Other local or regional bee associations also organize meetings, details of which we include on these pages when we can.

THE SUSSEX BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONVENTION 12th November 2011 at the Rural Business Centre at Plumpton College, East Sussex. Speakers include: Clive de Bruyn Bsc AIM AMInstF C Eng NDB - ‘Queen Rearing for all’ Clive has an honours degree in Metallurgy and spent his early years in the Sheffield Steel Industry. In the mid sixties Honeywas 4s [20p] a pound—Clive thought ‘I can keep Bees’. It took him 3 years to realise that it was cheaper to buy honey than be a beekeeper.In 1976 he gained the National Diploma in Beekeeping and joined the NBU when he participated in the establishment of theapiary and laboratories at Luddington. Clive joined Honey Farmers Limited and helped them to run over 2000 colonies principally working with Queen Rearing. For 18 years he was County Beekeeping Instructor for Essex. He co-authored “The New Varroa Handbook” with Bernard Moibus. He is best known for his other book “Practical Beekeeping” which gained a bronze medal at t he 1999 Apimondia Congress. He now runs 200 colonies for honey and pollination. Dr Margaret Couvillon - ‘How Good is the British Countryside for our Honey Bee?’ Margaret is a postdoctoral fellow at the university of Sussex who is currently investigating the basic biology of honey bee foraging, specifically how the bees are using the British countryside.The data will have an applied use helping to inform government policy on land usage, all with the goal of helping the honey bee. As a doctoral student Margaret studied mechanism of nest mate recognition in honey bees and stingless bees. As a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Arizona she worked on size variation in the Bumble Bees. Margaret is interested in the behavioural and evolutionary biology of social insects, specifically the evolved, adaptive behaviours that have contributed to their ecological success Alan Byham ‘Update on Bee Diseases’ Alan Byham is the Regional Bee Inspector for South East England. Workshops—choose any 2 from A Trio about Wax—Cleaning Wax/Making Cosmetics/Encaustic Art: Rod Davidson, Nora Martin and Ann Neale Disease Recognition: Alan Byham The one two three of Varroa Control: Jonathan Coote Alternative Hives: to be advised The cost of attending the convention is just £30 including lunch and refreshments For details and to book, contact Harold Cloutt, Corriemulzie, Netherfield, Battle, TN33 9PY 01424 838302 conf@sussexbee.org.uk