Reading Patti’s Meeting Minutes (attached) for March 17, I missed a really good meeting. I very much wanted to be there, but a tragedy occurred the night before which kept me away. Thanks Laurie for calling the meeting to order after Damon’s presentation, and thanks to everyone that brought snacks. I got a call last week from one of my package suppliers that (3) of my bee packages should be here April 7, barring any unforeseen setbacks. That’s early, and I’m happy for that. I talked to my second supplier last evening and he said he didn’t have a confirmed date yet, but they will be coming soon. That’s good news after he originally told me there were no guarantees that he would even be able to get any due to poor weather in California. (I like to buy from more than one supplier so that at least one comes through.) (For anyone looking for bees, as of Friday Honey Bee Ware still had packages available, but you’d have to call because I think their site says they’re sold out.) The package bees WILL HAVE Varroa mites and I’m going to be treating them right away, before the queens start laying. I’ve never treated prior to mid-summer, so treating fresh-out-of-the-package bees is something new for me. I have two methods in mind; one is to spray the bees with oxalic acid syrup, and the other is to dribble oxalic acid syrup on them. Either way, I’ll spray/dribble 1:1 syrup on them a couple of hours prior to the oxalic acid treatment. Bees are hygienic and will lick the syrup off each other, so it’s good to fill their stomachs with 1:1 syrup before introducing oxalic acid syrup. There are other methods that can be used, like Apivar and Hopguard II strips, and this is a good time to use either of them. However, oxalic acid in syrup will be the least expensive methood, by far. When the bees are more spread out over the frames, an oxalic acid vapor treatment would be effective. But once the queens start laying the mites will head into the cells to reproduce and oxalic acid will be relatively ineffective unless used in synch with the brood cycle. I know what to do this year if the bees don’t take syrup from the feeders. Last year was the first time the bees didn’t take syrup, and all (5) of my packages acted the same way. It took them all summer to build up, and they died over winter. I’ve read, and heard from others, that drenching them with syrup containing Hive Alive, or Honey Bee Healthy (home made or store bought), or Fumagilin-B will help to stimulate them. I’ll be doing what I can to help them build up quickly this year. Side note: I read that some commercial beekeepers quit using Fumagilin-B in the spring because their colonies built up too fast and they had trouble controlling swarming. Hmmmmm. I haven’t had that problem yet. The bees will be here soon and I hope that everyone is prepared. If we have as much precipitation during the summer as we’ve had this winter, and if it’s hot, it should be a very good year for the bees and honey production. I’m asking for night rain only, several times per week. Our next meeting will be April 21 and it will be dedicated to our new beekeepers. Bring your questions, none of which are stupid. Hopefully many of our seasoned members will be present with their years of combined knowledge and experience to share. There is a lot to know, and to enjoy, in beekeeping. Today’s world has challenges that didn’t exist a hundred years ago, or even 50 years ago, and we are all working to help the bees as they adapt to this world. Lets those of us who have the tools and know-how share what we know. I would like to have mini-talks/demos on sugar shakes and/or alcohol rolls for mites, mite treatments, lure hives for capturing swarms, queen marking, hive tools, etc. All things appropriate for April/May. I have those things but would like to hear from members that are willing to take a piece. (You know who you are.) While a meeting can be dedicated to nearly each topic mentioned, this is to be introductory for those that don’t know the what’s or how’s. Please contact me with the piece you’re willing to cover and I’ll try to put together an agenda. Thanks in advance. Next meeting: April 21, Caestecker Library, Green Lake, 9:30 a.m. Bee ready. Gerard
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ECWBA NewsletterSince 2009 Archives
March 2019
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