Inner Wheel

Well, the Martinborough Fair is over for another year. Our food received high praise from the Rotarians, firemen and policemen on duty for both days, although their waistlines might have suffered a little. Thanks go to Fresh Choice for their generous donation of food, and Pinehaven for selling us stone fruit at a reduced rate. Our last meeting was marked by the inductions of two new members, Alma Parr and Beryl Tupu, and a great speaker.

Mike Allanson, National Manager for King Honey in Masterton was unused to public speaking but was a “natural”. A local lad, Mike started his career in the army as a fitter and turner and hated it. One day he agreed to pull honey for a few days for a local beekeeper to be offered a job. He now manages 4 thousand hives and employs 8 bee keepers in the Wairarapa.

The main season is from August to May during which time the bees are fed on extra protein and liquid sugar. In November the hives are transported to their summer sites, then back to town after Xmas, when the beekeepers get them ready for winter. The honey is extracted by the boxes being placed in a hot room for 3-4 days, put through a centrifuge, reheated then again put into another centrifuge to separate the honey from the wax.

New Zealand honey is sought after internationally because New Zealand is one of the few countries that do not use antibiotics, instead using good bee-keeping practice. The hives are moved at night when it is cool for the bees, which are at home resting. He was asked about queen bees. Once the infant queen has eliminated all other potential queens in the hive, she can fly up to 500 feet and mate with a number of drones. She retains their sperm in her body for up to 3 years.
A ‘good’ queen will lay up to 1800 eggs per day. Gardeners can help by planting flowers, lavender and bottlebrush. Bees also need water so keeping a clean bird bath with a big stone in it will prevent them drowning.

It is hard to imagine that he knew nothing about bees. He had to learn the difference between bees and wasps on his first day of employment from the boss’s daughter!
New members are welcome, please contact Judy Shakespeare at (06) 379-6554