September 22 2025 WBVA
7:03 Rich passed around attendance sheet and welcomed all the new folks.
Today is autumnal equinox.
Rich went over honey prices:
He spotted honey for sale for 6 oz for $17.00 nothing special about the honey—not even the own seller’s honey
20 grams comb honey—$7.00.
This time of year drawn comb needs to be protected—Rich uses zentari—Certan is the official on label name. Make a liquid and spray. Protects comb in the winter. The active ingredient is Bacillium Thurengenisis. It kills the larva as it emerges.
A member asked about paramoth. Rich says it works as well but was not as enthusiastic. If you use paramoth you MUST air it out.
This time of year must monitor for mites, check for brood. Check for food stores.
About mid October usually stop with liquid feed.
Anna had the worst honey production year, and grouchy bees. she attributed it to nearby commercial bees.
The conversation meandered to decreased forage taking a toll on the bees.
One club member noted his honey is good tasting, he extracted it and then three days later a neighbor had bad tasting honey. Conclusion it was from an untasty nectar source.
7:25 Breaktime
Anna took the podium
October 27th Onyx Baird from Portland will speak about sustainable beekeeping practices.
Alternative hives for honey bees:
There is a pagoda hive at OSU apiary.
In Egypt bees were kept in large clay cylinder pipes. In Greece they were kept in pots, then straw skep hives were common in England and also came over to the US. Bees were also kept in Sweetgum trees. The problem was that to harvest the honey the hive and the bees had to be destroyed.
Ease of use is a factor for deciding which hive type.
Debbie keeps AZ hives. AZ hives were developed in Slovenia. They are kept in a building or trailer so you are working out of the weather. The top of the frame is grooved because has to be slid out horizontally. Like a drawer.
LL Langstroth recognized bee space and designed a hive accordingly. Langstroth hives have become the standard.
Another alternative hive type is the ware hive. Designed in France by a (monk?). He wanted a more economical hive to encourage the virtuous endeavor of beekeeping.
In the 1970s the university of Guelph in Canada developed a variation on the top bar hive. It was meant to be easily put together without power tools. Top bar hives are still widely used. The comb is all natural, no wires or foundation. Honey harvest is comb or cut and strain.
A more modern development is a polystyrene hive. Anna overwinters nucs in these. They have a permanent robbing screen, a propolis screen so the bees cannot glue the lid down. Must be painted to prevent deterioration.
Jeremy brought a hive iq hive. It has an r7 insulation value. Bees brood up earlier in the spring. The inventor claims 30 percent more honey. They are nine frames and the wall is one inch thick.
Flow hive! Crowdfunded in 2015. You crank the frames to release the honey.
“Coffin Hives” a horizontal hive that you put Langstroth hives in. Canvas covers are used under cover. You don’t have to do any heavy lifting in this configuration.
When deciding on a hive configuration…what is your goal? Anna’s goal is HONEY! For example would not want to move a horizontal hive for pollination.
All of these hive types still require management and mite control.
The beekeepers right hand is a company that makes a Valkyrie hive, they are very sturdy, expensive and well-insulated.
8:14 PM
Rich has a hive made of 4 x 6s.