General Meeting of the Willamette Valley Beekeeping Association March 27, 2017 Chemeketa Community College
The March meeting was called to order by President Richard Ferrier.
Announcements: Richard announced the following volunteer opportunities for WVBA.
The Beekeeper Survey is available at www.PNWhoneybeesurvey.CoE Slug Control formula: 40% Talc (magnesium silicate), 40% Diatamatious Earth, 20% Food Grade Hydrated Lime–reapply after a rain.
Bee Day is April 22, 2017 (Earth Day) 9:00AM at Stephen Kaufman’s Apiary at 2775 Ballard Rd. Dallas, OR. There will be 3 groups rotating in order for those in attendance so everyone will work with smokers and the hive inspections.
“Ag Fest” April 29 and 30 Salem Fairgrounds At the March meeting WVBA will set up a small committee to oversee the volunteers and the booth. The shift will include 4 people per shift with at least a couple of shifts per day.
Mother Earth Fair Booth 8/5-6 with a possible display.
Swarm list is found under WVBAHIVE.org. Listings are by city/county. When you are called one should ask many questions and request a photo before going.
Richard also announced that Foothills Honey (Hansen’s) has nucs for sale. If WVBA can get 100 nucs ordered, they can be sold for $100.00. No pick-up date has been figured out as of yet.
Guest Speaker — Thad Starr, Starr Farms $32.00 Hand grafted “banked” (overwintered) queens *Method–He puts them in nucs for 21 days and evaluates egg density and egg pattern. *Has 3 strains: Cordovan Italian (have red heads and can see well), Poline (hygienic-Varroa sensitive), Carniolan (popular for our climate). *Breeding stock from Conan, VP queens. *Available 5/1 (may be a slow start this year). Can be marked. Re-queen in Aug/Sept to be ready in the spring with a fresh young queen. *Can meet along I-5 on Sunday, Saturday, Tuesday Friday.
Guest Speaker–Dewey Carron New bill to protect bees: bill #SB929 Oregon Pollinator Protection Act
Tools for Varroa Management download- http:HONEYBEEHEALTHCOALITION.ora/varroa/ Monitor early & often ( many are not monitoring from the statistics and the types of questions they are asking)
Books: Bee Keeping for Dummies 4th Edition and Pollinators from Xerces Society
How to obtain bees:
- Package (with an exact pick up date).
- Adults only or mostly
- Certified health- Most likely no disease
- Low mite numbers
- Queen may not be the same kind as the workers
- Queen may be dead or injured.
- May get too cold, make sure your hive is ready before you pick them up
- A lot will die in 1st 3 weeks
- You have no brood or cells
- They can get diseases and mites
- Must be fed heavily
- If bad weather, bees don’t go out and establishment is delayed.
Nucleus (Nuc) hive- Set up directly in a hive box, 5 frames can be put in 8 or 10 frame box
- Preped by an expert, usually local beekeeper
- Balance colony, adults & brood
- Better start and survival
- Easier transport -Made with old frames -May contain pesticides, disease, drone larva -Colonies require medication, mite treatment and feeding immediately -Queen could be older. –
- Highest cost to buy
Swarm Capture Cost is your equipment, time & travel expenses.
- Bees are good wax producers.
- Captured early in the season, they can build rapidly.
- Bees could be gone when you get there or too hard to collect.
- May not be a big enough swarm to be viable.
- Need to treat immediately. -A “dry” swarm (hungry) may be defensive.
- Queen could be missed in the collection, injured or killed.
*Bee MD. an app to identify problems with bees or hives.
There being no other business to come before the membership, the meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully submitted
Mona Kanner, Acting Secretary