You are cordially invited to an end of season BBQ and Social event at the Branch Apiary in Woodbury Salterton on Saturday 5th September from 2pm. You are very welcome to bring your partner and children.
The Branch will provide Burgers, Bangers and Buns plus salads and Soft Drinks (you are welcome to bring your own alcohol if you wish) and hopefully lots of good company and bee chat! There will also be a light presentation around beekeeping from one of our esteemed members.
You may be aware the Branch has been through a difficult few months and it would be marvelous to celebrate together what has been achieved.
If you wish to attend please email Steve with numbers and any allergies/dietary requirements before the end of August- secretary@exeterbeekeepers.org.uk
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The Summer 2026 Apiary meetings have now finished and will start again in May 2027.
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DEVON BEEKEEPERS DAY – SEPTEMBER 26TH, CREDITON
Bookings are now open for the excellent Devon Beekeepers Day on Saturday 26th September at the Boniface Centre in Crediton . The link to the Devon Beekeepers’ Website with full details is below..
(This event previously known as the President’s Day.)
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/devon-beekeepers-day-2026-tickets-1993011990514
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The AGM for the Exeter BKA will be held on Wednesday 25th November at Topsham Rugby Club.
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WINTER PROGRAMME :
We are planning meetings with speakers once a month on Thursday evenings from October to February 2027 (including our AGM in December). The venue will be the Parish Hall in Whitestone Village (3 miles outside Exeter between St Thomas and Tedburn St Mary).
N.B The AGM will be held at Topsham Rugby Club NOT Whitestone.
Winter 26-27 Program of Meetings and Talks:
22nd October 2026 7pm Whitestone Parish Hall –
Dan Basterfield: ‘Preparations for a better season’
25th November 2026 7pm Topsham Rugby Club –
AGM and Will Steynor: ‘Queen Rearing on a Small Scale’
10th December 2026 7pm Whitestone Parish Hall –
David Packham: ‘The secrets of a healthy and productive hive’
21st January 2027 7pm Whitestone Parish Hall –
David Packham: ‘For the joy of Swarms’
18th February 2027 7pm Whitestone Parish Hall –
Zoe Mack: ‘Basic Principles for hive management and Exeter Uni Apiculture update’
Possible 1st March 2027 7pm West Hill Village Hall –
Joint meeting with East Devon BKA Lelia Goss (APHA/NBU): Varroa- Speaker TBC
Addresses:
Whitestone Parish Hall, Whitestone,, Exeter, EX4 2JS
Topsham Rugby Club, Exeter Road, Exeter, EX3 0LY
West Hill Village Hall, Beech Park, Ottery St Mary EX11 1UQ
As usual we are looking for volunteers to help. We have positions on the Exeter BKA Committee, Honiton and Exeter Show Committee and Devon Beekeepers Committee. The Honiton and Exeter Show Committee is only running for half the year too, so not a big commitment. If you would like to know more, shadow someone to see if the post interests you, please let me know. If you would like to stand, please let me know by 4th November, ready for the Exeter Beekeepers AGM.
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EBKA Members are welcomed to join meetings held by other Devon Associations. Please contact the relevant Branch Secretary for specific joining details. The schedule of events at other Devon Associations is shown on the DBKA website here.
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SUMMER APIARY MEETINGS – DATES FOR SUMMER
The Apiary Meetings are planned for alternate Sunday afternoons at 2.30 pm during the summer.
(Specific days are subject to the vagaries of British weather and activities to the requirements of our bee colonies! So look for emails or check the website a few days before the meeting)
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Every day at Exeter Apiary is a learning day…sometimes as in learning the hard way!
Real concerns are being raised by the BBKA, BDI, and the Science Advisor of the danger of inadvertently importing the Small Hive Beetle if Queens are imported from Northern Ireland. Please see full details in the paper below:
Importing Honey Bees into Great Britain