WVBA
01/23/2023
Meeting started at 7:00.
Rich Farrier announced existing and new officers/leaders as follows:
President: Rich Farrier
Vice President: Mona Kanner
Treasurer: Laura Evans
Secretary: Anna Ashby (outgoing) Elaine Timm (incoming)
Librarian: Debbie Blando
Refreshments: Terry Holm
Dues were collected as well as bee school registration/tuition
Pizza and drinks were provided by the club
Meeting resumed at 7:45
Rich announced the pollinator license plate and passed around information about how to get one.
Vouchers can be purchased at https://secure.touchnet.net/C20159_ustores/web/store_main.jsp?STOREID=149&clearPreview=true
Over half of the vouchers had already been purchased.
There has been a crackdown on off-label amitraz that is primarily smuggled into the US from Mexico. There have been jail time and fines.
A vaccine for American Foulbrood has been approved by the USDA
Rich mentioned a book he was reading about a beehive named “tiny” that started with one queen and 30 bees that holds the Guinness Book of World Records record for the most honey harvested from one hive in a year. It was in Santa Clara California and yielded 15 supers from January-July, 1974.
Jeremy Mitchell gave report from the American Bee Federation Conference in Florida.
Facts gleaned from conference:
John Caldwell, the president of the FLBA said that Hurricane Ian destroyed 500,000 colonies in Florida.
Elizabeth Hill gave a talk on honey pricing.
USDA currently prohibits the use of oxalic acid when supers are present, but it should be approved this year as long as it is the licensed product.
There were ZERO confirmed sightings of Asian Giant Hornets in 2022.
Canada is the number one importer of U.S. Honey.
Honey consumption in the U.S. Averages 2.2 pound per person per year.
Sam Ramsey gave a talk on tropi mites
Randy Oliver discussed the placement of formic acid
Dewey Caron announced that Bee MD, a tool that he developed for recognizing bee problems is now live.
At 8:16 Todd Bartlem presented lovely engraved bottom boards to outstanding club members.
Debbie and Jim (not present) Blando were presented bottom boards for coordinating “Blando Bling,” (storage and pickup of donated sugar for club members) and providing space for the club to meet during the pandemic and for services as club librarian.
Anna Ashby was presented a bottom board for “educating and inspiring” club members.
Rich Farrier then presented Laura Evans with a fountain pen in recognition of her service as club treasurer and other behind the scenes work.
Debbie Blando announced that she was distributing a new sugar list and that Thad Star will have nucs, packages and queens available for sale.
8:25 was door prize time!
The prizes included, but were not limited to woodenware, a smoker, and various tools purchased by the club, and items donated by club members, including books and bee memorabilia provided by Bunny Carter, and banana bread made by Debbie Blando.
Submitted by Elaine Timm