Nelson County March 2021
Nelson County Beekeepers
What’s The Buzz
Volume 7 Issue 1
MEETING
MARCH 18, 2021 There will be a regular meeting starting at 6:30 pm on March 18th, 2021. A box meal will be provided, so PLEASE call the Extension Office if you plan to attend. We need a count so we can purchase the correct amount of food.
Officers President-Steve Hutchins Vice President-Darrell Hester Secretary-Carolyn Hurd Treasurer & Editor-Susan Zhunga
We will have a Steering Committe meeting at 5:30 pm prior to the regular meeting. Please try and attend. We will be discussing the future of club events, and programs. As per regulations, Masks are Required.
Hospitality-Monthly Volunteers Newsletter Publisher– Georganne Collins
Inside this issue: Dues & Nuc Payments
2
Financial Statement
3
Bee Calendar
4
Extractor Rental
7
PROGRAM Zoom meeting is scheduled for this March meeting. If you can't attend in person, call Robbie Smith for the code to sign in to join the meeting on line. Presenting at this meeting will be Rebecca Westwick, Department of Entomology at the University of Kentucky. Possible topic would be “Laying Worker Bees”.
Robbie Smith County Extension Agent for Horticulture
Page 2 DUES - Deadline 3/31/2021 Please pay your dues if you wish to continue receiving the newsletter, and have access to the Facebook page. Mail payment to Susan Zhunga 555 King Road Cox's Creek, KY 40013 or drop your payment off at the Extension Office. Please make all checks payable to Nelson County Soil Labs. Thank you to those who have already paid their dues.
FINAL NUC PAYMENT If you owe any money on your Nuc purchase, the balance is due at the March 18th meeting. If you can't make the meeting, send your payment to Susan Zhunga, 555 King Road, Cox's Creek, KY 40013, or drop your payment off at the Extension Office.
Page 3 Financial Statement FINANCIAL STATMENT 2/28/2021
Opening balance 1/1/2021
Gross Income Food Donations/Dues
$ 2134.25 $235.00
Net Expense New Extractor/Food
Bank Balance
$448.14
$ 1921.11
BEEKEEPING ITEMS FOR SALE Test kits for American Foul Brood (AFB) and European Foul Brood (EFB) are available for purchase from Extension Office for $14.00 each. Please call me (Susan 507-8789) for availability.
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BEEKEEPING FOR MARCH www.indianahoney.org As the days become warmer and longer, brood production will start to increase inside the hive. Get in them the next time weather allows! Look for eggs... note the number of frames of brood. How's the honey stores? Take note of anything else out of the ordinary.
Be intentional on the timing of adding pollen to a colony and don't add it too soon. Remember, pollen stimulates broodrearing. With brood production comes the need to feed the expanding population of bees. If you have a weaker colony and stimulate them prematurely, they could get the queen laying too fast (outside the cluster,) and not have enough bees to keep the new eggs warm during another cold snap. Nurse bees will not abandon brood, and they will freeze to death. Be choosy about which hives should get pollen, and which you should hold off on. Stronger colonies are more forgiving here. Don't be caught off guard and ensure that your bees have plenty to eat. Here is another reason I like a candy board on the top of the hive. It's easy to chock a brick or two of sugar in there if it's needed. This is also the time of year when we hear stories like... "They were just fine last time I checked them. They had plenty of food, ventilation, days to get outside... what happened?" Often times, the answer is that the mites were not in check. Remember, mites vector viruses. By this time, bees that have had unchecked mite levels going into the winter are likely very sick right now. In their weakened state, one cold snap can easily take them out. If you are not measuring the mite activity in your hives, you are cheating yourself and your bees. This is not meant to discourage you. It's an easy thing to do. If you have questions,
(Continued from page 4)
just ask us! What a beekeeper should be doing in March: 1. Finish up new boxes, repair/paint any other woodenware that need it, and be sure your honey supers are ready to go. 2. Prepare your swarm traps. Swarm traps go out in April. Likely sooner this year! Order swarm lures or try lemongrass oil. 3. If it isn't too cool, perform a quick inspection to see if you have bees, larva, eggs, and a queen. Remember, if you see eggs, with 1 per cell, there is a queen. If you see poor brood patterns or a colony is just not building up like the others, it might be prudent to plan to pinch the queen (around or after Mother's Day) or combine this hive with a good one using the newspaper method. 4. If you have been keeping pollen patties in the hive, beware when weather warms up, unused patties will attract small hive beetle. When the imminent threat of bad weather is behind us When the weather is warm (ideally 50F or higher): •
Some may choose to move brood frames to the bottom of the box, honey to the sides and empty comb overhead. Do not disturb the cluster too early though as this can result in chalkbrood. Make sure also that the bees are not straddling two boxes. A blind reverse could split the brood chamber in two and that will be bad during another cold snap. (Continued on page 6)
Page 6 (Continued from page 5)
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Clean the bottom boards.
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Eventually, when the bees are waiting in line to get inside the hive, enlarge your entrances... or remove entrance reducers completely at your discretion.
•
At the end of March, remove candy boards and if needed, start feeding 1:1 sugar water and pollen. If the bees didn’t eat the candy boards, store them in the freezer, or use it in your spring sugar water feed.
•
Watch for drones and queen cells. This will be the bees way of telling us that it is the time to start making splits.
Right now, take any warmer days to look inside your hives. Get into them once a week if weather allows. Take notes of what you see. New beekeepers especially. This information can be meaningful to you (and your mentor if they ask you things) later. It's a big time for the bees right now. Really strong hives that are doing what they should are about to explode. Bring your questions to a meeting!
All members are encouraged to join us on Facebook. Ask questions, show your progress, and share your pictures on our “Nelson County Beekeepers” Facebook page. We would love to hear from you.
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ATTENTION
ATTENTION
There are 3 extractors complete with all that you need to extract honey. There is only one refractometer to test your honey. You will need your own gated bucket for your extracted honey.
1. First extractor is a plastic table top 2 frame hand crank – Rental @ $5.00 for 3 day maxium. 2. Second extractor is a 2 frame hand crank - rental @ $10.00 for 3 day maximum. 3. Third extractor is a 4 frame electric – rental @ $15.00 for 3 day maximum. Either extractor can be picked up and delivered back to Susan Zhunga @ 555 King Road, Cox's Creek, KY. Call for availability 502-507-8789. All equipment must be returned in good, clean condition. The College of Agriculture, Food and Environment is an Equal Opportunity Organization with respect to education and employment and authorization to provide research, education information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function without regard to economic or social status and will not discriminate on the bases of race, color, ethnic origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability. Inquiries regarding compliance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and other related matter should be directed to Equal Opportunity Office, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Room S-105, Agriculture Science Building, North Lexington, Kentucky 40546.
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Bardstown KY 40004
317 S Third St
Nelson County