tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20062641256468973292024-03-12T22:07:03.289-05:00Our Bee BlogEast Central Wisconsin Beekeepers Associationlikes beeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01328346238222816136noreply@blogger.comBlogger1248125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2006264125646897329.post-44952784609621226732024-02-02T11:39:00.000-06:002024-02-02T11:39:32.240-06:00Area Bee Suppliers that I know of.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmu10UXIXMaqTudLMLfQhySfMUiMjue2efLp31IhgK9WuNouTcbtuP5D4c0oyHyjlVyecNcy3XO1wMH_wqLNm2HwbLnISyS2DXP_Q9htVaVcxjamGMsN0mjoNoacn65jv74dkDMtiJNxogY-xUyjt7j-XtXB7glwRMNwsYt2pTf_cdDl0DcAkVOx3tyAo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="706" data-original-width="1003" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmu10UXIXMaqTudLMLfQhySfMUiMjue2efLp31IhgK9WuNouTcbtuP5D4c0oyHyjlVyecNcy3XO1wMH_wqLNm2HwbLnISyS2DXP_Q9htVaVcxjamGMsN0mjoNoacn65jv74dkDMtiJNxogY-xUyjt7j-XtXB7glwRMNwsYt2pTf_cdDl0DcAkVOx3tyAo=w529-h372" width="529" /></a></div><br /><p></p>ECWBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07531024521015580575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2006264125646897329.post-72034858084479370982024-01-12T18:21:00.000-06:002024-01-12T18:21:11.001-06:00Come learn about Russian Honey Bees!<h4 style="text-align: left;">Sue Dompke will be visiting us to do a presentation on the Russian Honey Bee.</h4><p>February 17th, 10:00am - noon, Caestecker Library in Green Lake. FREE!</p><p><a href="https://sweetmountainfarm.com/">https://sweetmountainfarm.com/</a></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHzWbhRw2IhVxZ8c2YGk4ApSr5w8XUXwiEqdVhUSMyWQSFODTS2_G_WA1FRHlI7Tu3Zcab_XKkw0zkfH_yCOl_iPKTz0tqSVRbN8PYeMpK6qe4BbRCtYJwh75wJhVdOBSMa1JoiZzXn3EtVOKDA8IDGVyQiKlV4A0NOKj36tsQ7pOY3FsHSQD_2Y5Zuo8/s778/DompkePoster.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="592" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHzWbhRw2IhVxZ8c2YGk4ApSr5w8XUXwiEqdVhUSMyWQSFODTS2_G_WA1FRHlI7Tu3Zcab_XKkw0zkfH_yCOl_iPKTz0tqSVRbN8PYeMpK6qe4BbRCtYJwh75wJhVdOBSMa1JoiZzXn3EtVOKDA8IDGVyQiKlV4A0NOKj36tsQ7pOY3FsHSQD_2Y5Zuo8/s320/DompkePoster.png" width="243" /></a></div><br /><p></p>ECWBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07531024521015580575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2006264125646897329.post-58117911016791702532024-01-03T18:03:00.001-06:002024-02-02T11:45:02.206-06:00Area Beekeeping Classes<p><u style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;"><strong>Here are some links to organizations that are having classes.</strong></u></p><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;"><b>Let It Bee in Appleton, WI</b></span><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">$50 Beginner Beekeeping - 8am-12pm</span></li><ul><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">Jan 14 </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">OR</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;"> Feb 17 at the Holiday Inn, 1565 N. Casaloma Drive, Appleton</span></li></ul><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">$50 Advanced Beekeeping - 1pm-5pm</span></li><ul><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">Jan 14 </span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">OR</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;"> Feb 17 at the Holiday Inn, 1565 N. Casaloma Drive, Appleton</span></li></ul><li><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">Register online </span><a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.letitbeeinc.com/collections/classes" href="https://www.letitbeeinc.com/collections/classes" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px; transition: color 300ms ease 0s;" target="_blank">www.letitbeeinc.com/collections/classes</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;"> </span></li></ul><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;"><b>Heritage Honeybee in Sullivan, WI </b></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">FREE, Beekeeping 101 class - 9am-3pm</span></li><ul><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">Feb 9th and 10th </span><em style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px; position: relative;">(Jan class is full)</em></li><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">In Person, must attend both days</span></li></ul><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">Register online </span><a data-cke-saved-href="https://heritagehoneybee.com/pages/events" href="https://heritagehoneybee.com/pages/events" style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px; transition: color 300ms ease 0s;" target="_blank">heritagehoneybee.com/pages/events</a><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;"> </span></li></ul><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;"><b>Moraine Park Technical College - Fond du Lac Campus</b></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">$46.25 Beginning Beekeeping 001-650 CRN 42296</span></li><ul><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">Feb 3, 9am-3:25pm</span></li></ul><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">$46.25 NEW Beekeeping: Next Steps 001-651 CRN 42337</span></li><ul><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">Mar 2, 9am-3:25pm</span></li></ul><li><a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.morainepark.edu/academics/classes/" href="https://www.morainepark.edu/academics/classes/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px; transition: color 300ms ease 0s;" target="_blank">www.morainepark.edu/academics/classes/</a></li></ul><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;"><b>Online Classes by Ellen Bell of Bell Farm in Iowa</b></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">$59.99 - Beekeeping Fundamentals ZOOM class</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">4 weekly classes, 7-9pm<br /></span></li><ul><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">Jan 23, Jan 30, Feb 6, and Feb 13 (backup date Feb 20 for any cancellations)</span></li><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">Each Live Zoom meeting will also be recorded for viewing later (in case you can't tune in live)</span></li></ul><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">$39.99 - Beekeeping 201</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">4 two hour recorded classes.</span></li><ul><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">Topics include: making splits, queen problems, creating and using nucs, disease/pest management, and more.</span></li><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">Includes PDFs, external links, and supplemental videos. </span></li></ul><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">Register online </span><a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.iowabees.com/classes" href="https://www.iowabees.com/classes" style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px; transition: color 300ms ease 0s;" target="_blank">www.iowabees.com/classes</a></li></ul><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;"><b>Capital Bee Supply in Columbus, WI</b> </span><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">FREE - Online anytime Feb 1 - Apr 30 </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">'Is Beekeeping for Me' </span></li><ul><li><a data-cke-saved-href="http://capitalbeesupply.com/product-category/classes-seminars-workshops/" href="http://capitalbeesupply.com/product-category/classes-seminars-workshops/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px; transition: color 300ms ease 0s;" target="_blank">capitalbeesupply.com/product-category/classes-seminars-workshops/</a></li></ul><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">$200 - 4 Part 'Learn to Keep Bees' series throughout the beekeeping season</span></li><ul><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">4 classes</span></li><ul><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">9am-4:30pm: Feb 24, Mar 23, June 15, August 17</span></li></ul><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">3 at the hive sessions</span></li><ul><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato;">9am-11am Live at the Hive, tentatively: May 18, Jul 13, Sept 14</span></li></ul><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">In Person or Online</span></li><ul><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">In Person location: Capital Bee Supply, 200 Commercial Drive, Columbus</span></li></ul><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">Register: online at </span><a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.capitalbeesupply.com/" href="http://www.capitalbeesupply.com/" style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px; transition: color 300ms ease 0s;" target="_blank">www.capitalbeesupply.com</a><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;"> or by phone 608-444-1493</span></li></ul><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">'Timely Topics' - sessions for individuals that have kept bees for at least one year</span></li><ul><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;"><u>**<em style="position: relative;"><strong>2024 Timely Topics classes have not been posted yet **</strong></em></u> </span></li><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">In Person 9am-11am</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">Pest Management: June 17, 2023 - Fee: $10.00</span></li><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">Advanced Bee Biology: July 8, 2023 - Fee: $10.00</span></li><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">How to Harvest and Extract Honey: July 22, 2023 - Fee: $10.00</span></li><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">Winter Preparation: September 16, 2023 - Fee: $10.00</span></li><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">Online-</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">Spring Management: Available March 25, 2023 - Fee: $15.00</span></li><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">Splits and Increases: Available April 22, 2023 - Fee: $15.00</span></li><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">Honey Production Strategies: Available May 6, 2023 - Fee: $15.00</span></li><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">Pest Management: Available June 4, 2022 - Fee: $15.00</span></li><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">Advanced Bee Biology: Available July 8, 2023 - Fee: $15.00</span></li><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">How to Harvest and Extract Honey: Available July 22, 2023 - Fee: $15.00</span></li><li><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px;">Winter Preparation: Available September 16, 2023 - Fee: $15.00</span></li></ul></ul></div>ECWBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07531024521015580575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2006264125646897329.post-33709081345678047302023-03-24T11:05:00.003-05:002023-03-24T11:05:48.106-05:00BEE SUPPLIERS<h3 style="text-align: left;"> Time is running out...</h3><div style="text-align: left;">Order bees if you haven't already.<br />Here are some suppliers that I know of.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4nWcFMxox-1ikUq4CerraZ-9EQpRDn6sqbA2i8uzwP8U9WdGkQudFk078PadGJAiC-oCQxqajqs3u1Wcdz15EYtcFIqlGe3XMLDWX09Mn1ED56Eof1lpZTK4eUX8R5h1DuBIVepcaqEgBCZKlNsngLyZXCh3VtLAgSdREXiLYky7KrLC5P1jFEQP/s1004/2023BeeSuppliers.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="752" data-original-width="1004" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4nWcFMxox-1ikUq4CerraZ-9EQpRDn6sqbA2i8uzwP8U9WdGkQudFk078PadGJAiC-oCQxqajqs3u1Wcdz15EYtcFIqlGe3XMLDWX09Mn1ED56Eof1lpZTK4eUX8R5h1DuBIVepcaqEgBCZKlNsngLyZXCh3VtLAgSdREXiLYky7KrLC5P1jFEQP/w640-h480/2023BeeSuppliers.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>ECWBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07531024521015580575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2006264125646897329.post-36579242506279402682023-02-10T10:08:00.007-06:002023-02-10T10:18:06.081-06:002023 WHPA Spring Meeting<h3 style="text-align: left;">For Southern and Southeastern Districts</h3><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Neue Plak", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5rem; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">FREE for WHPA members; $5 for non-members at the door.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Neue Plak", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5rem; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Sat, March 11, 2023</span><span style="font-size: 14px;">, </span><span class="date-and-time__line-break" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-size: 14px;">1:30 PM – 4:30 PM CST</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Neue Plak", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5rem; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="date-and-time__line-break" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-size: 14px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Concord Community Center,</span> W1095 Concord Center Drive Sullivan, WI 53178</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Neue Plak", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5rem; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Neue Plak", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5rem; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Enjoy an afternoon of beekeeper fellowship over coffee and treats along with numerous door prizes!</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Neue Plak", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5rem; margin: 0px; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">Learn from and ask questions during a <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700; padding-top: 0px;">Panel Discussion</span> covering the following topics:</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Neue Plak", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5rem; margin: 0px; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">-Varroa mite management from Spring to Fall</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Neue Plak", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5rem; margin: 0px; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">-Inspections and equalizing colonies</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Neue Plak", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5rem; margin: 0px; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">-Tips for increasing honey production</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Neue Plak", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5rem; margin: 0px; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">-Managing the brood nest for better over-Wintering</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Neue Plak", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5rem; margin: 0px; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">-And more...</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Neue Plak", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5rem; margin: 0px; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">Panel to include Wisconsin beekeepers: Bill Werning (Werning Apiaries, Sullivan, WI), Chad Nelson (Fairy Garden Hives, River Hills, WI), Bryan Bergner (Highlands Honey, Wauwatosa, WI), & Kent Pegorsch (Dancing Bear Apiary, Waupaca, WI).</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Neue Plak", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5rem; margin: 0px; padding: 10px 0px 0px;">Network and get to know other beekeepers in the area. Form relationships in the beekeeping community that provide resources and knowledge that go beyond the hive.</p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Neue Plak", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5rem; margin: 0px; padding: 10px 0px 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Neue Plak", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5rem; margin: 0px; padding: 10px 0px 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://img.evbuc.com/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.evbuc.com%2Fimages%2F439995419%2F243182434937%2F1%2Foriginal.20220117-152452?w=940&auto=format%2Ccompress&q=75&sharp=10&rect=0%2C65%2C538%2C269&s=31f9b756235ecf2a0dd41679c405e3fa" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="800" height="221" src="https://img.evbuc.com/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.evbuc.com%2Fimages%2F439995419%2F243182434937%2F1%2Foriginal.20220117-152452?w=940&auto=format%2Ccompress&q=75&sharp=10&rect=0%2C65%2C538%2C269&s=31f9b756235ecf2a0dd41679c405e3fa" width="441" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5rem; margin: 0px; padding: 10px 0px 0px;"><span style="font-family: Neue Plak, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2023-whpa-spring-meeting-for-the-southern-southeastern-districts-tickets-535842187407">https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2023-whpa-spring-meeting-for-the-southern-southeastern-districts-tickets-535842187407</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Neue Plak", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5rem; margin: 0px; padding: 10px 0px 0px;"><br /></p>ECWBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07531024521015580575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2006264125646897329.post-5283271551912398592022-10-25T10:52:00.002-05:002022-10-25T10:52:40.794-05:00ROUND UP ALTERNATIVES!<p><span style="background-color: white;">By: Arianna Delarosa, Outreach Coordinator from Consumer Notice</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;">RoundUp can pose a risk to humans and animals. Organic alternatives and Home Recipes are available. </span><span style="background-color: white;">We have published a page about RoundUp Alternatives to help keep our pollinators safe.</span></div><p><span style="background-color: white;">Click the link below to check it out!</span></p><p><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.consumernotice.org/environmental/pesticides/roundup/alternatives/&source=gmail&ust=1666797260523000&usg=AOvVaw0Mezni1AfW8IObQxCvYbb6" href="https://www.consumernotice.org/environmental/pesticides/roundup/alternatives/" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank">https://www.<wbr></wbr>consumernotice.org/<wbr></wbr>environmental/pesticides/<wbr></wbr>roundup/alternatives/</a></p>ECWBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07531024521015580575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2006264125646897329.post-81121910730963229242022-05-25T18:06:00.000-05:002022-05-25T18:06:49.090-05:00First SWARM of 2022<p>Thanks for the video Tom!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxPoxCLJOwllN94cnRwH3X2AjcjSABLfK9P5AG80Hgd78Y3oyPtnL44XjJCdPaDXWzuRbp1oqIyQC42eN_SMw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>ECWBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07531024521015580575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2006264125646897329.post-39197835126407074032022-04-12T13:33:00.000-05:002022-04-12T13:33:43.652-05:00Honeybees at the Bird Feeder!<h4 style="text-align: left;"> Why are honeybees at the bird feeders?</h4><p style="text-align: left;">If you were lucky enough to have any of your hives live through the winter, you probably are seeing the bees at your bird feeders. Pollen is scarce right now so they are scavenging the dust of the cracked corn for the traces of pollen in it. </p><p style="text-align: left;">They will turn that pollen into bee bread to feed the larvae. While sugar gives them the carbohydrates they need, pollen gives them protein. The queen is starting to lay more now, so they need all the pollen they can get! </p><p style="text-align: left;">Here is a link to an interesting read on it.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/why-are-honeybees-at-my-birdfeeder-zbcz2004/" target="_blank">https://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/why-are-honeybees-at-my-birdfeeder-zbcz2004/</a><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">Happy Spring!!</p><p style="text-align: left;">Patti</p>ECWBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07531024521015580575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2006264125646897329.post-22084005902367414202022-03-18T17:44:00.003-05:002022-03-18T17:46:12.012-05:00FEED WINTER SURVIVORS!<h3 style="text-align: left;">Warmer weather means active bees.</h3><p style="text-align: left;">The weather is in a warming trend. Everyone with survivors should be checking the food levels in the hives every 10 days or so until the end of April. Food being sugar and pollen patties, because it's too cool for syrup until we're consistently in the 50's. The colonies will be building up exponentially as more and more bees emerge, and the demand for food will also grow exponentially. </p><div><div>Cold snaps will continue to occur and the nurse bees won't leave the expanding broodnest. Food should be directly above them so they can form a column up to it. If it gets real cold, the colony may contract and lose touch with the food. If it's of short duration, they should survive it. Two week ultra-cold snaps are what can freeze them out even when food is present, because the cluster contracts and they lose their connection to the food causing them to starve.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div>The Winter Survivors are not out of the woods yet, and won't be until May. A significant number of die-outs occur in March, often from starvation. I checked my lone survivor colony today and they haven't touched the sugar disc that's been in there all winter, or the pollen patty that's been in there for a month. I heard them in the upper deep and the super above it, with a louder buzzing in the super. Unfortunately I didn't have my infrared camera along, but I know they're nearing the top and building up their population. When it hits 60 degrees and isn't windy, I plan to take a deeper look and am hoping to see a nice patch of capped worker brood. But the inspection will need to be quick, no lingering until we're in the 70's.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div>The survivor colony is in the Eureka apiary so I'm bumming that I won't be seeing bees in the bird feeders and chicken coop this year gathering protein powder from the grains. It had been a yearly event that I looked forward to. (That was also the time of year that Kathy turned chicken tending and egg collecting over to me, otherwise it's her turf.)</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div>Check the food stores regularly.</div><div>Gerard</div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEAtruWehhUuX3InWoZ-l-iS5oCKJMckWEChnvx30kDxTX491oA71eUEyaU2tqmJH93C-Yv2-tYi5pbw4njKAI0Twj_e3vjUmRSX8pN9iE6s-GQVhcxy3v3B4GLYO-i20IJ95oH40vvqqppT7OoruQTXsZgdzErGInNalhVR5wI5cURPgVXWCupU3a=s311" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="311" data-original-width="225" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEAtruWehhUuX3InWoZ-l-iS5oCKJMckWEChnvx30kDxTX491oA71eUEyaU2tqmJH93C-Yv2-tYi5pbw4njKAI0Twj_e3vjUmRSX8pN9iE6s-GQVhcxy3v3B4GLYO-i20IJ95oH40vvqqppT7OoruQTXsZgdzErGInNalhVR5wI5cURPgVXWCupU3a" width="225" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>ECWBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07531024521015580575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2006264125646897329.post-29717593229632818852022-02-03T12:50:00.000-06:002022-02-03T12:50:09.576-06:00BEE NUTRITION WEBINARWestern Apicultural Society <div>FEBRUARY 2022 Mini-Conference Webinar<div><br /></div><div><div>February 16th, 7 PM Mountain Daylight Time (8 PM Central Time)</div><div><br /></div><div>Topic: Bee Nutrition</div><div>Part 1: Honeybee Nutrition Basics (60mins)</div><div>Part 2: Nutrition and feeding management (35mins)</div><div>Followed by a Q&A</div><div><br /></div><div>Speaker:</div><div>Dr. Dale Hill is an expert in the field of animal nutrition with 38 years of nutrition formulation experience and is the primary developer of Dadant’s AP23 pollen substitute. Dr. Hill is the author of the updated nutrition chapter in the latest edition of the “The Hive and the Honey Bee”. He also teaches the Nutrition section of the Montana Master Beekeepers course, and has made numerous presentations on honey bee nutrition.</div><div><br /></div><div>Event Sponsor: https://www.saskatraz.com</div></div><div><br /></div><div>$20 Registration </div><div>Online: <a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Z9zwe3knRgiiViE4Tf6Zzg">https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Z9zwe3knRgiiViE4Tf6Zzg</a></div></div>ECWBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07531024521015580575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2006264125646897329.post-16518631740024922092021-12-29T09:59:00.002-06:002021-12-29T10:04:12.499-06:00CRYSTALLIZED OR UNCRYSTALLIZED?<h3 style="text-align: left;">How do you like your RAW honey?</h3><div>Most will agree that RAW honey comes straight from the hive without being pasteurized or filtered. This kind of honey usually crystallizes over time, causing the honey to be grainy or sugary. While that is a good sign, all the nutrients are still in the honey, it can turn some people off. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now that we have had honey for a few months now, most of you are probably experiencing crystallized honey in your jars. Once the crystallization starts, it will continue to consume the whole container. The honey will get thicker and may even turn solid.</div><div><br /></div><div>The best way to decrystallize your honey is with slow heat that is not above 110 degrees. Some will argue that you can go higher but most will agree that anything above 140 will destroy the nutrients and benefits. I think of it as, how hot would have the honey have gotten when it was in the hive? </div><div><br /></div><div>There are lots of ways to slowly warm your honey back up in order to melt the crystals. Place your honey container in a pot of hot water, put it in the sun or hot room/car, wrap a heating pad around it, etc. <b>Never put it in the microwave! </b>Microwaves have uneven heating and will most likely go over 140 degrees. You can warm your honey to remove crystals as often as necessary.</div><div><br /></div><div>However you like your honey, ENJOY!</div><div>Patti Ingram</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2tQs28EwrGHXDVVXXLdkNXRfkCA_8bCTJBbhtmqEZErdDh2gpG4FrvSeGmo04roFMTDAs2dXbAkPd1XA2mjEXx3vvFmWRWjIR39TYW3m1Exm-bK7i-A2odQoAn_74ePTa4qvECvY-nisVF_AGQmEMEaIf2Tw62yJhstoanIHj31OYUruCXMRDmgg3=s389" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="389" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2tQs28EwrGHXDVVXXLdkNXRfkCA_8bCTJBbhtmqEZErdDh2gpG4FrvSeGmo04roFMTDAs2dXbAkPd1XA2mjEXx3vvFmWRWjIR39TYW3m1Exm-bK7i-A2odQoAn_74ePTa4qvECvY-nisVF_AGQmEMEaIf2Tw62yJhstoanIHj31OYUruCXMRDmgg3=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>ECWBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07531024521015580575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2006264125646897329.post-59311257812078112772021-11-12T16:52:00.002-06:002021-11-12T16:55:27.530-06:00Mite Management for Fall and Winter Bee Health<h4 style="text-align: left;">South Western Ohio Beekeepers Association</h4><h4 style="text-align: left;">FREE Zoom Meeting</h4><div><div class="kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Title: Mite Management for Fall and Winter Bee Health</div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">When: 16 Nov. 2021 at 7:30 PM ET (Cincinnati time).</div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;">Speaker: Barbara Bloetscher </div><p style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: left;">Barb has been the State Entomologist/Apiarist at the Ohio Department of Agriculture since 2009. Prior to that, she worked for 23 years at The Ohio State University as an entomologist and agronomic diagnostician in Extension. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: left;">As State Entomologist, she oversees the Apiary Program and identifies insects and other arthropods submitted from Ohio Nursery inspectors and businesses. Barb monitors the County Apiary Inspection Program and addresses honey bee issues in the state.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: left;">Barb has kept her own colonies of honey bees for over 35 years and belongs to Central Ohio Beekeepers and OSBA as well as The Ohio Lepidopterists and other insect-related organizations.</p></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px;">To register:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;" /><a class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl py34i1dx gpro0wi8" href="https://www.swohiobeekeepers.com/m-16-nov-2021?fbclid=IwAR0GTwfOOnKEsCwiRMoxQ4eFWlwVdTcGr4ywzw8ge6Y4rmM9ejaloVZXPmg" rel="nofollow noopener" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">https://www.swohiobeekeepers.com/m-16-nov-2021</a></p>ECWBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07531024521015580575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2006264125646897329.post-86195446243362320222021-11-08T16:34:00.001-06:002021-11-08T16:34:24.544-06:00WESTERN APICULTURAL SOCIETY - FREE Webinar<h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Thursday, November 11, from 8 - 10 pm CST</span></h3><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The Western Apicultural Society is hosting another Webinar. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The speakers are </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dan Winter of the American Beekeeping Federation (ABF) and </span></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: small;">Chris Hiatt of the American Honey Producers Association (AHPA). The topics of discussion aren't listed, but it's probably worthwhile to give them a listen. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: small;">As always, you have to register for this free event.</span></span></p><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HkXZussXRYGiWcq2fF6KnQ&source=gmail&ust=1636496526605000&usg=AFQjCNE7pgoDvwEnF6hJHIUSR13trcwF6w" href="https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HkXZussXRYGiWcq2fF6KnQ" rel="nofollow" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://us02web.zoom.us/<wbr></wbr>webinar/register/WN_<wbr></wbr>HkXZussXRYGiWcq2fF6KnQ</a></span></div>ECWBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07531024521015580575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2006264125646897329.post-34368704490065918922021-10-25T16:53:00.002-05:002021-10-25T16:53:45.170-05:00Why do Bees ABSCOND?<h3 style="text-align: left;">First of all, what is absconding? </h3><p>When a colony absconds, all of the bees leave, including the queen. This is rarely a spur of the moment decision by the colony, but is weeks in the making. Once the decision is made to abscond, the foragers stop bringing in nectar and pollen for storage, the queen stops laying, and the colony waits around for the pupating bees to emerge. Then the workers engorge with honey and off they go in search of a new home. What the beekeeper finds is an empty hive. </p><p>The triggers for absconding are not well understood or agreed upon, but some things are considered valid. </p><p>#1 - something in the hive has them disturbed and they believe they will not survive in that environment. This could be a certain odor; a high incidence of disease; a high rate of pests like Varroa, Small Hive Beetles or Wax Moths; continuous disturbance by outside forces (like skunks scratching on their doorstep every night; close proximity to a manufacturing facility that emits a disturbing frequency; or a beekeeper opening the hive every other day.). </p><p>#2 - lack of resources. A hive that's in full sun all day and there's not enough water available to cool the hive sufficiently is a bad environment. Resources (nectar and pollen) in scarce supply is also a bad environment, they need to find a place that has a sufficient amount of both. </p><p>#3 - inadequate ventilation, which adds to the summer cooling problem and the winter air exchange.</p><p>If a colony absconds in spring or early summer they have a pretty good chance of surviving the coming winter, same as a swarm does. The colony will live in a temporary area for a period of time until scouts have located an acceptable nest site. </p><p>When a colony absconds, all of the bees leave. They aren't reproducing, they're trying to escape a bad situation. This isn't unusual behavior, and in other parts of the world honey bees actually migrate, particularly in the tropical zone. In some places it's an annual event with the colonies leaving for better forage sites when resources get low, with the same colonies returning to the same nests they left when forage is again available. Some researchers think that honey bees in our temperate zone may also migrate for better forage sites, but the phenomena is pretty much identical to absconding so it's hard to prove.</p><p>If a colony absconds, and I've experienced that several times, the hive should be checked to see if anything can be determined as to what triggered it. An impossible task in my experience. Some people use a propane torch to sanitize the woodenware, some burn the hive. I tried torching and the boxes smelled like a cold campfire afterward so I didn't do it again. Instead I mix about 1/2 teaspoon of tea tree oil with water and a pinch of lecithin in a pint spray bottle and spray everything down making sure to get the liquid inside of the cells and running down the insides of the boxes. Then I let it dry and put bees in when I have a colony needing a home. It works. (Tea tree oil is antifungal, antibacterial, and the bees like it. Smells like Pine-Sol.)</p><p>If you're able to capture an absconded colony, don't return it to the same hive. I did that once before I knew anything about absconding, and the next morning they took off and didn't even bother to stop to hang out nearby (I had gone to check on them just as they took off.). They had had enough. But the probability is good that they would have accepted a different hive in a different location.</p><p>As long as we have our hives well sited, in a location with sufficient resources (nectar, pollen, propolis and water) and few disturbances, the bees should stick around. If they do abscond we may never know why, it's just another thing that bees do.</p><p>-Gerard</p>ECWBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07531024521015580575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2006264125646897329.post-4289936403768516692021-10-25T16:39:00.001-05:002021-10-25T16:39:59.552-05:00Colony Monitoring using Thermal Imaging<h3 style="text-align: left;"> University of Montana, Scott Debnam</h3><div>Scott is researching nurse bees and how they rear the brood. Different temperatures at different stages of development. Not just the same temperature all over the hive! Very interesting Power Point video on his research. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOR_4_cbiYSxYdlIr6ZAVgZ9BjzXYJuECDdzpks0QQ5K73AkA6xJyfV8_kGd3GT6fmTEwdD_0yhTKKv8hNMOJueM58nn3le2gZYWCm0z5AGTkxTiddURc5REHjIn4nL-4C4QiHpquw-Kt3xQpsRsi2BBEzxIFcWOfNd_CZPJON8cHBXZBULbydkuGB=s637" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="419" data-original-width="637" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOR_4_cbiYSxYdlIr6ZAVgZ9BjzXYJuECDdzpks0QQ5K73AkA6xJyfV8_kGd3GT6fmTEwdD_0yhTKKv8hNMOJueM58nn3le2gZYWCm0z5AGTkxTiddURc5REHjIn4nL-4C4QiHpquw-Kt3xQpsRsi2BBEzxIFcWOfNd_CZPJON8cHBXZBULbydkuGB=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=XYuqITrTWsY&list=PLK1L4YyuyoO1WxuH1Dg4sxhM-FOEDYhW_&index=6">Colony Monitoring Using Thermal Imaging // 4th Intl. Bee and Hive Monitoring Conference</a><br /></div>ECWBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07531024521015580575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2006264125646897329.post-56420547417513324702021-10-21T08:17:00.001-05:002021-10-21T08:17:42.984-05:00Nov 4-9 - WHPA Fall Convetion, Wisconsin Rapids<h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #ffa400;">WI Honey Producers Assoc. Fall Convention</span> </h3><div>WHPA Fall Convention is November 4-6, 2021 at the Hotel Mead in Wisconsin Rapids. Keynote speaker, Sue Cobey.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><h2 style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #fcb82f; font-family: Satisfy, handwriting; font-size: 28px; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1em; margin: 30px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3f2008; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">WHPA Fall Convention November 4-6</span></span><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3f2008; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">, 2021</span></span> </h2><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">WHPA Fall Convention is November 4-6, 2021 at the Hotel Mead in Wisconsin Rapids. Keynote speaker, Sue Cobey and much more!</span></p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://wihoney.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/WHPA-Fall-Convention-Registration-2021.pdf" style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #f57f20; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">PRINT REGISTRATION FORM HERE</a><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">Fall Convention Schedule</em></p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"><u>Thursday, November 4, 2021</u></span></p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">4:00 p.m. – Board of Managers meeting (Aspen Room)</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">6:00 p.m. – Board Dinner (Centralia)</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">7:00 p.m. – Budget committee (Aspen)</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">7:00 p.m. Kids N Bees Committee (Pub)</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">7:30p.m. Heine Hour Remembrance & Social (Pub)</em></p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">8:00 p.m. – Honey Queen Committee (Spruce)</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">8:00 p.m. Poster Contest Committee (Timberland)</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">8:00 p.m. Other Committee Meeting if needed<span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"><u>Friday, November 5, 2021</u></span></p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">7:30 a.m. – Registration opens</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">8:00 a.m. – Exhibits open (Grand Ballroom C)</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">8:30 a.m. – Honey Show entries due </p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">8:30 a.m. – Call to order</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">8:45 a.m. – Introductions of Honey Queen & Candidates </p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">9:00 a.m. – Sue Cobey – Rearing Quality Queens & Drones</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">10:00 a.m. – Break</em></p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">10:15 a.m. –Project Apis m.- “Research, Forage, and Resources for Beekeepers”</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">11:15 a.m. – ABF update</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">11:30 a.m. – Wisconsin State Apiarist Update</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">12:00 p.m. – Lunch (meal ticket required)</em></p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">1:00 p.m. – <span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">James Hillemeyer “Lions, Tigers and Bears Oh My!”</span></p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">2:00 p.m. – Ryan Lamb, Lamb Operation</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">3:00 p.m. – Break</em></p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">3:15 p.m. – Business Meeting</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">Supper on your own</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">6:45 p.m. – Honey Queen Candidate presentations</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">7:10 p.m. – Honey Queen Fund Auction</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"><u>Saturday, November 6, 2021</u></span></p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">7:30 a.m. – Registration opens</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">8:00 a.m. – Exhibits open</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">8:00 a.m. – Announcements</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">8:10 a.m. – Presentation by WHPA Honey Queen Anna Evenson</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">8:20 a.m. – Presentation by ABF Honey Queen/Princess Jennifer Hinkel</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">8:35 a.m. – Sue Cobey- Challenges of Bee Breeding & Selection</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">9:35 a.m. – Break</em></p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">9:50 a.m. –Promoting Wisconsin Honey, Kent Pegorsch</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">10:50 a.m. – Youth Beekeepers</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">11:50 a.m.- Announcements & Door Prizes</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">12:00 p.m. – Lunch on your own-Trade Show closes</em></p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Kids-N-Bees<span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">1:00 p.m. – <span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">Don Moody-Farmers Business Network- Helping Beekeepers Deal with Lack of Precipitation</span></p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">2:00 p.m. – Packaging Honey, Bill Palmer</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">3:00 p.m. – Break</em></p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">3:00 p.m. – Executive Committee Meeting</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">Social/Free Time</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">6:30 p.m. – Cocktail Hour</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">7:00 p.m. – Banquet & Awards (ticket required)</p><p style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #553814; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">9:00 p.m. Dance & Social</p></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.wihoney.org/meetings-and-events/whpa-fall-convention/" target="_blank">Register on WHPA website</a><br /></div>ECWBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07531024521015580575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2006264125646897329.post-87177175974838629572021-09-30T14:31:00.000-05:002021-09-30T14:31:04.244-05:00CONDENSING HIVES FOR WINTER<h3 style="text-align: left;">Driving the BEES down and feeding!</h3><div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Bee Escape, Fume Board, or Bee Brush?</h4><p style="text-align: left;">I try to have the hives sized to the bee population density. That way they don't have too much, or too little, space. Right now about half of my hives have too much space and I'll be using <i><b>bee escape boards</b></i> to get the bees out of the upper boxes.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Bee escape boards work well when the nighttime temps are in the 40's to low 50's (or cooler). The bees will leave the upper boxes to join their sisters around the broodnest to keep it warm. It then takes them about 2 days to figure out how to get back up, so the bee escape and box on top need to be removed within a 24 - 48 hour period. (Face the triangle down (underside) and close any entrances above it. Lessons learned!)</p><p style="text-align: left;">There are other ways to remove bees from the boxes than using a bee escape board. Some beekeepers use <i><b>fume boards</b></i> to drive the bees down, and some simply <i><b>brush the bees</b></i> off the frames and into the hive. If there's only a few bees in the box, I'll brush them off, but if there's a lot of bees, I prefer a bee escape board and a cool night. A lot less commotion and bees aren't harmed.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Feeding Syrup and Pollen</h4><p style="text-align: left;">After I'm done getting the hives configured as I see fit, and removing the last of the honey for human consumption, I'll start feeding any lightweights <i><b>2:1 syrup</b></i>. An average sized colony in two deeps and a medium requires at least 90 lbs. of honey and/or syrup to make it through a Wisconsin winter. I use the "heft test" to determine the weight of the hive. I lift, or try to lift, one side of the hive to judge the weight. If I can lift it easily, I need to feed it heavily. If I can't lift it, good enough. If the weight is somewhere in between, I feed until they stop taking the syrup or I can't lift the hive. For those that are sticklers for knowing the exact weight, hive scales are available for around $285.00.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The bees will use honey for energy to maintain the cluster temperature throughout the winter. Not much pollen or beebread will be required until the queens resume laying in late January, but <i><b>pollen</b></i> (or pollen substitute) is required now in order for the winter bees to develop large fat bodies. This will be their source of proteins throughout the winter and into early spring, and to be stored as beebread for winter and early spring brood feeding. I put out repurposed Gatorade bottles with pollen substitute powder, and press pollen substitute powder into empty brood frames as discussed in a previous post.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Robbing will Deplete Resources</h4><p>With the decrease in available floral resources, robbing has increased. Several members have mentioned putting wet sheets over their hives when they noticed robbing in process, but my hives are out of sight so I wouldn't see that. I have found it's necessary to do the heft test periodically, until it's consistently cold enough that the bees remain in cluster, to check weight in case they got robbed. I've had hives that were sufficiently heavy for winter, and two weeks later were as light as a feather. </p><p>One year I discovered that the yellow club hive had been robbed out (I couldn't budge the green hive) after it was too cold to feed syrup, and they survived the entire winter on sugar. So check the hives periodically and feed sugar if necessary. There's several methods for feeding sugar, and all of them require space above the top bars of the top box. My winter covers provide that space, but a 1 1/2" - 2" rim shim works well. We'll be discussing winter feeding down the road, but for now it's good to prepare by building or buying rim shims and stocking up on granulated white (table) sugar.</p><p>-Gerard</p></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>ECWBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07531024521015580575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2006264125646897329.post-15544646965238096382021-09-28T17:32:00.001-05:002021-09-28T17:32:28.323-05:00PROTECTING AGAINST VARMINTS<h3 style="text-align: left;"> Moths, Mice, and Shrews... oh my!</h3><div><p style="text-align: left;">As usual, after extracting, I put the wet frames on saw horses about 50 yards away from the apiary for the bees to clean up. They do a great job in just a few hours, and then I stack them in the barn until next season. </p><p style="text-align: left;">I put a paper plate with paradichlorobenzene crystals at the bottom of the stack, and another on every fifth super up to keep wax moths out. There are other ways of storing frames over winter, this is just the way I do it. </p><p style="text-align: left;">For those that want to use a moth repellent, use only <b>paradichlorobenzene</b> and <i>not naphthalene</i> (moth balls). Naphthalene is toxic to honey bees and residues will linger in the wax. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Paradichlorobenzene</b> is available as Para-Moth from most bee supply houses for around $21.00/lb. plus shipping, and as Moth Ice Crystals from Fleet Farm for $4.49/lb. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The shortening days and cooler temperatures get me thinking about <i>mice and shrews</i> taking up residence in the hives. That won't happen until the bees start to cluster. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Mice aren't terribly bad because they just make a nest and chew up a few frames of foundation, but the American Pygmy shrew will pluck bees off the cluster one by one to eat their flight muscles. Eventually, the cluster becomes too small to survive the cold. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Both are undesirable guests so it's good to get prepared for their visitations. Commercial mouse guards are useful in areas that don't have the American Pygmy shrew, but that's not us. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The shrews can easily get through the openings in most commercial mouse guards so your best bet is to have guards with 1/4" openings. Just stapling 1/4" hardware cloth over the entrances is sufficient. (If you go the commercial route, verify the opening size before buying.) Shrews climb, so all entrances need protection if you're to keep them out!</p><p style="text-align: left;">So when to install the guards? The advice I was given was to get them installed before the mice or shrews get in so you don't trap them inside. Helpful, huh? </p><p style="text-align: left;">There isn't any particular date to do this, but when it starts getting colder and flight activity decreases, that's my indicator. As long as the bees are active, these varmints won't go in the hives because the bees will defend their colony in their typical stinging way. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Once it's consistently cold, the bees are clustered and the varmints can enter at will.</p><div><div> - Gerard</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5m-vgR9V5pbTQYT9XyLbODPDn_oXDDarH18jqZrYWrnmpQ5CmxNtq3FEqtHPkQ2EbXuuLynzDSY8KGf6V95Ytj9YnyQST0XYYdR9QC-r2Ql7QAKbRRobkpROLyr7bqTLYyvRoGNZSEFE/s319/MothCrystals.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="319" data-original-width="164" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5m-vgR9V5pbTQYT9XyLbODPDn_oXDDarH18jqZrYWrnmpQ5CmxNtq3FEqtHPkQ2EbXuuLynzDSY8KGf6V95Ytj9YnyQST0XYYdR9QC-r2Ql7QAKbRRobkpROLyr7bqTLYyvRoGNZSEFE/s0/MothCrystals.jpg" width="164" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>ECWBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07531024521015580575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2006264125646897329.post-67883434772470998362021-09-16T16:30:00.000-05:002021-09-16T16:30:27.875-05:00AUTUMN is Approaching!<h3 style="text-align: left;">Sedums are in bloom and Goldenrod is winding down.</h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"></h3><div><p style="text-align: left;">Sedums are a great late season source of pollen and nectar for pollinators, and honey bees love them! I'm happy that I see so many blooming in my neighbor's yards. They're a reminder to me that it's the time of year to share some honey with them.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The goldenrod is still going but it's winding down pretty quickly in my area. I extracted honey this past weekend and it's primarily goldenrod honey. It's darker than earlier honeys, which means it has more minerals, and goldenrod honey crystallizes quickly. I bottled some today from an extraction on Saturday and it's already cloudy. It might be that it has a higher sugar crystal content than others, but I don't know. Kathy says it's the sweetest of the honeys that I extract anyway.</p><p>I've put some frames with Ultrabee powder (technique demoed at the last meeting and pictured below) in the hives for the bees to make beebread. In a couple of weeks, I'll put out my repurposed Gatorade bottle Ultrabee powder feeders. The bees harvest the powder every flight day once the goldenrod is about done until it gets too cold for them to fly to gather resources. But not all beekeepers have had success with their bees gathering the powder from feeders, so putting it in the frames is a better method.</p><p>In addition to the frames of Ultrabee powder (protein), I've given my colonies a dose of ProDFM (probiotic) to help promote gut health. I see this as a positive way to help the bees fight disease because if they have a healthy gut microbiome they will absorb more nutrients. (SuperDFM is another probiotic.) Some beekeepers treat their colonies in fall with Fumidil-B (fumagillin) but research has shown that this antibiotic doesn't discriminate between beneficial bacteria and non-beneficial bacteria and kills them both, causing the bees to be less healthy overall. Fumagillin products are banned in many countries, but available in the U.S. </p><p>Most of my hives are within the winter population numbers that I like, but I have at least two that aren't. I'm robbing brood frames from very strong colonies to give to the weaker ones but there's only a few weeks left to do this. I've started feeding the weaker hives 2:1 sugar because they don't have much honey stored or personnel to collect nectar. Hopefully the added brood will get their numbers up and the syrup will load the larder in time.</p><div> - Gerard</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1oBGMhmzOu4JC1sWPtQ_F09QT5Vej3TmCyUIUcwxeL0Jscig8qs7c0RxOvGMT46wJ1pobPIaHGe22UACDkVSXNSEPeYKChapcUL9QXkqV2bEHM0Esh32YIo-bkhn9udW1qwfyw1GmOuw/s320/SedumJodiKulick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1oBGMhmzOu4JC1sWPtQ_F09QT5Vej3TmCyUIUcwxeL0Jscig8qs7c0RxOvGMT46wJ1pobPIaHGe22UACDkVSXNSEPeYKChapcUL9QXkqV2bEHM0Esh32YIo-bkhn9udW1qwfyw1GmOuw/s0/SedumJodiKulick.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: left;">Sedum Photo courtesy of Jody Kulick.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhvORKV40_wOApAO7PZXjV0rXXmfPURS0VbrAoor1mIzNss1l3Z5naPDGLgSoXYuzTVeLnBXflK9JeALBRNicQVyBxHL5VeswbIjrfPvISFxys_WRNDKbJPkx-wLk6vUbM53MnuVj1d5E/s503/Goldenrod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="353" data-original-width="503" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhvORKV40_wOApAO7PZXjV0rXXmfPURS0VbrAoor1mIzNss1l3Z5naPDGLgSoXYuzTVeLnBXflK9JeALBRNicQVyBxHL5VeswbIjrfPvISFxys_WRNDKbJPkx-wLk6vUbM53MnuVj1d5E/s320/Goldenrod.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Goldenrod Photo courtesy of Gerard Shubert</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPZRTG_OA5NNAsvD1PzZ-VPSbC6ZnLTUKvusEc7P3OK-oOWJjTOvz9_giHoCapsi_Xsne-O_8AqzFmY4zfuwg3KxIR6CZ6lUZqRklYBlzgxQ58mkYk1O-RpsuoewO7dKfujltGHsp-7Ew/s322/PollenFrame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="153" data-original-width="322" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPZRTG_OA5NNAsvD1PzZ-VPSbC6ZnLTUKvusEc7P3OK-oOWJjTOvz9_giHoCapsi_Xsne-O_8AqzFmY4zfuwg3KxIR6CZ6lUZqRklYBlzgxQ58mkYk1O-RpsuoewO7dKfujltGHsp-7Ew/s320/PollenFrame.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Ultra Bee Powder pressed in Brood Frame Photo courtesy of Gerard Shubert</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div> <br /></div></div></div><div><br /></div>ECWBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07531024521015580575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2006264125646897329.post-6507489399572851372021-09-01T17:20:00.000-05:002021-09-01T17:20:10.989-05:00Winter Preparations Begin<h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">September is the time to start preparing the bees for winter.</span></h4><p style="text-align: left;"><i><b>Be aware of Varroa BOMBS!</b></i></p><p style="text-align: left;">There are two ways that I know of that mites from collapsing hives can get into our hives. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>1. </span>When a colony collapses in late fall due to an overwhelming population of Varroa, the bees abscond and take up residence with surrounding colonies, bringing the mites with them (aka; Varroa bomb). </p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>2. </span>After the colony has abandoned its hive, bees from other colonies detect the unguarded honey left behind, and being opportunists, will rob out the abandoned honey. While robbing, mites in the hive will hitch a ride with the bees and end up in our hives. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><i><b>Mite Treatments</b></i></p><p style="text-align: left;">Apiguard treatment in mid-September after the honey is off. Apiguard treats for both Varroa and tracheal mites and needs to be administered (~28 day treatment) while temps are still in the 60's.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Some of us also treat in October and November with an Oxalic Acid Vapor treatment, and that is good insurance against any mites entering our hives as colonies around us collapse and their mites become our mites.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><i><b>Upper Entrance</b></i></p><p style="text-align: left;">An upper entrance allows the bees to take cleansing flights in winter when they can't get out of the bottom entrance. It can get blocked by snow, ice, or dead bee bodies piled up on the bottom board. </p><p style="text-align: left;">This is the time to start thinking about how you're going to provide one.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><i><b>Fall Feeding</b></i></p><p>Fall feeding should be 2:1 syrup, after honey for human consumption has been removed. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Also, this is the time to add/squish pollen substitute powder into an empty brood frame's cells so the bees can ferment it into beebread. This way the nurse bees will have ample supplies when the queen starts laying in January.</p><div style="text-align: left;">Pollen patties needn't be offered because the bees have no way to store it and it will most likely just sit on the top bars. Mid-January is the time to start offering pollen patties, when the queens start laying to replace natural winter losses.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>It'll be a couple more weeks</b> and then resources will become very scarce, and that's when we'll see robbing activity increase. I opened a couple of hives recently and almost immediately yellowjackets were in the hives. I don't know how they get there so fast, but they respond quickly to the scent of honey. They may already be hunting for hives with easy access.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Check for Queenrightness</b> in the all the colonies. Laying worker colonies can be combined with weak colonies or just killed off with an alcohol or soap bath. Low number colonies can have a capped brood frame with their nurse bees put in from a flourishing donor colony to build the strength on the low numbered colony.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>One way to combine</b> a laying working hive. Take the laying worker colony and dump it 30' away. Place a strong colony or swarm colony in the spot of the laying working colony. The foragers and workers will make their way back but not the laying workers. The returning bees may not want to accept the queen they find there, but her colony should protect her. Hopefully the returners will accept her. Those that don't make it back will die where they were dumped, and those that don't accept the new queen may die in battle.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><b>The season is winding down,</b> but there's still a little time to build up weak colonies with brood from donor colonies, combining colonies, and to take care of queenless and laying worker colonies. There's still queens available, but there won't be for long. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's important to check our colonies and do what we can to help them get winter-ready. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>-Gerard</div>ECWBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07531024521015580575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2006264125646897329.post-59416029053462846062021-08-18T10:43:00.000-05:002021-08-18T10:43:48.635-05:00ROBBING IS NEAR!<h3 style="text-align: left;">Protect against honey robbers...</h3><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I've been seeing yellowjackets at the hummingbird feeders so their brood season must be over and they're turning from protein (meat, pollen, etc.) to sweets (honey, syrup, nectar, fruit, soda, etc.). </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">During the yellowjacket brood season, they gather protein to feed their larvae. The larvae reward them with a drop of a sweet substance. The yellowjackets are addicted to the sweetness and continue to bring food to the larvae to continue to be rewarded. When there's no longer any brood, the adult yellowjackets seek out sweet stuff in the environment. What could be better than a hive full of honey?!</span></p><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">A robbing event from other honey bees can be a death sentence for a colony under attack. Once the hive is overpowered, predators like wasps have an easy time of accessing the hive and killing the remaining bees.</div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">In order to recognize a honey bee robbing event, the following link will take you to one of Rusty Burlew's posts on robbing. There you will find suggestions on how to stop a robbing event that's in progress. <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.honeybeesuite.com/how-to-stop-robbing/&source=gmail&ust=1629378721517000&usg=AFQjCNGOna5xgAtbtOu_ITDgRS7-jBk4zQ" href="https://www.honeybeesuite.com/how-to-stop-robbing/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.honeybeesuite.<wbr></wbr>com/how-to-stop-robbing/</a> </div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="background-color: transparent;">So our colonies are in jeopardy of bees robbing bees, and yellowjackets robbing bees. </span>While I was in my apiaries the other day, I put in entrance reducers and plugged the upper entrances with vent plugs in all of the hives. That's my method of assisting the colonies against robbing. </div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">If anyone has other methods to discourage robbing, please share them here.</div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Gerard</div>ECWBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07531024521015580575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2006264125646897329.post-35736925641635627412021-08-18T10:19:00.000-05:002021-08-18T10:19:26.552-05:00Rare Pic of Dead Forager!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV5Hpxq6AkxJ325lGbkKDjWIFjT1w0rfUgLfvgcMXntrWrmXoYlKLw-CNOaLE61E85-yTlHS3QDsvJLj0vD_Y_LpWivRLNghSkJJYO2Y6mFZ4VrZUWb3EUERF5yypEocV7TegT3rfKEvs/s500/DeadForagerProbiscus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="500" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV5Hpxq6AkxJ325lGbkKDjWIFjT1w0rfUgLfvgcMXntrWrmXoYlKLw-CNOaLE61E85-yTlHS3QDsvJLj0vD_Y_LpWivRLNghSkJJYO2Y6mFZ4VrZUWb3EUERF5yypEocV7TegT3rfKEvs/s320/DeadForagerProbiscus.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I happened upon a dead bee on a goldenrod blossom the other evening while taking a walk with Tucker. It's rare that I see a dead bee in the field even though 800 - 1200 bees per colony die each day during summer. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">More emerge than die every day during the season buildup, and that's how our colonies grow. But now with diminishing resources and winter on its way, our queens will decrease egg laying and the colony populations will start dwindling to winter size.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I could see her proboscis extended into the blossom, so she was apparently collecting nectar at the time of her death. Her wings look to be in pristine shape (no ragged edges) so she's not an old forager. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">It's a bit disconcerting to see a young forager dead while gathering nectar, but I know that there are no pesticides being applied anywhere near this area. The cause of her death is unknown.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Gerard</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></p><p></p>ECWBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07531024521015580575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2006264125646897329.post-4889589214668599612021-08-02T16:00:00.001-05:002021-08-02T16:00:18.371-05:00The Final Flow!<h4 style="text-align: left;">Goldenrod is just beginning to bloom, and that signals the final flow of the season. </h4><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhydASD90yTFYCb6Zj9RdFNk1-pUbHJ0D4zQFJ8kgXJYNKIMu3JOlfOncDSBEf4RS9ukbn38tSgOhdHOXX_XXDhpZKdWKu4272BU6nfRmGfqKutUbvuP9d29Hw43IGg9tkcffqIdq_Ii0o/s504/Goldenrod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="245" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhydASD90yTFYCb6Zj9RdFNk1-pUbHJ0D4zQFJ8kgXJYNKIMu3JOlfOncDSBEf4RS9ukbn38tSgOhdHOXX_XXDhpZKdWKu4272BU6nfRmGfqKutUbvuP9d29Hw43IGg9tkcffqIdq_Ii0o/s320/Goldenrod.jpg" width="156" /></a></div>Goldenrod grows abundantly in our region but isn't a reliable source of nectar, as some years have heavy nectar flows and some years have light flows. You'll know when it's coming into the hives by the scent of gym socks in the air! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Goldenrod honey has a bitterness to it that some people don't care for and others love. I remove honey from my hives prior to the goldenrod flow to keep it separate, then do a final harvest just as the bloomtime is passing its peak which will be in 3 - 4 weeks. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Goldenrod pollen is the final major source of protein for pollinators. Honey bees, bumblebees, wasps, hoverflies, and other insects will be visiting the blossoms. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now is the time to make sure the hives are healthy. Do mite checks and treat if necessary. Check for queen rightness and combine weak colonies with strong ones. Hives should not be disturbed in September with combining or requeening, as that is when the Fat Bees will be being raised.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div>The active beekeeping season is coming to a close faster than I ever like, but we still have lots to do in August and into September if we want to see our bees in April!</div><div><br /></div><div>Gerard</div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>ECWBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07531024521015580575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2006264125646897329.post-31677689997753615492021-07-26T18:45:00.001-05:002021-07-26T18:45:22.572-05:00FAT BEE REARING IN AUGUST<h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Fat Bees are the ones that get the queen through winter.</span></h3><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The time is here to make sure the mite levels are below the treatment threshold by August 15. It's critical for the successful rearing of Fat Bees which are required for overwintering success. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Brood rearing stops in the fall. The emerging worker bees have no brood to feed so they store it for winter. Thus becoming 'Fat Bees'.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Be sure to check your hives for mites and treat if necessary. It takes time and effort, but makes the difference between being a beekeeper and a boxkeeper.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Enjoy your bees and the honey they produce.</span></p><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Gerard</div>ECWBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07531024521015580575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2006264125646897329.post-54953970583902341202021-07-15T14:49:00.001-05:002021-07-15T14:49:51.126-05:00BEES SEE IN ULTRA VIOLETI look at the markings on the Deptford Pink and wonder what it looks like to a bee?
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9B8-KVxyXREeUsoGQlv5OtygTugfO10P7j6WIxdf3vi9k-WzRLpU8o1WF1e8P2rvYURhYXgRNXT242UJ4CNBZRAAyv4xTLQsC9lM9AJwsPg9nIX7l9IXrEtPf7EPoWFUYUtJ0cnX2Ejw/s579/Deptford+pink.jpg" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="579" data-original-width="430" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9B8-KVxyXREeUsoGQlv5OtygTugfO10P7j6WIxdf3vi9k-WzRLpU8o1WF1e8P2rvYURhYXgRNXT242UJ4CNBZRAAyv4xTLQsC9lM9AJwsPg9nIX7l9IXrEtPf7EPoWFUYUtJ0cnX2Ejw/s200/Deptford+pink.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div>
We know that plants have ultraviolet markings (that humans can't detect, but bees can) on their petals, and I'm just curious what this would like through an ultraviolet lens. <div><br /></div><div> For those curious about how some flowers look to a honey bee, click this link: http://www.naturfotograf.com/UV_flowers_list.html#top/ <div><br /></div><div> It's pretty cool.
-Gerard</div></div>ECWBAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07531024521015580575noreply@blogger.com0