00 online via the club website. The account details are on the website – just Press the Join Button.

Thanks

Please contact me on 027 721 4338 if any queries.

Lee Carmichael

Field Day Xmas eddition
2023-12-02 09:30 - 12:30 | Club, 681 Cashmere Road, Christchurch, Canterbury, 8025, New Zealand

2 day Beginners’ Beekeeping Course Day 1
2024-03-09 08:30 - 15:00 | Club, 681 Cashmere Road, Christchurch, Canterbury, 8025, New Zealand
9 th March 8.30am – 3pm
23rd March 8.30am – 3pm
$180.00 for both days
Part One: Planning your Beekeeping for Pleasure or Profit
● What do you need to know before you begin
● Costs
● Your legal requirements
● Where’s best for your hives
● The time it takes to beekeep
● Plants to grow
● Diseases and downsides

Prepay to register using the Club’s bank account,
Number 03 – 0767 – 0323307 – 00
Remember to put your name and BEECOURSE24 in the details
and contact Kerry Kearney to confirm 021 120 0135
The course will be held at the club site
Additional contacts for details of the course, the Secretary – Lee Carmichael – 027-721-4338

2 day Beginners’ Beekeeping Course Day 2
2024-03-23 08:30 - 15:00 | Club, 681 Cashmere Road, Christchurch, Canterbury, 8025, New Zealand
9 th March 8.30am – 3pm
23rd March 8.30am – 3pm
$180.00 for both days
Part Two: Building and creating the hive and equipment you need
Build your hive
● Learn how to maintain it
● The best tools to use and why
● Products you need and what you do with them and where to buy them
● Clubs and organisations locally and nationally that will support you

Prepay to register using the Club’s bank account,
Number 03 – 0767 – 0323307 – 00
Remember to put your name and BEECOURSE24 in the details
and contact Kerry Kearney to confirm 021 120 0135
The course will be held at the club site
Additional contacts for details of the course, the Secretary – Lee Carmichael – 027-721-4338

Field Day
2024-05-04 09:30 - 12:30 | Club, 681 Cashmere Road, Christchurch, Canterbury, 8025, New Zealand
Last Field Day of the season May 4th 9.30am
Bring a jar of your premium honey for our Honey Show
NZ Beeswax are attending. See below for meeting specials.

Based in Orari, on the outskirts of Geraldine, and with our Hamilton Branch catering for our North Island Customers, you are always welcome to visit us for your Monday to Friday purchases or we can courier/freight.
Although our Company name states Beeswax – we provide All your Beekeeping requirements. Foundation (Only NZ Manufacturer using only NZ Beeswax), Frames, Feeders, Storeys etc, as well as the best bee nutritional products and varroa mite treatments.
Our product prices depend on quantity ordered and as confirmed members of the Christchurch Beekeepers Club, we will supply your Spring/Autumn Varroa Treatments as a “Group Club order” which can be individually ordered direct.
The following treatments are available and will be provided at special Club rates to confirmed members.
• Apivar – various pack sizes – 60’s, 12’s and convenient 4-pack.
2 x Strips per brood box
Supplied to Club Members at the 5000 + strip rate
• Bayvarol – boxes of 20 strips, individually packed in lots of 4 strips
4 x strips per Brood Box
Prided at full 720 x Strip carton rate for Club Members
(800 strip boxes also available to Club Members at the 12+ carton rate)
• Formic Pro – 2 dose pack for 2 Hives. Only organic treatment to get below the capped cells. Best used in Spring/Summer as require 3 x consecutive days at 10+ degrees.
Along with Bee Health Items such as
• Hive Alive (liquid Supplement designed especially for Bees and used throughout the International
Beekeeping World), to improve Gut Health and also stops Sugar Syrup from Fermenting
• Megabee Patties developed by USA Beekeepers for Beekeepers (made in NZ at our Orari factory).
These come in the large 20 kg box, or the smaller 5 kg Box (approx. 10 patties), either with or without Hive Alive additive. Perfect for freezing if not going to use them all over a Season.
• Easy Checks; (The genuine Easy Check!!) and the CO2 cannisters for Varroa checking without killing the bees.
Club Day Specials for May 4th 2024
Pre- Orders required for the following:
– email Gordon Nairn gnairn24@gmail.com or direct to tanya@beeswax.co.nz
Can pay cash on the day or we will email an invoice for payment prior to the meeting.
• 5kg Megabee Patties (Standard) @ $35.00 including gst (normally $52.90)
• 5kg Megabee Patties with Hive Alive @ $45.00 including gst (normally $59.80)
• Hive Alive 100mls $30.00 including gst (normally $32.66)
• Easy Checks $30.00 including gst (normally $33.35)
Feel free to contact us if there is anything I can bring on the day.
Looking forward to seeing you on Saturday 4th May
Tanya Gant
NZ Beeswax Ltd
Ph 03 693 9189 ext 1 (Caroline) or 2 (Tanya)

Field Day - Mid Winter Dinner
2024-06-01 09:30 - 12:30 | Club, 681 Cashmere Road, Christchurch, Canterbury, 8025, New Zealand

AGM
2024-08-17 13:30 - 17:00 | Catholic Church Holy Trinity Hall, 108 Jefferies Rd, Bryndwr, Christchurch
All members are welcome to attend our 2023/4 AGM
Bring along a bee themed plate to share.
To be held at the Catholic Church Holy Trinity Hall Bryndwr
108 Jeffreys Rd Christchurch, New Zealand

Field Day
2024-09-07 09:30 - 12:30 | Club, 681 Cashmere Road, Christchurch, Canterbury, 8025, New Zealand
Early Bird tidy up (9.00am). We have dirt that needs moving before club start time. Shovels and wheelbarrows would be handy.

It’s a busy day with two speakers and a lesson in burning material at home.
Lindsay Moir will show a method of burning hiveware to members.
Marco Gonzalez from the Management Agency , National American Foulbrood Pest Management Plan will attend and discuss AFB to members
Tanya Gant from NZ Beeswax will give a talk at 10.30am and bring hive products to sell.

We will have a raffle of 2 flatpack 3/4 boxes, a feeder and a hive tool. $2 a ticket.

Club Dinner
2024-09-12 18:00 - 20:30 | Ara | Visions On Campus Restaurant, Visions On Campus Restaurant, Ara City Campus Cnr Madras & Ferry Road St, Saint Asaph Street, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch 8011, Christchurch, 8011
Join us for a fundraiser at the fine dining restaurant at Ara. It’s a Club Dinner to help us get to know each other as we start the season together. It will help raise funds to get a model bee garden planted too.
Thursday 12th September 6.00pm
Please contact Dave Spice – The dinner starts 6.30pm and his bank account details for payment are
D. SPICE. Bank A/c: 02-0876-0243090-000

One day bee keeping course
2024-09-14 09:00 - 15:00 | Club, 681 Cashmere Road, Christchurch, Canterbury, 8025, New Zealand
Beginners Beekeeping course – 1 day – Saturday 14th September 9am-3pm
Please bring your lunch and some water to drink. Tea and coffee provided.
If you have a battery drill with a square drive, and a hammer – please bring them along.
Contact Person – Jeff Robinson – email – alpinebee@gmail.com
His Phone number is: 021 073 4148

Cost of the day course is $50 for paid up club members.
$95 for non-members and this price includes membership of the club for the season

Club Bank Account details are as follows:
Christchurch Beekeepers Club
A/C 03-0767-0323307-00
Please put your telephone number as reference.

Club Day
2024-10-05 09:00 - 12:30 | Club, 681 Cashmere Road, Christchurch, Canterbury, 8025, New Zealand
Getting to the Club Site is challenging – try coming in from the Halswell Quarry end- Kennedy’s Bush or in from Lincoln Rd to Henderson’s Rd and up to Cashmere Rd because of the road works blocking usual routes. Take care it can be frustrating.
9.00am start -You are welcome to help out with digging from 9-9.30am before we start. We need a small drainage ditch dug and a hole dug for the burn off. Please bring a spade and gloves.
Looking forward to having plenty for newbies and a follow up from the talks we have already had about disease management for all.

Beeline orders close byThursday 3rd midday
How to collect a swarm procedures will be discussed.
Lindsay Moir will demonstrate a way of burning AFB infected material at home safely.
Jeff Robinson will be running a Queen Raising Course on 15th Feb 2025 $145.00 non-members, $100.00 members
Andy is demonstrating how to requeen a hive and will be requeening both of our hives. Tests for varroa will also be demonstrated.
Lee is bring a nuc to increase the numbers of hives on site and will demonstrate moving bees and checking bees going from a nuc to a hive site. You will be reminded of what treatment do you use at the beginning of the Spring.
BBQ is provided for us to share, salads and other delicious dishes you are welcome to contribute.

November we will host Heather Hendrickson- to discuss the developments of her work with Phages and will be collecting samples from us to use in the research.

Field Day
2024-11-02 09:00 - 12:30 | Club, 681 Cashmere Road, Christchurch, Canterbury, 8025, New Zealand
9.00-9.30 help out on site- 9.30 start -12.30pm
Beeline will be coming up in November – get your orders in asap.
Phages
Continuing our support of the research into phages that will help us in a battle to beat AFB
We have Danielle Kok from Canterbury University visiting and collecting soil samples from soil that is infront of your beehive. Members are encouraged to support this research into phages that is being carried out by Danielle and
Dr Heather Hendrickson
Associate Professor in Microbiology, University of Canterbury and
President, Te Manatōpū Mātai Koiora Moroiti | The New Zealand Microbiological Society.

Understanding the part that phages play in stopping the spread of AFB will help us to eliminate AFB.

Please bring a sample of soil and bee debris to be collected before the meeting.
Bee debris or soil can be placed in zip lock baggies or small jars with your registration number and name on it. Danielle will be in the carpark to collect the samples. We don’t want any sample with potential AFB on our hive site of course so the the collection point will be at the gate in the carpark please.

Field Day
2024-12-07 09:00 - 12:30 | Club, 681 Cashmere Road, Christchurch, Canterbury, 8025, New Zealand
Xmas Field Day
Saturday 7th of December 2024
Early bees 9.00-9.30am (we need help with tidying at the back of the top shed).
Xmas welcome and what to do in Dec /Jan our next meeting is on the second Saturday of
Jan 11th at 9.00am.
Programme:
Tanya from NZ Beeswax is here to help with supplies of gear and to answer treatment
questions for members. Orders to be in by Wednesday 4th December
tanya@nzbeeswax.co.nz Direct Dial: Cell 021 02360623
We always enjoy celebrating our Xmas together and will be supplying a BBQ and Xmas
Cake. We love to have everyone contributing to a little plate of something to share with
others for a light lunch. Thank you to all of our regulars who know how much it is
appreciated.
There is a nuc raffle to be won on the day. $2.00 a ticket or 3 for $5.00.
Soil samples drop box will be at the sign in-area. Please keep donating your sealed and
labelled samples for us to get to Heather and Danelle for the research into Phages to help
stop AFB.
For Sale we have a number of items:
Christmas Special- $5.00 Flat pack ¾ box
Jars-250gm $30.00 for 50
Sticky boards $2.00 a board
A wiring frame demonstration -Lindsay Moir… we have some wiring boards for hire.
Subs are due, please contact Yvonne if you have any queries.

2025-01-11 09:00 - 12:30 | Club, 681 Cashmere Road, Christchurch, Canterbury, 8025, New Zealand
9am start for site work.
HOVER FLY TALK (Bob from Lincoln Research) in January. Find out the effect Hover Fly has on wasps.
We will be discussing what equipment is needed to take honey off and extraction options available through the club.

Field Day
2025-02-01 09:00 - 12:30 | Club, 681 Cashmere Road, Christchurch, Canterbury, 8025, New Zealand
Program…
Wasp control .

Water… for your bees.

Honey spinning demo.

BBQ.. bring a plate to share.

Open hives weather permitting.

Question time..

Queen Raising Course
2025-02-15 09:00 - 15:00 | Club, 681 Cashmere Road, Christchurch, Canterbury, 8025, New Zealand
$100 for members and $145 for non members.
Are you an amateur beekeeper looking to take your hive management to the next level? Raising your own queens is the key to stronger, more productive colonies—and we’re here to show you how!
Will use traditional brush grafting and show other methods. Kit provided for participants to keep.
No prior queen-rearing experience? No problem! Our expert-led course is designed to be beginner-friendly, with step-by-step guidance and practical demonstrations.
Bring your own lunch. Coffee and tea provided.
Register by contacting Jeff Robinson 021 073 4148

Working Bee
2025-02-16 09:00 - 12:30 | Club, 681 Cashmere Road, Christchurch, Canterbury, 8025, New Zealand
Sunday 16th February from 9am
Workers needed to chip the large pile of green waste at the club site. Please confirm availability to Trevor Ingham (trevor.ingham28@gmail.com or via text to 0274409101)

Field Day
2025-03-01 09:00 - 12:30 | Club, 681 Cashmere Road, Christchurch, Canterbury, 8025, New Zealand
Early meeting for clean up on site. Volunteers needed to help with cleanup which will include sweeping/mopping Bathroom and sweeping seats etc. Also help in the garden spreading mulch. More red bricks are needed so if you have any to spare bring them along.
Honey tasting – how do you know what you have….try some of the Club honey.
Varroa treatments and testing. Have you done this yet and with what???
Sticky boards for sale – 3 for $5.
Tania from NZ Beeswax will be up with varroa treatments as well as gear to sell. Get you’re orders in early. Remember this is freight free as Tania will bring it to the club site on 1st March.

Field Day
2025-04-05 09:00 - 12:30 | Club, 681 Cashmere Road, Christchurch, Canterbury, 8025, New Zealand
Gadget Day……This is YOUR day…have you made something ..did it work..NO then bring it along so others can give input and it might work…this is where like minded beeks solve problems.
Yes …things that work for you..have improvements being made or do you want help.
AFB course …yes its Free but check with Lindsay if you want it credited to your name.
BBQ ..please bring a plate of food to share.
MAY CLUB DAY….last meeting for the season….June/July winter shut down but remember to check your BEES.
Honey show…bring your honey samples along.
NO VISIT FROM …Beeline or NZBeeswax….But you can phone your orders in.
AGM…16TH August at 1pm at ST PATRICKS SCHOOL Hall …same place as last year.
looking for Committee ,Treasurer,Vice President.
Brian from Beeline will attend so get your orders in early.

Field Day
2025-05-03 09:00 - 12:30 | Club, 681 Cashmere Road, Christchurch, Canterbury, 8025, New Zealand
Final club day for the season.
Honey Show Judge – Lindsay Moir
All members, novice and experienced, can participate in the Honey Show. Follow the rules posted, to be in to win one of the two Club Shields -the 2025 Novice or the Experienced Beekeepers Club Shield. Prizes to be announced later.
A shield is awarded to the entrant with the most points overall and a novice shield is awarded to a first or second year beekeeper. (This must be stated at the time).
General Rules:
• Members may only have one entry per class. If required, guidance will be given as to which class your entry should be exhibited in. The judges decision will be final.
• Exhibits must be delivered at least 10 minutes prior to the start of the judging.
• Liquid and creamed honey must be in standard 500 gm square”round” plastic jars with white lids.
• No labels on jars.
• Only exhibits from Financial members will be accepted.
• Write your initials (which may be on a small sticky label) on the BASE of the exhibit.
Classes:
1. Dark honey creamed
2. Dark honey liquid
3. Light honey creamed
4. Light honey liquid
5. Wax blocks 500 gm minimum weight
6. Mead 750 ml clear glass bottle
Details of each class
1 & 3. Dark creamed honey or light creamed honey
The entrant is to decide which class to enter.
The judge will take notice of flavour, colour, fineness of grain and freedom from foreign material. Please remember to obtain standard show jars. The reason for this uniformity is that different types of jars have varying light densities depending on the thickness of the glass.
2 & 4. Light liquid honey or dark liquid honey the same criteria as above.
5. Wax
Each exhibit must be at least 500gms in weight and from this season. It must be presented as tipped from the mould; points will be lost for chipping or scraping.
The Judge will look for colour, texture and purity. No restriction as to the shape of the mould.
Entrants are advised not to heat wax in iron or enamel containers as this can discolour the wax, for preference use an aluminium container. Do not overheat the wax; strain through stocking or similar; cool very slowly as this makes for uniformity of texture and freedom from cracking. Avoid propolis as this tends to darken the wax. Pure bees wax only to be used. One tea-spoon of vinegar helps to clarify wax.
6. Mead 750 ml clear glass bottle with removable cork or screw top.
No labels on bottle.
Write your initials (which may be on a small sticky label) on the BASE of the exhibit.
