BEELINES March, 2005

Regularly scheduled meetings are on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. 7 p.m.
Meetings at 1305 Pine Avenue in Snohomish in the Christ the King Lutheran Church building.

Next Meeting: Tuesday March 8, 2005
     

Dates to Remember
March 8: March NWDBA Meeting
April 9: March 9 NWDBA Meeting

Oct 28-29: Joint WSBA and OSBA meeting in Oregon.

February Meeting

Folks are reporting filberts and hazelnut are providing pollen for the bees. Heater is also in bloom providing some nectar. Boardman feeders were once again bad-mouthed for use this time of year as we don't want the bees having to go outside to feed. Top feeders are an excellent way to go to feed the bees.

Lawrence demonstrated a frame he made where he stuffed 1/3 with pollen substitute and the other 2/3 with corn syrup so he could feed by sticking the frame into the hive. Folks noted that corn syrup made for human consumption will likely create dysentery in the bees. It's recommended to use corn syrup approved for bees as a different process is used.

The newsletter rumor of $250/colony was somewhat inflated. The correct rumor should be $110!

Prediction: They are planting so many almonds in California that some figure by 2010 they will need every hive in the US to pollinate the almonds!

Information the honey powder: Golden Acres Honey

Beekeeping Training
 Tim Bueler's 'come early' session this month will be on lesson 3 of the Master Beekeepers Certification Program book, "Making a Start in Beekeeping".  Tim's sessions are 30 minutes before the meeting at 6:30PM

WSBA News (from their newsletter)
 Dr. Sheppard and WSU put together two proposals for grants from the Washington State Commission on Pesticide Registration. Steve did a great job of getting it all coordinated.  Jamie pitched the proposals to the commission on Jan. 5.  I (Jerry Tate) have received written notification that both proposals have been accepted and will be funded. The first proposal was to support Development of an Integrated Pest Management Program for Parasitic Mites on Honeybees in Washington State and the second proposal was for Evaluation of WSU Selected Honey Bee Stocks in WA Commercial Operations.

This adds up to over $50,000 in research and will allow WSU to add two more graduate students to the staff at WSU. Congratulations to Steve, Jamie and WSU. WSU/WSBA have some work to do and we will need to support the proposals with matching funds and in kind donations. These proposals will be reviewed and final approval given at the March Executive Board Meeting.

 

  

2005 Dues
Please bring a check to the February meeting or send dues to our treasurer payable to NWDBA.

John Bryant
9824 38th Pl SE
Everett, WA 98205

Individual Membership $7.50
Family Membership $10.00
WSBA Member Credit ($1) individual, ($2) family
ABJ 1 year $14.96, 2 year $28.46, 3 year $40.13
Bee Culture 1 year $17.00, 2 year $32.00

February Beekeeping
See that hive entrances are kept clear of dead bees.  If you have not done so already, order your package bees or queens.  Lift the hives from the front to determine an estimate of colony honey stores – you should be lifting 45 to 50 pounds.  If they are light (or near starving), place two cups drivert sugar on the back end of the top bars above the bee cluster, or feed 2-4 quarts syrup in a four-hole top-feeder a using two parts sugar to one part water.

March Beekeeping
Register your hives with the Department of Agriculture.  March 1 –15, open hive and check honey stores to be sure there are at least four combs of honey in the hive.  Feed syrup if there is less than two combs.  Clean the hive bottom board.  Mouse guards may be removed about mid month.  If colonies are 10 to 12 combs of bees, begin comb rotation – two or three combs with young brood and eggs to center of bottom box and empty combs to sides of brood (next to honey) in second box.  If colony is 12 to 15 frames of bees with four to six combs of brood, add the first honey super over a queen excluder.

April Beekeeping
Put Terramycin medicated patties over the brood rearing area, or between the two boxes if you have 12-14 frames of bees.   Continue comb rotation.    Make sure there are enough honey stores or feed your bees.  Hives should have at least one full frame of pollen and several frames of honey.  If hive is light, feed the bees a 1:1 sugar syrup mixture.  Feed pollen supplement if necessary.  If the colony is continuing to build up add a honey super every three weeks until June 1 (= 3 deeps or equivalent in westerns = 4-5 deeps of bees by June 1).
 
President - Lawrence Oberholtzer (425) 397-0463
Secretary: Glenn Engel (425) 334-0576
Editor: Glenn Engel (425) 334-0576		 Vice Pres.: Ron Babcock 425-335-0488 
Treasurer: John Bryant (425) 334-8575
Website: http://www.nwdba.org