[II-List] Islip Map IINGRIDD		"A-Z" INDEX &   SEARCH Notice BIIG and it's website are no longer in existence. This page will be retained for historical purposes only. Names and contact details have been retained, but it is not advisable to contact them unless you know they are still with us. BIIG... Newsletter No. 4 (March 2006)

			Bee Instrumental Insemination Group.

Stephen Loughborough, 68 Cherry Close, Kidlington, OXON. OX5 1HJ.
Tel: 01865-849863
E-mail: stephenloughborough@tiscali.co.uk

Dear Member/Lapsed Member or person who has expressed an interest in instrumental insemination...

• We will have a stand at Stoneleigh this year. If you are not a member and have expressed an interest in bee breeding in the past then read on. The following might help encourage you to join...
  
  

• For current members, subscriptions of £10 are due and should be sent to:

  The "Instrumental Insemination Group"
  Ron Hoskins, 10 Larksfield, Swindon, Wilts. SN3 5AD.
  Tel: 01793-525364.
  Email: ron@honeybee1.org.uk

  Cheques should be made payable to the "Instrumental Insemination Group"

  Alternatively, if you fancy that personal touch, why not pop round with your subscription to our Stoneleigh stand for a chat. Subscriptions are vital in helping us hire halls and enable us to share our knowledge of insemination experiences on practical days.

• As you know - Sue Cobey will be attending the BBKA Spring Convention on the following days:

  Friday 21st April 2006 from 1600-1700.	Bee Breeding & Innovation in Instrumental Insemination... Sponsored by Yorkshire Agricultural Society
  Saturday 22nd April 2006 from 1000-1100 and 1600-1700.	Bee Breeding & Innovation in Instrumental Insemination... In memory of the late John Pollard

  Members of the BIIG group have also been cordially invited to a lecture being given by Sue to the Bee Improvement Bee Breeders' Association (BIBBA). This meeting is being held in Stoneleigh on Sunday 23rd April.

  Directions and timings for the BIBBA meeting... Terry Clare will provide shortly before this gets sent out...

• Last years practical insemination day was a great success. There is going to be another practical day in Islip on Sunday 26th of June. The meeting will start at 11:00am. As usual drones and queens would be most appreciated! There are fields nearby where nuclei with drones or queens can be put. Members will get free entry, whilst a nominal entrance charge to non-members of £2 will help to cover hall hiring.

  Members are warmly encouraged to bring their equipment, have a go and share experiences and tips. The format will mirror that of last year with presentations, slide shows and mentoring sessions with experienced practitioners.

  Islip is a small village located approximately 5 miles North of Oxford on the B4027. It is well sign posted from the A34, only 1 mile away from Islip. We are meeting in the Village Hall. This is in the centre of the village opposite the church. Directions to the village hall can be found at:
  www.dave-cushman.net/bee/biigvenues.html.

• II is somewhat specialised and it can be difficult to get hold of information.
  To help move things along I have a CD of bee breeding/insemination and other information (Varroa control etc.) downloaded from the internet. There is quite a lot of material on the CD which contains the results of many hours of searching. I am going to make this CD available to all renewing members by return of post. If you decide to renew at Stoneleigh copies will be available there.
  
  
• Sue Cobey has a new design of sting hook. This is the Ruby Jewel Sting Hook. More information on this can be found at www.dave-cushman.net/bee/rubystinghook.html.
  
  
• There will be an II session at the Gormanston summer school. Further info on this event can be found at:
  www.dave-cushman.net/bee/gormflier2006.html< and
  www.dave-cushman.net/bee/gormreservation2006.html www.dave-cushman.net/bee/gormprog2006.html.
  
  

Are you still practicing or interested in II?
To help move the group ahead I am enclosing a questionnaire. If you get the chance to fill it in and send it back it would be most appreciated. Hopefully we can generate some material for some newsletters. As we are a specialised group we need feedback from members to generate dialog and this is a point Ron has made previously.

Editors Note... The Questionnaire can be printed from the one on the Questionnaire link, it should print out on most printers and most browsers without the web page navigation showing.