Hello All,

I've been given two resources to share with you 1) a new beekeeping contact from the Indiana DNR and 2) a learning opportunity from the Kentucky State Beekeepers Association promoted by the Beekeeper of Indiana. Thanks to Tim Caldwell for both!

-Jeremy

 

1.

We have new contact with the Indiana DNR named Jared Spolowsky. After getting the initial info from Tim, I contacted Jared to get more details. With Kathleen Prough retiring this month, he wanted to let us know he is available to give talks at meetings AND to help inspect your colony if you suspect disease or problems with certain pests. (The inspection part was a bit vague, so please contact him with questions! It sounds like he's spread a bit thin right now.)

Jared gave his permission to share his contact info, so please reach out to him with questions. His role with bees and apiary work will be expanding, and more materials will be added to the DNR site in the coming months. Also, it sounds like there will be others helping him in this work in the future. Overall, he sounds like a great contact for our group, and I'd encourage us to tap into his knowledge.

 

Contact info:

Jared Spokowsky

2.

Mark your calendars for the Kentucky State Beekeepers Association Spring General Membership Meeting! Open to the Public

 

On April 23, 2022 at the Kentucky State University Harold R. Benson Research and Demonstration Farm all members and guests will meet in person for the first time in two years!

 

Located at 1525 Mills Ln, Frankfort, KY 40601 the farm hosts a variety of research projects including small ruminant research, soil management research, organic agriculture research, ornamental horticulture research, livestock nutrition research, honeybee research, conservation biological control and beneficial insect research, and urban agriculture research.

Come to hear Dr. Katie Lee give a talk on Varroa, queens & colony fitness.

Katie Lee is a researcher and Apiculture Extension Educator at the University of Minnesota. Katie received both a MS and PhD in entomology from the University of Minnesota with Dr. Marla Spivak. Her work focuses on the parasitic mite Varroa destructor, metrics that indicate queen bee and colony health, and the benefits of pollinator plantings on honey bee health. For the Bee Informed Partnership, she founded two Tech-Transfer Teams that provide services for commercial beekeepers by assessing colony health and testing breeding stock for disease resistance behavior. Katie serves on the boards of the Bee Informed Partnership and the Minnesota Hobby Beekeepers Association.   Agenda

• 9:00 – 9:10 - Welcome

• 9:10 – 10:10 – Dr. Katie Lee, Varroa Mite Biology and Management

• 10:15 - 11:00 – Phil Craft - CA Almond Pollination

• 11:00 – 11:45 – Dr. Clare Rittschof – update on viruses in KY and beyond

• 11:45 – 1:00 LUNCH ON YOUR OWN (bring lunch, go out, or we will try to bring in a food truck)

• 1:00 - 2:00 – Dr. Katie Lee, Do Healthy Queens Lead to Healthy Colonies?

• 2:00 - 3:00 –  Dr. Emily Noordyke, University of FL – data on pollen substitutes (virtual, tentative)

• 3:15 – 3:30 - Certified Kentucky Honey Update, Scott Moore

• 3:30 - 4:00 - Business Meeting – update on open positions, financial review, State Fair kickoff

• 4:00 - Adjourn

Dr. Tom Webster will be doing on-site testing for Nosema – watch the FaceBook page for updates on how to bring samples of your bees. Vendors will be on-site again as well

Regards,

The Beekeepers of Indiana