Swarm season is just around the corner and it’s time to get those bait hives (aka; swarm lures) ready. This cool weather has slowed the bees down and we’ve probably lost some brood on the cold nights, but the bees will recover quickly when the temperature rises, and then swarm season will get underway. We’ll be talking about swarm control techniques at our meeting on May 13. Season 2017 is here and I hope that everyone has been able to get off to a good start. I picked up my package bees last Saturday and the queens were direct released on Tuesday. I spent some time talking to one of the drivers that brought the bees from northern California, Sacramento area, and got to see the inside of the trailer that brought the 525 3# packages. Quite the rig. These people care about the bees and have air constantly circulating throughout, and 8 temperature probes hanging down among the packages. If the temperature gets above 90 degrees they pull over and open the doors. He said the hardest part about this trip, after they got out of the 8-lane (in both directions) traffic around Sacramento, was crossing over Donner’s Pass where they hit thick fog and had to drive slowly with minimal visibility. The bees came in the wooden/screened cages that I’m used to seeing, not the new plastic ones that I’ve heard about. The queens came in cages with 3 to 5 attendants and a nice size chunk of candy. I hadn’t received a queen that way in a while, the last several years they came with no attendants and no candy. I could’ve let the bees eat the candy and release the queens, but I was going to mark them this year, my first attempt. I bought the tube with the plunger, a push-in queen cage, and a yellow Testor’s marker. Two queens are marked but the other three scurried out of the tube before I got the plunger in. If I find unmarked queens during my inspections I can hopefully trap them under the push-in cage and mark them that way. I had three die-outs this winter, and the seven survivor colonies are queenright. I’m grateful for that and I hope to have fewer losses in the future. The die-outs occurred before January and I couldn’t determine the cause of two of them. The third one was weak in fall and I should have combined it with a stronger colony, but it was an experiment that I don’t intend to repeat. The upside to the die-outs is that they left behind a lot of frames of honey. Although it crossed my mind to extract them, I spilt them between the five packages I installed. Syrup making is way down this spring, and I’m liking that. Of the seven survivors, I have inspected five to date. The other two I can’t get apart and am waiting for assistance (and warmer temperatures) with the task. Those two had their winter covers “glued” down and the cover cavities were loaded with drone comb. The chickens loved it! But I couldn’t separate the boxes and I imagine there’s burr comb sticking the upper frames to the lower frames. The person that will be assisting me suggested using wire, in cheese cutter fashion, to cut between the boxes and hopefully be able to separate them. A solid Wisconsin idea. Since those two colonies are so eager to make comb they will be given frames of foundation to draw out. As I mentioned in a previous newsletter, my intent for major plantings this season is Autumn Joy Sedum and Russian Sage, two great honey bee plants. Last Friday I checked Craigslist for Autumn Joy Sedum and there was a listing by a woman in Greenville selling them because she was dividing her plants. Greenville is where I was picking up the bees and it worked out so that I got a large amount of AJS for little money on the same trip. Once in awhile things go well. Our next meeting is May 13, Ripon Public Library, 9:30 a.m., Silver Creek Room. We’ll discuss what should be happening with package bees following the package installation for the benefit of first time beekeepers; swarm control techniques (splits and reversals); and brood comb changeouts. As always, we will discuss any questions that concerns beekeeping. There is typically a lot of experience and know-how among the members in attendance and we get at least one suggestion to any question. More often three or four. Here is the link to the Events page on our blog: http://ourbeeblog.blogspot.com/p/ecwba-calendar.html . Laurie is listing Events on this page so that members can see what’s coming up and will hopefully volunteer to participate. I do not see Walleye Weekend listed so perhaps we will be discussing this on May 13? If not enough members can, or will, participate we will have to pass on this opportunity to bring honey bee knowledge to the public. All those willing to participate in the upcoming Events, contact Laurie at: [email protected] Note also on the Events page the date and location of the Field Day at D’s apiary in July. All members are invited. I picked up a flyer at Honey Bee Ware for a Customer Appreciation Picnic on July 22 at Lions Park, N1089 Municipal Drive, Greenville, 11am – 3pm. The ECWBA does not endorse any suppliers or products, but this is a good opportunity to be around other beekeepers and exchange knowledge. And finally, I was contacted by a reporter for FOX CITIES magazine who is doing a story on beekeeping in our area for the June issue. Amelia has contacted other beekeepers besides me to gather information and opinions, and she and I are hoping that she can look inside one of my hives before press time. She said she’d appreciate an up close and personal view. I expect this article will bring good information to the readers. May the sun shine and temperature increase, soon! Gerard
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ECWBA NewsletterSince 2009 Archives
March 2019
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