Beekeepers - Remember! Monday CIBA Open Meeting

 
From: "CIBA MEMBERS" <donotreply@PROTECTED>
Date: April 15th 2023
😃  Beekeepers - Heads Up 😃

Our CIBA NEXT Beekeeping Meeting will be This MONDAY April 18th  

Holliday Park Nature Center
6363 Spring Mill Road
46240

Zoom Link: (We will do our best).


Tentative Agenda Includes

  • Our Hive Butler Fund Raiser closes.  $1 per ticket: See details below - 
  • Open Panel Discussion - Bring your questions!
    • If you wish write out your questions and give them to someone at the back table
  • New beekeeper information available - Getting Started
    • We’ll be glad to take you aside for more one-on-one
  • Updates on availability of packages and nucs .
  • Refreshments

CIBA’s Hive Butler Fundraiser. - https://hivebutler.com/
  • Hive Butler has generously donated one of their signature products, a Hive Butler
  • This is an extremely useful adjunct for any beekeeper. The Web address above to see examples
  • It is a $120 value. - For each $1 donation you receive one chance to win this awesome product
  • Drawing will be made this Monday. (Need not be present to win) 

Highlights in the Hive: Spring IS HERE! 🎉
  • Afternoons are warmer. You can inspect your bees. 
  • Inspections should be both External and Internal
  • External hive inspection:
    • Do you see pollen coming in on the hind-legs of some field bees?
    • Be sure to have cleaned out winter debris. This is best done as early as possible
    • Use a small stick to reach in entrance and “sweep out” dead bees.
      • If there are few - Good
      • If there are a lot.  Get out as many as possible, but don’t try to be perfect. 
    • Check to see if the hive has settled and shifted over winter. - Readjust as needed.
  • Internal hive Inspection. What to look for
    • You can now remove your Sugar Board. - Save the sugar to make spring feeding syrup 
      • Do Not add pollen patties.  Plenty of Natural Pollen is available. The patties can attract hive beetles.
    • DO Not spend time looking for the queen.  If there is brood, there is a queen.
    • How much capped brood is there?  Count by “deep frame sides” best guess. 80% full or more is good. (e.g.A frame full on both sides counts as two).
    • Do you see nectar in cells. (Looks like water).  Roughly how much? - (Highly unlikely to see any capped honey at this point).
    • Are there drone cells present. (They are larger, dome-shaped, many grouped together on the bottom of brood frames). 
    • Do you see a lot of drones? - If you are not sure…  Not to worry 
  • Mite treatment? - Seek advise from an experienced beekeeper
    • Probably too late to use Apivar. Upcoming possibilities are Oxalic Acid, HopGuard 3, and soon Formic Pro. - Each has its advantages and disadvanteges 
    • Remember: most mite treatments should not be used when honey supers are on the hive. Only Formic Pro can be used with honey supers on.


What about overwintered frames?
  • Dead-Outs should have been cleaned up by now. 
    • NOW is the time to clean them up in preparation for new bees.
  • Surviving Colonies: 
    • Inspect frames. Replace any that have been damaged by mice, wax moth, etc.
    • SAVE old comb!  (It may look “dirty” to you - Your new bees will Love it).
      • Scrape off old propolis - Especially on contact points between frames, top-bar ears, frame rests.  Propolis cleans off better in cool weather.
    • DO not scrub down with bleach or disinfectant. (Unless there is confirmed presence of foul brood. Highly unlikely).
      • Residual bleach and disinfectants can be repellant to bees

A few other considerations
  • Do you need new supplies?
    • Replacement frames and foundation?
      • Plastic foundation can be scraped of old wax and recoated with new wax
      • Talk with an experienced beekeeper
  • Want to order new bees? - It is getting late for ordering new bees, but check with local suppliers -.  
    • Packages will be less expensive. Around $140 this year
    • Nucs (Nucleus Colonies) - 
      • Overwintered colonies are best
      • These are more expensive ($180 to $250, depending on properties of the nuc)

We look forward to seeing YOU at Holliday Park Nature Center, Remember.   MONDAY, March 20th
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