BANV Newsletter - October 2013

7/27/2019 BANV Newsletter - October 2013

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2013CalendarItemsofNote

- 22 October(Note: Location Change!); German Perilla, Research Fellow

for Bee Conservation and instructor for Beekeeping for Sustainable Development(GMU), will talk on Amazonian Beekeeping. 7pm at the Thomas JeffersonLibrary, 7415 Arlington Blvd., in Falls Church.

- 19 November (Note: Date Change!); BANV member Paul Steblien will givea presentation on Mead Making! 7pm at the Mason District Government Center,6507 Columbia Pike, in Annandale.

- No meeting in December

- 28 January, 2014; Elections and Annual Pot-Luck; Open session with yourbeekeeping neighbors. 7pm at the Mason District Government Center, 6507Columbia Pike, in Annandale."

Upcoming State Bee

Association Meetings

Sat. Nov. 9th- The Virgina StateBeekeepers (VSBA) Mtg.- 2ndweekend in November this year-Saturday. Curious aboutapitherapy or Russian bees- thismeeting is for you! PlusDADANT is always there and ifyou order in advance you canpick up stuff. See: http://

www.virginiabeekeepers.org/Sadly on the same day as VSBA,Sat. Nov. 9th- the Maryland StateBeekeepers Mtg. and HoneyShow held in Annapolis, MD isfeaturing Kim Flottom (author ofmany books) will be held and it isFREE!See for more information: http://www.mdbeekeepers.org/meetings.html

[borrowed from the PWRBA

website]

continued on page 2

Bees can make you feel stupid. Orbrilliant. I'm not sure there'smuch difference between the twooutcomes. But I know for surethey can make you feel humble.So I ask myself Where did I gowrong? I think I'm doing what'sneeded to keep my bees happy,and most the hives are behavingthe way I think they ought basedon what I was taught and havelearned from experience. But this

one hive...sheesh!My largest hive swarmed on 1October. It's largest in terms ofthe number of boxes and frames.The colony has two brood boxesand are well on their way to athird box of honey for Winterstores. I can't say they have thelargest population because of a dip

in brood due to supercedure re-queening back in August. But let's

just say it's the biggest colony Ihave. Hmmm...that may be a clueright there.

I have been feeding sugar syrupsteadily and pollen was coming inquite nicely. I'm convinced thequeen had enough space to lay,and being a Carniolan (albeit,several generations after theoriginal queen was installed, who

knows what her breed really is?)I'd expect her to slow thingsdown. But, despite my assessmentof the available space, off she goes.We were enjoying a long spell of

mild, dry days, plus the heat waveof the last week ofSeptember/first week of

The Presidents Hive Stand

NEWSLETTER OCTOBER 2013

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

Online BeekeepingCourses Beeyard - This Month

Diesel Fumes Study

EPAPesticidelabels

Pollenator License Plates

SugarBricks (reprint)
http://www.mdbeekeepers.org/meetings.htmlhttp://www.mdbeekeepers.org/meetings.htmlhttp://www.mdbeekeepers.org/meetings.htmlhttp://www.mdbeekeepers.org/meetings.htmlhttp://www.mdbeekeepers.org/meetings.htmlhttp://www.mdbeekeepers.org/meetings.htmlhttp://www.mdbeekeepers.org/meetings.htmlhttp://www.mdbeekeepers.org/meetings.htmlhttp://www.virginiabeekeepers.org/http://www.virginiabeekeepers.org/http://www.virginiabeekeepers.org/http://www.virginiabeekeepers.org/http://pwrbeekeepers.com/bee-meetings-and-events/upcoming-state-bee-association-meetings/http://pwrbeekeepers.com/bee-meetings-and-events/upcoming-state-bee-association-meetings/http://pwrbeekeepers.com/bee-meetings-and-events/upcoming-state-bee-association-meetings/http://pwrbeekeepers.com/bee-meetings-and-events/upcoming-state-bee-association-meetings/


2/6

President...October. Maybe that's a factor. But,still, the sun angle says it's Autumn.Hmmm.Small Hive Beetles have not been an

issue. Sure, they are present, but I tendto find them corralled around the traps

(or in them) or penned in by bees onthe inner cover (where it is a totallysatisfactory duty to smash them!). Andno SHB larva so far. No other pest ordisease seems to be a factor.To sum it up, I think the hive is a

satisfactory home in all the ways I'velearned to examine it and the colony ishealthy based on all the measures at mydisposal. Yet, they swarmed.I have to take notice of the I think

syndrome I'm displaying. Yeah, maybe Ithink something, but woe to me if Idisregard that these bees also'think'...and they've been doing so forthemselves much longer. In any event,we have to accept what we can'tchange, and neither retrieving thesebees or shouting at them up in theircluster in the tree gains me anything.So, I don't want to be stupid and can't

claim to be brilliant. I think (oops, saidit again!) I'll opt for humble.

On the plus side, I have the benefit ofhaving taken the BANV class, having mytextbooks and other material to referto, and access to advice from clubmembers and my mentor. Consider anew-bee going through something likethis on their own. Which leads me toremind you we need Mentors for the2014 classes. And we need clubmembers, hopefully those sameMentors included, to make nucs for

students. Watch for the calls for yourhelp and please pitch in!

RobMcKinney

President

NEWSLETTER |October 2013 2Online Beekeeping Courses Available

Are you interested in learning more about bees andbeekeeping, but dont necessarily want to keep bees, or makea commitment to an 8-week course?. North Carolina State University offers on-line, self-pacedclasses at various levels of mastery. It is called BeekeeperEducation and Engagement System (BEES). Generally $25 percourse. http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/entomology/apiculture/BEES.html

. Pennsylvania State University offers an on-line course calledPenn State Beekeeping 101. Ranges from $129 $189.Enrollment gives the student access to the program andmaterials for a year. http://beekeeping101.psu.edu/

Would you like to extend your impact on regional sustainability of honeybees? Please take a look at thelocal effort by the Sweet Virginia Foundation and George Mason University and consider making a donation.Check out http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hivestarter.

New Pesticide Labels

Will Better ProtectBees and OtherPollinators From AnEPA Release:

WASHINGTON In an ongoingeffort to protect bees and otherpollinators, the U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency (EPA) hasdeveloped new pesticide labels thatprohibit use of some neonicotinoidpesticide products where bees are

present.Multiple factors play a role in beecolony declines, includingpesticides. The EnvironmentalProtection Agency is taking actionto protect bees from pesticideexposure and these label changeswill further our efforts, said Jim

Jones, assistant administrator forthe Office of Chemical Safety andPollution Prevention.The new labels will have a bee

advisory box and icon withinformation on routes of exposureand spray drift precautions. Todaysannouncement affects productscontaining the neonicotinoidsimidacloprid, dinotefuran,clothianidin and thiamethoxam. The

EPA will work with pesticidemanufacturers to change labels so

that they will meet the FederalInsecticide, Fungicide, andRodenticide Act (FIFRA) safetystandard.In May, the U.S. Department ofAgriculture (USDA) and EPAreleased a comprehensive scientificreport on honey bee health,showing scientific consensus thatthere are a complex set ofstressors associated with honey

bee declines, including loss ofhabitat, parasites and disease,genetics, poor nutrition andpesticide exposure.The agency continues to work withbeekeepers, growers, pesticideapplicators, pesticide and seedcompanies, and federal and stateagencies to reduce pesticide driftdust and advance best managementpractices. The EPA recently releasednew enforcement guidance to

federal, state and tribalenforcement officials to enhanceinvestigations of beekill incidents.More on the EPAs label changesand pollinator protectionefforts:http://www.epa.gov/opp00001/ecosystem/pollinator/index.html
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hivestarterhttp://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hivestarterhttp://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hivestarterhttp://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hivestarterhttp://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hivestarterhttp://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hivestarterhttp://www.epa.gov/opp00001/ecosystem/pollinator/index.htmlhttp://www.epa.gov/opp00001/ecosystem/pollinator/index.htmlhttp://www.epa.gov/opp00001/ecosystem/pollinator/index.htmlhttp://www.epa.gov/opp00001/ecosystem/pollinator/index.htmlhttp://www.epa.gov/opp00001/ecosystem/pollinator/index.htmlhttp://www.epa.gov/opp00001/ecosystem/pollinator/index.htmlhttp://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hivestarterhttp://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hivestarterhttp://beekeeping101.psu.edu/http://beekeeping101.psu.edu/http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/entomology/apiculture/BEES.htmlhttp://www.cals.ncsu.edu/entomology/apiculture/BEES.htmlhttp://www.cals.ncsu.edu/entomology/apiculture/BEES.htmlhttp://www.cals.ncsu.edu/entomology/apiculture/BEES.html


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Pollinator Plates

Applications Requirement

Fulfilled!

Three years of work has finally paid off-

thanks again to each and every one of

you, as we couldn't have done it if we

weren't in it together! Pollinator

Plates has now collected enough

applications to meet the DMV and

General Assembly's requirement of 450

to pass a new special plate. Applications

are still being accepted- If you'd like to

be one of the first to get the new plates,

you can find out more on

www.pollinatorplates.com. The bill for

the new plates will be introduced into

the General Assembly in January and

after being voted on and signed by the

Governor, would go into effect on July 1,

2014, after which the plates will be

processed and distributed.

As an FYI, I'll keep on collecting

applications until it's time for me to take

them in to the DMV (next year). I'd like

to be sure we have plenty more than the

minimum requirement in case there areany applications that can't be processed.

Also, if you've received emails from me

asking for additional information to

complete your application, now would be

a great time to follow up with that so I

can put those applications in the

"complete" folder. Thanks in advance!

I'll keep everyone updated as I have more

information. For now, please rememberto keep your vehicle registration and tags

up-to-date with the DMV as usual- the

plates will be mailed to you when they're

ready.

Please forward your application before

December 31, 2013.

Samantha Gallagher

NEWSLETTER |October 2013 3

It is mid-October, and this year the

frost has not descended. Asters

and other fall-blooming plants are

still producing pollen and nectar.

The strongest hives are storing

more honey and pollen. There

has been sufficient, regular rain, so

the pollen that is avaialbel should

be nutritious.Small Hive Beetles

Some members are reporting aplague of SHB. The SHB willcontinue laying eggs right up to ahard frost and will enter thecluster to save themselves fromcold winter temperatures.Members that are feeding syrup orpollen patties are finding that SHBlove the crevasses and hiding

places created by feeders andpollen patties make a finesubstrate for SHB eggs. Keep aneye on the SHB population whenfeeding.

Winter Transition Reminders

The honeybees that will carry

your hives into the early spring

have been hatched, or are about to

hatch. There is very little you can

do now to improve the health of

the brood that is about to hatch,

but there is still much you can still

do to prepare the hives for the

winter. Here are a few reminders.

Queen-right Hives

Combine hives that do not have ahealthy queen with those hivesthat do. First, destroy the

unhealthy queen. Dont besqueamish or sentimental aboutthe issue if she is not healthynow, she will not make it throughthe winter and into the spring.Neither will all those workers.Give the workers a chance tocontribute to the survival of astrong hive, at least.

Food StoresThe stored pollen, honey and/orsyrup needs to be arranged sothat the cluster can move up intothe stored food. This should notrequire a major reconstruction ofthe hive, unless the stored food isbelow the cluster, or in the outerframes, or there is not enoughstored food. There is still time tofeed.

VentilationWhatever your strategy is for hiveventilation, figure it out and have itimplemented before the end ofthe month.

Entrance Reduction

Take steps to keep out mice, andto reduce the draft.

Fall Cleanup

If your Beeyard is cluttered withbroken or no-longer-usefulequipment, now is a good time toclean it up. Take a trash can or atrashbag with you each time youvisit the bees and haul it away. Thevermin and varmints will havefewer places to lurk, and you willhave fewer items to trip over.

John Fraser

ThisMonthintheBeeyard


4/6

NEWSLETTER |October 2013 4The Bee Starter Program Announcement Solicits Donations

The Sweet Virginia Foundation and George Mason University are teaming up to address the collapsing honey beepopulation and bring the honey bees back through education and the establishment ofapiaries.The Sweet Virginia Foundation has been promoting sub/urban beekeeping by establishing apiaries all across theNational Capitol Region. Their offering of in-class presentations and Honey Bee Hive Tours to students and adults hasprovided inspiration and real awareness of the critical issue, encouraging community involvement.In 2012, George Mason University was able to build two apiaries on campus with local beekeeping experts. Mason's

New Century College expanded the project in 2013, offering a course on beekeeping and sustainability. The course,which had an enrollment of 12, had a wait list of over 100 students. Students are eager to help and we need to keepthe positive momentum.Together, George Mason University and Sweet Virginia Foundation can do more. And you can help us. With yoursupport, we can

build more apairies to grow the honey bee population expand a bee sustainability curriculum into public schools expand Mason's university-level training to develop more professional beekeepers

What we needA new hive costsapproximately$400 for the structure, bees, and the resources to manage the hive. Your support willallow us to sustain and grow thisinitiative. Here's how your money will be used:

$10 will pay for a set of hive tools

$25 will purchase a queen bee $40 will cover the cost of a smoker instrument used to calm honeybees $75 will purchase a full bee suit, including a veil, to protect the beekeepers $100 will pay for a package of bees necessary to start a hive $115 will purchase a 3-stack hive structure

You will help to train a generation of students in sustainability, entrepreneurship, and beekeeping. And you will help usreverse the course of the bee decline.We are asking for your support, in any amount.Our Goal for this initiative is $10,000. This will fully fund and man 25 hives. It will allow George Mason University toadd a full series of classes to its curriculum, permitting students to develop into entrepreneurs and educators, whilehelping the bees to gain a foothold against their decline.

To make one pound of honey, honeybees must visit two million flowers. In her lifetime, an average worker bee willproduce 1/12 teaspoon of honey. Each contribution is small, but together, they add up to produce a sweet reward.In the same way, your donation, no matter the size, will bring us a step closer to healthy bees, healthier plants, and ahealthier community.[From the donation website http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hivestarter]
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hivestarterhttp://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hivestarterhttp://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hivestarter


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NEWSLETTER |October 2013 5(Editors Reprint Pick)

Howto MakeSugar Bricks forWinter FeedingLooking for something to use forwinter feed that is easier than making

fondant?Try making sugar bricks. Mixone and one-half ouncesof water intoone pound ofsugar, form itinto ablock and wrap it in newspaper. Let itdry ofa day or twoand you will havea hard block that can be placed on topof a piece of newspaper on the topbars.

For a form, I made a wooden box withinside measurements of 6 by 6 by 1and 1/2 half inches. This size allowsplacing six bricks in a 10 frame hiveand three in a nuc. I place a 3 or 4 inchshim on my hives to make room forthe sugar bricks. The wooden boxform is lined with a sheet of

newspaper. After the sugar is tampedinto thebox, the newspaper is foldedover. This holds everything togetherwhile the box in inverted over adouble sheet ofpaper. Wrap up thenewspaper and let it set overnight. The

paper helps draw themoisture outofthe sugar. Remove as much of thenewspaper asyou can before placingthe brick into the hive.

Using bricks,rather than amound ofdry sugar, makes for easier

adjustment/replenishment of feedduring the winter. Iam

experimenting, this year, with adding 2cups of dry Megabee pollen substituteto10 pounds ofdry sugar before

adding the water. Each hive will beprovided with both the plain bricksand the pollen substitute bricks.

Last winter, my typical large hive

consumed about 11 pounds of dry

sugar feed which was in the form oflarger sugar bricks or the mountaincamp process.

-Ernie Becking

A new European study

described in newspaper

accounts in October 2013,

http://www.reuters.com/article/

2013/10/03/us-science-bees-pollution-

idUSBRE9920H520131003

asserts that honeybees are

unable to identify rapeseed

flowers (known as canola in the

U.S.) when exposed to large

doses of diesel fumes. The

study compared the ability of

worker bees to recognize the

scent of rapeseed flowers

before and after exposure to

diesel fumes, after exposure to

unpolluted air, and after

exposure to a chemical mixture

similar to some pollutants found

in diesel fumes. The authors of

the study were quoted in news

accounts as having claimed that

diesel fumes could explain largebee colony losses due to

foraging failures by smell-

inhibited bees.

The study has an obvious flaw

that even a high school

chemistry student would

recognize. Where is the

control? What about the study

points to diesel fumes asopposed to any strong odor

as having the ability to mask the

smell of rapeseed flowers?

Why didnt the scientists test

the smell- masking powers of

pig manure, or a cheap

aftershave, or some other

source of strong odor, along

with diesel fumes?

A further flaw in the study

design is obvious, if the purpose

was to investigate foraging

failure. Over what period of

time did the worker bees

sustain the effect of smell

inhibition? Foraging failure

would require that thousand s

of workers be unable to detect

the presence of multiple sourcesof nectar for a period of time.

How long did the smell

inhibition last? Was it dose

dependent, did it fade, and was it

specific to rapeseed, or was it a

broad spectrum inhibition? The

reports do not say.

The news articles suggested that

more testing is required before

conclusions can be drawn.

Perhaps the control tests should

have been conducted before the

paper was published, or at least

before the broad claims were

made ?

John Fraser

New Study Does (or Does Not) Tag Diesel Fumes

As Cause Of Foraging Failure

Want to contribute to the

BANV

newsletter?

Write to:

[email protected] prefer concisely written material,

rather than suggestions & hints.Inclusion depends upon space

available, timeliness, and/or

relevance. Thanks
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/03/us-science-bees-pollution-idUSBRE9920H520131003http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/03/us-science-bees-pollution-idUSBRE9920H520131003http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/03/us-science-bees-pollution-idUSBRE9920H520131003http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/03/us-science-bees-pollution-idUSBRE9920H520131003http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/03/us-science-bees-pollution-idUSBRE9920H520131003http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/03/us-science-bees-pollution-idUSBRE9920H520131003http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/03/us-science-bees-pollution-idUSBRE9920H520131003http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/03/us-science-bees-pollution-idUSBRE9920H520131003http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/03/us-science-bees-pollution-idUSBRE9920H520131003http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/03/us-science-bees-pollution-idUSBRE9920H520131003http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/03/us-science-bees-pollution-idUSBRE9920H520131003http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/03/us-science-bees-pollution-idUSBRE9920H520131003http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/03/us-science-bees-pollution-idUSBRE9920H520131003http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/03/us-science-bees-pollution-idUSBRE9920H520131003http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/03/us-science-bees-pollution-idUSBRE9920H520131003mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/03/us-science-bees-pollution-idUSBRE9920H520131003http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/03/us-science-bees-pollution-idUSBRE9920H520131003http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/03/us-science-bees-pollution-idUSBRE9920H520131003http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/03/us-science-bees-pollution-idUSBRE9920H520131003http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/03/us-science-bees-pollution-idUSBRE9920H520131003http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/03/us-science-bees-pollution-idUSBRE9920H520131003http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/03/us-science-bees-pollution-idUSBRE9920H520131003http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/03/us-science-bees-pollution-idUSBRE9920H520131003


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NEWSLETTER |October 2013 6

Virginia Bee Supply

6572 Weaver LaneBealeton, Virginia, 22712Phone: (540) 905-5563(Local Brushy Mountain Dealer)

Maryland Honey Co.

24228 Club View DriveGaithersburg, Maryland 20882(Shop is just east of Damascus, Maryland)Phone: 301-518-9678

(Independent Dealer in Baltimore)Miller Bee Supply

12920 Eastern Avenue

Baltimore, MarylandPhone: 410-335-3424

Busy Bee Supplies

Martinsburg, WVa

Phone: 304-671-3562Valley Bee Supply

46 Tinkling Spring RoadFishersville, VA 22939

Phone: 540-941-8127

Meeting Minutes

The September meeting wascalled to order by presidentMcKinney @ 7:05 with 33 peoplein attendance. Announcementswere made that at the October

meeting a proposal for a changeto the Bylaws of the club will bevoted on. The changes are tochange the membership yearfrom its current period of Feb -

Jan to May1 to April 30.The October meeting will also

take place at a different locationthan usual; it will be held at theThomas Jefferson Library 7415Arlington Blvd, Falls Church, Va.The program that night will

include a talk by German Parillaon Amazonian beekeeping andsting-less bees.Other announcements were a

reminder that the fall VSBAmeeting is November 9, at Wyers

Cave, Va.; early registration is dueby October 25. Also thenominating committee for the

January officers election waslooking for an additional member-- Tom Greiner volunteered to

join Carolyn Foley and FrankLinton on that committee. Theclub is also seeking mentors forthe new students who will betaking classes starting nextFebruary.

Chelsea Romulo is heading upthe mentor program; pleasecontact her if you have aninterest in serving as a mentor.The November meeting will be

held on November 19 in order

to accommodate the Thanksgivingholidays. The program that nightwill feature Paul Steblein who willbe talking about mead making.Jenny Beausoliel then presented

an informative an livelypresentation on invasive plantsand how they effect our bees.The meeting was adjourned at

8:20Respectfully submittedDavid Thompson

BANVOFFICERS 2012-2013President RobMcKinney [email protected] RickHaynes [email protected] DavidMichaelson [email protected] DavidThompson [email protected] SteveJohnson [email protected]

Workerbees

Beekeeping Suppliers Located Within 125 Miles of Arlington

GISMapping ChelsieRomulo&JenyBeausoleil [email protected] FrankLinton [email protected] TerriMcPalmer [email protected] ChelsieRomulo [email protected] JohnFraser&ChrisDugmore [email protected] MarthaKiene [email protected] NormaEpley [email protected] CarolynFoley [email protected] CarolynFoley [email protected] KamaleshKalarickal [email protected]
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]

Documents

BANV Newsletter - October 2013