BEEKEEPERS from the Wellington area and all over the South-West will be heading to an auction of beekeeping equipment on Sunday at Ruishton village hall, near Taunton.

They will be looking for bargains among a miscellany of secondhand hives, smokers and honey extraction equipment.

Peter Maben, chairman of Taunton Beekeepers, which stages the sale and has an apiary near Bradford-on-Tone, said: “The annual auction in Ruishton is a great opportunity for all local beekeepers, whether experienced or just starting out. Buying and selling surplus equipment, it is the premium venue to flog it.”

Following last year’s disappointing beekeeping year, when poor weather slashed honey harvests, followed by an unseasonably warm winter, beekeepers are hoping for better things to come.

Chris Harries, of Sedgemoor Honey Farm, will be on the podium for the 30th year. He said beekeepers should make sure they were prepared for whatever happened in the coming season by attending the auction.

“We never know what we’re going to get until we open the doors but usually there are lots of hive parts as well as equipment we use to manage our colonies and extract honey,” he said.

Items of equipment will be received at the village hall from 8am, viewing starts at 10am and the sale gets under way at 2pm.

Proceeds from the auction will support the Taunton club’s packed programme of courses and lectures at its apiary.