Apiary Rules

NHBKA Association Apiary Rules

Our aim is to encourage beekeeping by offering space at the Association Apiary at a £5 charge per colony per year or part-of. In order to help this be successful, the Association does lay down some simple rules for the good of all participants, as follows:

  1. Any member visiting the Association Apiary does so entirely at their own risk and NHBKA shall not be liable for any damage or injury to property or the member.
  2. All members wishing to keep hives in the Apiary must get approval from the committee member first.
  3. Colonies will only be accepted onto the site that are owned by full NHBKA members with current BDI insurance cover for the number of hives they own.
  4. Colonies must be inspected for disease before being placed in the apiary.
  5. Hives must be inspected on a regular basis, with record cards filled in and kept in the roof of each hive.
  6. All hives must be kept in good order. All hives and hive parts must be clearly labelled with the member’s name.
  7. Colonies must be looked after in accordance with good beekeeping practices.
  8. The Apiary Manager must be notified immediately of any apparent incidence of disease. The Association will not be held liable for any disease that may be transmitted to colonies held at the apiary.
  9. Members visiting/inspecting their own bees may not touch or otherwise interfere with any other hives/colonies of bees present in the apiary in any way.
  10. Members Hives can be inspected by Association officers at any time with or without the member’s approval and a record of the inspection will be recorded on the card inside the roof.
  11. The apiary must be kept clean and tidy at all times. All rubbish, wax and feed must be disposed on departure of the apiary and not left lying around.
  12. Members must allocate 1hour per month to tend ponds, cut the grass, tidy footpaths, tend foliage in and around their hives so that the apiary is safe for themselves and other beekeepers. Equipment is available upon request.
  13. The Apiary manager and/or the association swarm collectors may at their discretion host swarms at the Apiary, for the purpose of checking their health and viability.
  14. The Association reserves the right to manage any aggressive colonies as they see fit with the option to remove the offending colony or re-queen at Owners cost.
  15. Members not abiding by the Apiary rules may be asked to remove their hives.