Beekeepers of the Northern Shenandoah

The Secret Life of Bees
The world’s leading expert on bee behavior discovers the secrets of decision-making in a swarm.

In my (humble) opinion, the title does not do justice to the extremely interesting results of a research project covering several years. Tom Seeley has discovered the procedure bees follow when they have swarmed and how scout bees form a consensus on the location of the new hive. Also, how they put that decision to a vote and, in the end, prepare the swarmed colony for movement to the new location and how the colony is directed to that location. (A lot like a cattle drive from Texas to Chicago not all that many years ago, for you cowboy fans.)

This article can be accessed if you copy and paste the entire address below into your web browser.

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/The-Secret-Life-of-Bees.html?c=y&page=5

Thanks to Doug Koch for this link.

If you want to go a lot deeper, and you really should, get hold of expanded articles on the research project from the two part articles in the American Bee Journal, December 2010 and January 2011 issues. Tom has spent a lifetime investigating bee behavior during swarming and has produced a recent book titled “Honey bee Democracy” that has received excellent reviews. If you have a birthday coming up or want an early Christmas present that is not socks, perfume or ties, that book might be the solution. You just will be amazed how well bees can hold an election for the good of the entire colony!!!!! And then implement that decision by preparing the electorate for the result.
Hobbyist beekeepers need to keep reading books, magazines and articles on beekeeping. You Tube stuff is not exposed to peer review and can be one individual’s concept of a beekeeping activity that is not a good method, There are plenty of examples of poor methodology.

Doug Morris, the opinionated one.

The Importance of the Honey Bee

Dave Black, a local attorney and hobbyist beekeeper, will give an overview of the importance of honeybees, their history, recent threats to honeybees, the social hierarchy of a hive, common hive products and why you should consider becoming a beekeeper.   Come and learn about these fascinating insects that are arguably one of the most important.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

6:30 p.m.

Handley Library Auditorium

Sponsored by the Friends of Handley Regional Library

Free and Open to the Public

Thanks to Susan Wolk we discovered a Scholarship application lurking in the bushes.  The application had been completed and sent but never arrived.  Andrew Cather and his sponsor, Hope Cather, mother, are planning to attend the February 9th BONS meeting.  The Cathers are third generation 4-H participants, Hope is the president of the 4-H Leaders Association.  The family raise sheep and cattle in the Berryville area.  The application was informally revealed to members of the Scholarship committee and all agreed it meets our requirements.

Ramona and I are unable to attend the February meeting.  I ask all who do attend to welcome the Cathers to BONS.  Andrew and Hope understand that this is our initial opportunity and that it will be a learning experience for BONS

Doug Morris.

In late February, the 2012 Beginning Beekeeping classes will begin.   THE CLASSES ARE NOW ABOUT FULL.  WE NEED TO CONFIRM THE LATEST REGISTERS, SO THERE MAY NOT BE ROOM FOR MORE FOLKS.  IF YOU’RE STILL INTERESTED, PLEASE FREE FREE TO REGISTER WITH THE WEBSITE.  WE CAN ALWAYS PUT YOU AT THE TOP OF THE CONTACT LIST FOR CONTACT NEXT YEAR.

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The class will run on seven consecutive weeknights, with the final class held on a weekend day, working in the bees.  As with the past eight years, we anticipate a lot of fun and good learning about bees.

Click Here to Register

This year, we’re teaching three sections:

> Monday, 7-9pm at Blandy Farm in Clarke Co.  Starts 2/20/12.

> Wednesday, 7-9pm at the VT Research Farm in Frederick Co.  Starts 2/22/12

> Thursday, 7-9pm at WMC Wellness Center.  Starts 2/23/12.

The cost of the class is $100.  This includes cost of books, etc.  One registration per family – we encourage family involvement.  This cost does not include cost of hive equipment, protective gear and bees.   Pre-Registration is required.  Please contact John Lewis @ 54o- 931- 439o (evenings and weekends) for more information.

Students from previous years are invited to attend, free of charge.

Beekeepers of the Northern Shenandoah

Club Minutes for November 10, 2011

Doug Morris, President brought the meeting to order.

Old Business was discussed as follows:

1. A link to the video of Mike Embery’s Small Hive Beetle presentation will be posted on the BONS Website.

2.  Club Scholarship:  The Club Scholarship Program will be presented to 4-H Leaders Association 11/10/2011 by Susan Wolk.    Charlie Brown will talk to the Scouts this month about the program.   Branson McKay talked to the Clarke County High School and to a group of home school teachers in regards to the new scholarship program and what it offers to the recipient.

3.  Virginia State Beekeepers Association Meeting:  The fall meeting was held in Weyers Cave at the Blue Ridge Community College on November 5.  There are currently twelve hundred members in the Association.  Presentations were given by several knowledgeable speakers at the meeting.  Bee nutrition was discussed and the importance of feeding pollen as well as the quality of the pollen.   Doug will put the pollen patty recipe on the BONS website.  There is also a website from Australia that talks about pollen and the quality of the types of pollen the bees collect.  The speakers suggested when feeding pollen patties to your bees that you put in small strips of pollen patties at a time so the bees can eat it up to prevent the small hive beetle from laying eggs in the pollen patty.

4.  Mentor Program:  A sign up sheet was circulated for interested members to sign up to become mentors.

5.   Club Dues:   Our treasurer, Michele Worthing,  passed around a list of members so all present members could check their information and to make sure they had paid their dues.  The $20 dues cover BONS dues and the dues for the Virginia State Beekeepers Association membership.  Several members asked for a better way to communicate bee meeting reminders and topics of the meetings.

New Business:

1.  Extraction Area Cleanup:  Clean up at Blandy for the preparation of the space to house the club bee extraction equipment is being scheduled for December 3 or December 10 weekends.  Our Blandy contact, T’ai Railston, is to be present during cleanup.  Rusty will give further notice on a definite date and time.

2.  December Bee Club Meeting:   Club members voted to have a honey tasting and pot luck dinner which  will be held at the Educational Center at Blandy on  December 8, 2011 at 7 p.m..  Club members can bring honey for sampling if they choose to participate and a covered dish.

3.  Club Projector:  Our club did purchase the projector that is being used tonight.  Since we now have a projector the club would like to have a computer to go with the projector.

4.  Holiday House at Sky Meadows Park:  The park is holding Christmas Open House on November 25-27 from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Club members are invited to sell bee products of the hive and to provide a demonstration relating to bees.  The bee club will be located in the summer kitchen.  Bee products can be dropped off for sale.  No tax or charge to the bee club member.  is being assessed. A sign up sheet was passed around for volunteers.

5. Wooden Ware:   The wooden ware is being inventoried by Doug Koch.  The plan is to go to Showalters in February.  Tom Miller offered to have a wooden ware work shop at his place.  Class students should be invited.  Randy suggested a demonstration at the wooden ware pick-up to show students how to put their hives together.

6.  Club T-Shirts:  Randy and Candy Jackson suggested the club design T-Shirts for club members to wear when we are doing events such as Sky Meadows Park, Blandy and the Virginia State Beekeepers Association meeting.  Lennie K. volunteered her sister to draw up a design for a T-Shirt by the next bee meeting.  A suggestion was made that we could also sell the t-shirts at our club booth as well.

7.  Packages and Nucs for 2012:  John Lewis ordered packages for bee classes last year.  The club goal is for the club members to provide nucs for the club members that need them.  Statistics show that we get 30 members from the classes. A suggestion was made that if you wanted a nuc, you needed to make arrangements with club members yourself.  Ramona suggested that we start a nuc & split program.

8:  Packages:  Club should be ordering in December.   It was suggested that when nucs are ordered, payment is due at that time.  The money will be held in a special account until the bee packages are ordered and picked up for disbursement.  The discussion on packages is to be continued.

9.  Presentation:   Bob Duxbury gave a presentation on “Cut Outs”.  He got into cut outs because no one else would do them for $40 per hour.  He will not do repairs.  He prefers to do the bee removal from inside due to the cost involved to repair the damage removing the bees.  It is also easier to remove the bees from the inside.  Bob lives in Amosville, in Rappahannock County.  He provides a free consultation prior to bee removal.  Bob uses a Sears shop vac with adjustable suction on it to remove the bees.  Also uses ladder jack and tall ladders with walk boards.  He suggested that if you are interested in doing bee removal you should talk to local pest companies, police departments, Extension Offices, 4-H clubs, and FFA Chapters.  Bob suggested that you get insurance if you are going to be providing this service.  Swarms or cut outs provide a way to increase your apiary.

The meeting was adjourned.

Submitted by Brenda M. Brown

BONS Secretary