The Norfolk Bee. Well spring has arrived, at least officially by the. Norfolk County, Massachusetts Letter from the Editor

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1 The Norfolk Bee Norfolk County, Massachusetts Volume 6, Issue 4 April 2007 Letter from the Editor Well spring has arrived, at least officially by the arrival of the bee packages. But I m still not sure that it is going to stay. This seems to be one of the coldest springs that I can remember. As many of you know, the bees did arrive and early. I spent the good part of Saturday and Sunday with Andy Reseska. It was a lot of fun seeing the excitement from everyone picking up their bees.the look in people s eyes when they saw the packages for the first time was awesome. I got to talk to a lot of different people and students and was even able to host a small demonstration on Saturday.. Sunday was complete with a visit to Howard s farm. As always Howard and Sandy were gracious host and those that did brave the cold weather got a demonstration on hiving a package as well as a wealth of information from Tim and Howard and a tour of his bee keeping operations. Which is a loved event, even if you are not a student. This has been a busy bee week. Not only the arrival of the packages but also the graduation of the Bee School. Congratulations to Tim and Howard for another great school session. We handed out evaluations and diplomas, which was a first for the club. The overall impression I got from the evaluations was that every one really enjoyed them and got a lot from Tim s invaluable knowledge. There was even a few good suggestions. One of the great things this year was that the last class at was actually after the packages had come in and most people had a chance to install them. There was lots of great questions on Tuesday night and it seems that everyone did a great job. Congrats to all the students. Tony Lulek VARROA MITES FOUND AT MANOA HONEY FARM IN HAWAII HONOLULU A honey bee mite has been discovered at a bee farm in Manoa, Oahu, after abandoned hives from Makiki Heights were relocated to the property last week. Varroa mites were detected on bees in three of the abandoned hives on April 6 by the beekeeper and reported to the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA). Samples of the mites have been sent to a mite specialist at a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) laboratory on the mainland for confirmatory identification. The varroa mite is considered one of the most serious honey bee pests and occurs almost worldwide. Hawaii had been one of the few places where the mite was not known to occur. It is not known at this time how the mites were introduced to Oahu. So far, surveys conducted on hives in the Tantalus, UH-Manoa and Makiki area have detected varying degrees of infestation of the mite. Surveys on commercial hives on the Big Island, where several of the state s queen bee raising operations are located, have not detected the Varroa mite. This bee mite poses a major threat to Hawaii s bee industry and to feral bee populations, said Sandra Lee Kunimoto, Chairperson of the Hawaii Board of Agriculture. Teams of HDOA staff have been working rapidly to determine the extent of the infestation and to establish containment and control plans. HDOA Plant Industry staff from three branches, including entomologists, plant quarantine inspectors, plant pest control specialists and pesticides specialists, have mobilized statewide and are working closely with the local bee industry and USDA officials. We are enlisting the help of all beekeepers, commercial and backyard hobbyists, to help us in assessing the extent of this infestation, said Lyle Wong, (con t page 2)

2 (con t from page 1) administrator of HDOA s Plant Industry Division. HDOA officials will be visiting bee hives to conduct surveys and the cooperation of beekeepers is very crucial in possibly stopping the spread of the varroa mite. Entomologists and pest control specialists will survey all islands for the mites as soon as possible. The Plant Quarantine Branch is preparing a quarantine order preventing the interisland movement of bees and beekeeping equipment. In the meantime, beekeepers are being asked not to move bees interisland. The varroa mite is reddish brown in color with an oval and flattened shape. It is about the size of a pin head and can be detected with the unaided eye. Varroa mites have piercing and sucking mouthparts and feed on the blood of honey bee adults, larvae and pupae. The mites weaken adult bees and cause emerging bees to be deformed. Varroa mites are spread from hive to hive through bee contact. The varroa mite s natural host is the Asian honey bee, a species that is not extremely affected by the mite. The mite spread through Europe via Russia. In 1987, the varroa mite was discovered in North American bee colonies in Wisconsin and Florida. By 1988, the mite was detected in 12 U.S. states and has since spread throughout the continental U.S. In 2000, the mite was discovered in New Zealand. Raffle Table Just a reminder that we need items for the raffle table. Please bare in mind to keep the items of good quality and as bee related at possible. Remember One man s junk is another man s treasure. Sweets for the Table In light of the current increase in our bee school, we are anticipating a large turnout again at the April meeting. If we could have some extra help with sweets, it would be appreciated. Please contact Susan Simmons at Rastasue30@hotmail.com. We had about 18 new members at the club, so if we could get 2-3 people to bring stuff that would be great. The NCBA Board Meeting Highlights The Board met on March 22nd Spring Members Picnic will be schedule for the 1st or 2nd Saturday in June. We will ask for a preference at the May meeting Summer meetings: July at Tim Sullivan's for the Top Bar Hive Review August at Sandy and Howard Crawford's farm Name Tags: Anyone that needs one please contact Tony Lulek Business Cards: We will have NCBA business cards for everyone at the next meeting. As discussed these can be a quick way to give anyone information about our association for the bee school, swarms, bee facts, etc. Good for Town Days and other events. Committees: There are currently two committees: Fair and Meeting Topics, and a third one in the works. Fair Committee Chairperson Jeanette Ruyle: This committee works to promote and represent the NCBA at scheduled fairs and events. Anyone interested in working on this committee or suggesting ideas please contact Jeanette directly. Meeting Topics Chairperson Tim Sullivan. Anyone interested in working on this committee or suggesting meeting topics please contact Tim directly. Town Events Committee. We will create a new Town Events committee to support and standardize participation in member community events such as Town Days, etc. NORFOLKBEES.ORG web site - Look for the changes Tony is making weekly. Norfolk Aggie School Support- 1) This year we will be offering a $500 scholarship to a Walpole Aggie School graduate who applies for it and who will be attending a college level program in agribusiness. 2) We will look to donate beekeeping books to the school library in the Fall after working with the school so see what book supplies would be appropriate. 3) We want to formalize the NCBA support of the school's bee hives and bee education program. Next Board meeting on Monday, April 23rd Remember this is your club too, so please contact Ed Karle at ewkarle@yahoo.com if you have any ideas. Also any member is more than welcome to attend a board meeting. Usually they are by conference call to make it more convenient for everyone in these busy times. 2

3 Sunday, April 8, 2007 Hive Installation Akin Bak Farm 3

4 Norfolk County Beekeepers Association Administrative Page The Norfolk County Beekeeper s Association (NCBA), is dedicated to apiculture education and promotion of the art and science of beekeeping among beekeepers, agriculture and the general public. This is a NonProfit organization, meeting the first Monday of every month, at 7:30 PM (second Monday if the first Monday is a holiday). The meetings are held at the Norfolk Agricultural High School NCBA Officers President Ray Hennessey 50 Sheldon Road Wrentham, MA (508) rhennessey1@earthlink.net Vice President Norm Shaw 19 Skyline Road Hyde Park, MA (617) theshawzzz@hotmail.com Treasurer Miguel Lessing 45 Russell Road Wellesley, MA (781) miguellessing@comcast.net Recording Secretary Ed Karle 169 Seekonk Street Norfolk, MA (508) ewkarle@yahoo.com Corresponding Secretary Tony Lulek 35 Dalton Road Holliston, MA (508) tlulek@gallery223.com Bee School Director Howard Crawford 360 West Central Franklin, MA (508) Bee School Director Tim Sullivan 101 Sherman Road Dedham, MA (781) Fair Committee Chairperson Jeanette Ruyle 23 Green Street Medfield, MA (508) jruyle@comcast.net Librarian Whitley Frost 62 Child St. Hyde Park, MA ( whitfrost@rcn.com Swap N Sell N Wanted Classifieds Here s a column where you can sell, swap, or give away just about anything. If you are a paid member, advertising is free for as many issues as you wish. If you are not a member, the cost is $8.00/ad/issue (so, it pays to become a member for just $15!) Attention Club members. I live on Farm Street in Dover, MA and located ¾ of a mile from the road. We have 20 acres, some field, mostly woods and a pond. The majority of the abutting land is conservation. I would like to find someone who is interested in locating some hives on my property. Please contact me a mb.howe@verizon.net Mark Howe. NE Beekeeping Supplies will have 5-Frame Nucs ready on May 15th. They have Carnelian or Italian queens and are priced at $110. FOR SALE Sugar Andy Reseska still has 80 lbs boxes of sugar for sale for $20. Please contact him directly. Cotton Coverall - Large 100% Cotton, and made in USA. Heavy Duty front zip, double elastic at wrist, elastic and 12" zip at ankle, double material at knees, gusseted crotch, 5 pockets and much more. Only used 2 times. $64.95 new thru Brushy Mountain. Excellent condition. Appropriate for someone 5'10" - 6' 2". We are asking for $40. Contact Judi Hindman at or judihindman@comcast.net. 4

5 A Taste of Honey For People Honey Ginger Carrots Courtesy of Diane Lulek Ingredients 8-10 carrots, sliced in 1/4 rounds 1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger 3 Tbsp honey 2 Tbsp Olive Oil Directions Peal, cut and saute the carrots over medium heat until soft and slightly brown. Stir in ginger and honey, cook for 2-3 minutes more. Take off heat and serve. You can also use green beans or asparagus. I can personally attest to this recipe. Yummy! Pollen-Substitute Patties. Use: Stimulates brood production; apply in late February or early March Recipe (Makes a 1.5 pound patty) Dry Part 1.5 cups (8oz.) fat-free soy flour.5 cup (1oz.) Brewer s yeast Sugar Syrup 1.5 cups (12oz.) granulated sugar.75 cup (6oz.) Hot water Directions. Mix dry ingredients and add slowly to syrup until mixture is like stiff bread dough. Press between wax paper. Place patty over cluster with wax paper up. For the Bees Bee Hive Syrup You should be feeding your bees sugar syrup in a 1 to 1 ratio at this time. Ingredients: 5 lbs of sugar 1/2 gallon of water 2 tsp (teaspoons) apple cider vinegar (Optional) Fumigilin B (1st gallon only) Healthy Bee (essential oils) (Optional) Directions: Boil water, turn off heat and put in sugar. Still until dissolved. The once it cools you can add the other optional ingredients. Remember to turn off the heat. Crisco patties for Trachea Mite Management - one option for Integrated Pest Management (ISM) Courtesy of Ed Karle Recipes from "Beekeeping For Dummies" and "Backyard Beekeeper" adjusted down to reduce quantity of patties in stock: Ingredients: ½ pound Crisco (don't use store brand shortening, it doesn't mix well in this recipe) 1.5 pounds granular sugar 2 table spoons safe honey 1 t-spoon fine ground farm salt (go to a horse farm and ask for some) Directions: Mix until smooth will make about three hamburgersize patties. Store in freezer until ready for use. Place one patty on the top bars in the upper brood chamber. Can be used year round. Bees may consume one patty per month in warm weather and one over the winter. When honey supers are not on the hive you can add 1 t-spoon of mint oil (wintergreen or spearmint) to the mix to boost attraction. 5

6 Minutes from the April 2, 2006 Meeting Attendance: 41 Next meeting: Monday, May 7 th Next meeting topic: Open Q&A session for new beekeepers (and everyone else). April Door Prize: Package of Bees won by Lisa Nason Raffle Table: There was no Raffle Table this month. The offerings were too light and so will be carried over to the May meeting. The Raffle Table is offered at the monthly meetings in order to: 1) cove the cost of the door prize (which didn t happen this month); and 2) recycle bee equipment or other prizes within the group. So, for the next meeting please plan to bring something for the table. Thanks! 2) explain current observations or situations in their bee hives; or 3) ask for suggestions or comments about upcoming plans. The meeting membership is then encouraged to provide wisdom in response. This went very well for almost 20 minutes. Topics covered included: Spring hive planning, over wintering experiences, Spring and Summer hive plans. There was a lot of helpful suggestions offered and we hope that a future meetings this becomes a major draw of attendance. Members are encouraged to bring pictures or samples of items to discuss. Meeting Topic Tim Sullivan Managing bees in Minnesota. The presentation focuses on the annual management cycle of hives using three brood chambers and reversing hive bodies and splits. The powerpoint presentation will be posted on the NCBA web site. Member Q&A: What are people doing now in their hives? This will be a regular session each meeting where everyone is invited to: 1) ask any beekeeping questions; Bee Packages: The packages arrived at Andy Reseska's facility in Holliston on Saturday morning, earlier than anticipated. This enabled everyone to pick them up sooner than scheduled if they needed too. This was a big help for those folks with a busy Easter Sunday. Tony Lulek was at Andy's and graciously offered to have anyone come to his house on Saturday to help install his two packages. Several Bee School students took him up on the offer and all went well. On Sunday at Sandy and Howard Crawford's farm in Franklin other Bee School students watched Tim Sullivan and Howard install a package on the cold and breezy day. A section of wall paneling was used to block the wind. At the May NCBA meeting we will ask for Bee Package experiences (good, bad, tips, success) from everyone to share with new and veteran beekeepers. Bee School Director, Tim Sullivan, torturing the bee students with questions at the graduation raffle. 6

7 Online Resources This is just the beginning of a list of online resources. Please if you find any or have any favorites. Online Resources 1. YouTube.com - they some great little videos Online Bee Equipment sellers NCBA 2007 Monthly Meeting Schedule May 7 June 4 June Club Picnic (Date TBA) July at Tim Sullivan's for the Top Bar Hive Review (Date TBA) August at Sandy and Howard Crawford's farm (Date TBA) New York Times - April 11th Sweet Exotica, From Hawaii The honeybees on the island of Hawaii do not visit everyday clover or orange blossoms: they dote on the flowers of macadamia nut trees, ohia lehua blossoms and Christmasberry, also known as Wilelaiki. A company called Big Island Bees has just started selling its honeys on the mainland, through chefshop.com. The macadamia is dark and rich and has a nutty flavor. The organic Wilelaiki has a subtle spiciness, and the ohia lehua, also organic, is the most floral of the three, with a creamy texture. The honeys, in 9 ½-ounce jars, are $8.99 each. Massachusetts Beekeepers' Association Spring Meeting 2007 On Saturday, April 7th, at the Topsfield fairgrounds. The speakers and topics presented were impressive and timely: Dr. Dewey Caron, University of Delaware, speaking on 1) Colony Collapse Disorder; and 2) Spring Hive Management. Dr. Gordon Wardell, USDA-Agriculture Research Service, speaking on Honey Bee Nutrition: Building a Better Colony. All of the presentation will be posted in full soon on the web site. The message from both speakers was keep your hives healthy, well provisioning and check on them regularly. Use sugar fondant, pollen substitute patties and syrup to keep bees "fat" over winter and in the spring when building up strength. Also provision in time of drought or in slow nectar flow times. Mann Lake has remixed their pollen-substitute patties and they seem to be much more popular with the bees. There was a Silent Auction and table raffle at which the NCBA's two attendees cleaned up: Sheila Bernard won almost 1/3 of the table raffle items and Ed Karle won a package of bees and a queen bee. MA Beekeepers will have their 2nd annual Summer Field day on Saturday, June 23rd, at the UMASS Agronomy Farm in South Deerfield, MA. The program will include practical management with live colonies. This was well attended last year. Events will be offered for beginners and more experiences beekeepers. The U of DE is now offering an on-line college level beekeeping course for college credit or continuing education. ine/courses/beekeeping.html 7

8 Congratulations Bee School Class of 2007 Our Illustrious Bee School Directors, Tim Sullivan and Howard Crawford and the graduating class of This was our biggest class ever. A great group and a wonderful addition to our club. From: Tony Lulek 35 Dalton Road Holliston, MA TO: Bee bringing in Pollen Spring 2007 Ed Karle 8