GENERAL MEETING: May 19, 2020

Come early to socialize and share Your questions with experienced

beekeepers.

Early Educational Class Topic: Catching Swarms

Speaker: Fonta Molyneaux Door opens at 6:00 pm

Presentation starts at 6:15 pm “Fireside Room”

General Meeting Program begins at 7:30 pm

Topic: Reading Frames/ Preparing for Honey Flow

Panel Discussion

Trinity United Methodist Church 440 Maxwell Road

Turn West off River Road

Inside this Issue:

Upcoming Events & Announcements 2 Pollinator Week 3 LCBA Field Day 3 Apiary Registration 4 Asian Hornet Update 4 Catching Swarms/Attractant 5 Reading Frames 6 Preparing for Honey Flow 7 May Beekeeping Tips 8 Oregon Master Beekeeper Program 9 “Flatten the Curve” 10 Classified Ads 1 1 Office Directory 12 Links 13

LANE COUNTY BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION

130 HANSEN LANE, EUGENE, OR 97404

Website: www.lcbaor.org Email: lcbaor@pacinfo.com President: Mike France 541-232-1610

Vice President: Brian McGinley 541-521-7523

Treasurer: Polly Habliston 541-461-0339

Secretary: Paula Sablosky 541-206-7173

Board Members: Fonta Molyneaux 541-592-9332

Jim Rundall 541–688-1925 * Becky Lemler 541-935-9527

Janine Piercey 541-844-9394 * Nancy Ograin 541-935-7065

Past President: Pam Leavitt 541-344-4228

May 2020 NEWSLETTER

There are certainly lots of questions right now in this world. One question

that has a positive answer is “how are the bees?” Good reports from the

club of more overwintered colonies. There are also lots of swarm calls for

LCBA members this year. Hearing positive reports on the health and

strength of package bees from California and the same for nucs from Ore-

gon. On top of that we have weather that puts us about a week early this

year. So get those honey supers on now!

The bad news is our club has not met for three months now and we do not

know if we will be able to meet in June at the earliest. But we will all come

together again soon and share our bee stories and laugh together. Even

though we are not meeting in person the club is not standing still. We have

been busy adding content to our www.lcbaor.org website. Check out some

of the presentations by clicking on the “LCBA Talks” tab. You will find some

valuable information by our knowledgeable club members. It’s not quite as

great as our monthly meetings but very informative still.

I am looking forward to resuming club meetings and sharing our bee stories.

I hope all are safe and having fun keeping up with your bees. Now is the

time to go make some honey!

President’s Message

Mike France, LCBA President

Meeting Cancelled

Upcoming Tentative LCBA June Meeting

Scheduled speaker for our June meeting is Dr. Priya Chakrabarti Basu, Research Associate at the OSU Bee Lab. She will be talking about research findings. Early educational class on honey extracting.

It would be wonderful if we could have our meeting, but we will just have to wait and see how things are in June.

http://www.lcbaor.org/mailto:lcbaor@pacinfo.comhttp://www.lcbaor.org

Friday in the Apiary at OSU Bee Apiary

Friday in the Apiary (FITA) cannot meet monthly right now, but they are sending out videos on various subjects to those who are signed up. Get signed up!

The following are their current videos:

Early Spring Inspection Lighting a smoker Chalkbrood

Sign up at: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/mb/friday-apiary

May 27th - Central Coast Beekeepers Assoc. -Via Zoom Location: Newport, OR Topic: Swarms – Triggers, Behavior and who Leaves Speaker: Charlie Vanden Heuvel http://www.ccbaor.org/

June 24th or 25th (Tentative) - Pollination Day at the Eugene Library Location: 100 W 10th Ave, Eugene, OR 97401

June 27th (Tentative): LCBA Field Day Location: Beetanical Apiary, 80881 Turkey Run Road, Creswell, OR

Cancelled Events & Meetings:

May 20th - Linn Benton Beekeeping Assoc. Meeting Location: Corvallis, OR http://www.lbba.us

June 28th - 2020 Annual Honey Festival in Yachats, OR

July 17th-19th - Oregon County Fair, Veneta, OR

July 22nd –26th - Lane County Fair, Eugene, OR

Upcoming Events & Announcements

Beekeeping Classes

Sun Queen School of Apiary Arts Online Live Beekeeping Education via Zoom Cost: $30 Class One May 16th - 4-6pm PST Beginning Beekeeping Register at www.wildeverlasting.com

For more information contact Fonta at: Wildeverlastingfarm@gmail.com 541-592-9332

Presentations for May’s LCBA’s Cancelled Meeting

LCBA May’s early educational class would have featured “Catching Swarms” and the general meeting “Reading Fames/Preparing for the Honey Flow“. Write ups are included in our newsletter.

Be sure to visit our website, www.lcbaor.org and click on the “LCBA Talks” tab for other information on various subjects. Slide shows are also posted.

North American Mite-A-Thon The 2020 North American Mite-A-Thon will run till May 17th. The Mite-A-

Thon is a tri-national effort to collect Varroa mite infestation data in honey

bee colonies across North America, and all beekeepers can participate by

testing their hives for mites, creating a rich distribution of sampling sites in

Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

Click HERE to learn more about the 2020 North American Mite-A-Thon and to

participate!

MITE-A-THON HOME

Bee Informed Winter Loss Survey

Thank you members for participating in the survey!

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https://oregonstate.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c193320ae8f54f9636e569a98&id=378adab76c&e=72fdb7c950https://oregonstate.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c193320ae8f54f9636e569a98&id=7ee2e8ae06&e=72fdb7c950https://oregonstate.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c193320ae8f54f9636e569a98&id=f8e68a3280&e=72fdb7c950https://extension.oregonstate.edu/mb/friday-apiaryhttp://www.ccbaor.org/https://www.bing.com/maps?&ty=18&q=Eugene%20Public%20Library&satid=id.sid%3a5329bb28-7d4b-0ce3-1dcc-737cfe76770a&ppois=44.04869842529297_-123.09480285644531_Eugene%20Public%20Library_~&cp=44.048698~-123.094803&v=2&sV=1http://www.lbba.ushttp://www.wildeverlasting.commailto:Wildeverlastingfarm@gmail.comhttp://www.lcbaor.orghttps://www.pollinator.org/miteathonhttps://pollinator.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d3fc276110a2ce56101ecad16&id=7a3148cc92&e=587717a707

NATIONAL POLLINATOR WEEK JUNE 22-28, 2020

National Pollinator Week is the opportunity for LCBA to share the role and importance of polli-nators to the public. In February, prior to knowing about the Coronavirus pandemic, we made arrangements to hold an event at the Eugene Public Library on either Wednesday, June 24 or Thursday, June 25 in the early afternoon.

The plan is to do a presentation on “Pollinators in My Garden”, have a table with lists of plants that provide the best forage in our area, as well as our beautiful poster’s sharing our love of

bees. We have asked the North American Butterfly Association to join us. We have not confirmed their attendance.

The Library has a “Seed Library”. It is on the 2nd floor, where donated seeds are kept in drawers in a vintage card catalog cabinet. (If you are my age the cabinet looks very familiar from childhood trips to a library!) The library supports sharing resources to enhance our community.

The seeds were donated by Down to Earth Garden Center, Jerry’s Home Improvement, Adaptive Seeds in Sweet Home and Territorial Seed in Cottage Grove. Individuals, organizations and businesses are encouraged to donate seeds to help the Seed Library to continue to bloom.

We will keep you informed about our ability to hold this event. We have to follow the guidelines outlined for opening our state. We want to be smart to protect all individuals in our community.

LCBA FIELD DAY MAYBE SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2020

Jason and Elizabeth Rowan have graciously offered their apiary to us this year in Creswell. We have set a tentative date; however, we will follow advised guidelines to ensure the safety of our members. Please be aware it may mean limiting the number who can attend and the use of masks. Put the date on your calendar, in pencil, if this great opportunity to observe and inspect hives full of bees interests you.

What is Field Day? It is a hands-on learning expe-rience especially for new beekeepers. We will divide up into groups and an experienced bee-keeper will take you through a hive and answer questions. There will also be demonstrations and discussion sessions. Jason Rowan with Beetanical Apiary LLC, is a long time beekeeper and has been involved in the Oregon State Beekeepers Association and LCBA for many years. He has hosted the LCBA field day several times at his apiary.

Last years field day was held at the Oregon State Bee Apiary in Corval-lis. Members from Linn Benton Beekeeping Association also attended. This apiary consists of many different types of hives.

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http://www.pollinator.org/

Every person who owns, or is in charge of, five or more colo-nies of bees located within the state or Oregon, must register their hives with the Oregon Department of Agriculture. If you

currently own less than five hives you are not required to register your bees at this time.

The current cost of apiary registration is $10 with an additional charge of $0.50 per colony for five or more hives. After July 1, the registration fee will increase to $20. The fee per hive remains at $0.50 per colony for five or more.

Click below to view Oregon’s apiary registration rules and regulations and registration form.

https://www.oregon.gov/ODA/programs/IPPM/InsectsSpiders/Pages/BeesApiaries.aspx

Oregon Dept. of Agriculture Apiary Registration

As reported in the January issue of LCBA Newsletter, the Asian Giant Hornet has been found in the Pacific North-west. Specifically in British Columbia, Canada, and Blaine, Washington. This is a ground nesting species of hornet

(approx. 1.5 to 2 inches in length) that feeds on honey bees for its larval food and can wipe out an entire hive in only a few hours. Click here to see a 4 minute video on this hornet.

As of this writing, there have been no sightings of this hornet in Oregon, but please familiarize yourself with it and keep an eye out for it or any signs of it. They decapitate honey bees by the thousands at the honey bee hives then defend the hives as their own, taking the brood back to their nest to feed their own young. Should you see any indicators, please contact the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) immediately, early detection is vital. Take photos if possible, but do not risk being stung. Report any sighting at https://oda.fyi/HornetReport or call 503-968-4636 or 1-800-525-0137. It would also be appreciated if you would report your sightings to the LCBA at lcbaor@pacinfo.com and include any photos you have too. The ODA also have a fact sheet on the hornet. The Washington Department of Agriculture is setting up traps and asking Washington volunteers to do the same. This information will be used to hunt down nests and destroy them. They reported that there has been one nest eradicated in British Columbia, but none in the US, yet. There is also a Facebook group called Asian Giant Hornet Watch based in Washington which has good information to keep you updated. *Editors Note: Since the article in the Register Guard came out on May 5th LCBA has received several emails with infor-mation on this hornet, all with a different perspective.

Western Apiculture Society May 2020 article - “WSU Scientists Enlist Citizens in Hunt for Giant, Bee-Killing Hornet” Click here to view.

New York Times, May 5th article - In Japan, the ‘Murder Hornet’ Is Both a Lethal Threat and a Tasty Treat” Click here to view.

American Bee Journal - May article “Ridiculous" to Call Asian Giant Hornet "the Murder Hornet Lynn Kimsey, Professor of Entomology, UC Davis, says it’s “ridiculous” to call the Asian giant hornet recently found in British Columbia and Washington state “the murder hornet. It's no more likely to sting and kill a human than a honey bee..." Click here to read her article on the UC Davis website.

Asian Hornet Update by Becky Lemler, LCBA Board Member

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https://www.oregon.gov/ODA/programs/IPPM/InsectsSpiders/Pages/BeesApiaries.aspxhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=224&v=w7zWGOGjLxs&feature=emb_logohttps://oda.fyi/HornetReportmailto:lcbaor@pacinfo.comhttps://www.oregon.gov/ODA/shared/Documents/Publications/IPPM/AsianGiantHornetPestAlert.pdfhttps://westernapiculturalsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/05-2020-wasjournal-reduced.pdf#page=37"https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#search/becky%40beckylemler.com/DmwnWsTHrTQhPvBHJxtwgWCGXwGDcFNBVqXDnDfTdnSRkggqWcRbSFBccHRvcHQLtKFPhbMdzqWv?projector=1&messagePartId=0.1https://patch.com/california/davis/ridiculous-call-asian-giant-hornet-murder-hornet-uc-davis

Swarming is the natural mode of reproduction for a honey bee colony in spring. Swarming is induced as bees increase their population size and require more space. A swarm usually con-

sists of the old queen (sometimes a new one) and 50 to 60 percent of the worker bees in the swarming colony. Workers preparing to swarm engorge themselves on honey and force the old queen out of the hive. Changing weather conditions from cool and rainy to warm and sunny seem to stimulate the natural urge of bees to swarm.

Most swarms leave the colony in good weather between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., fly to a nearby tree or bush and land on a limb. Immediately after landing and for the next 24 to 36 hours, the bees are very docile; they are interested in swarm-ing, not in defending their colony. Scout bees come out of the cluster of the swarm and search the local area for a pro-tected location for the colony. The scout bees communicate the information to the swarm and a “decision” is made, whereupon the bees leave the branch and proceed to their new location.

There are several ways to catch a swarm:

Shaking bees into a box Placing an empty hive near the swarm Setting up a bait hive or swarm trap (See Morris’ slide show presentation on bait boxes on our website, “LCBA Talks”) Vacuuming bees (don’t use a regular vacuum. Directions for making one are on our website, “LCBA Talks”)

To view the steps to catch swarms using these methods visit: http://www.talkingwithbees.com/beekeeping-how-to-guides/catching-a-swarm. There are also videos to help you out. The Oregon State Extension service also has information on swarming and catching a swarm. Click on link for more infor-mation: https://bee-health.extension.org/collecting-a-swarm/

Catching Swarms

In case anyone doubts the power of Swarm Commander as an attractant for swarms: In June, 2018, one of my hives decided to swarm, flew up to the nearest tree and suddenly changed their

minds. My bucket of hive tools was perched on top of an empty hive box near the tree. Apparently bees found some-thing to their liking about the bucket because they decided to congregate there instead of the tree. Indeed, there was a small bottle of Swarm Commander in one of the pockets! When I finally got the bees hived (a daunting task to get them away from the Swarm Commander), I took a photo of the bee-less bucket (notice what’s in in the pocket). I now keep the Swarm Commander in a plastic bag.

Swarm Attractant by Judy Scher, LCBA Member

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http://www.talkingwithbees.com/beekeeping-how-to-guides/catching-a-swarmhttp://www.talkingwithbees.com/beekeeping-how-to-guides/catching-a-swarmhttps://bee-health.extension.org/collecting-a-swarm/

Below is a write up of the talk Morris was going to give at the May meeting. The slide show presentation that goes along with this article is posted on our website under “LCBA Talks”.

The bees are telling us the story about what is happening inside the hive. It is our job to read and comprehend what is being said. Reading frames means you have opened and entered the hive. Morris advocates, “minimally invasive bee-keeping.”

Where things should be: Frames have their place in the hive. Starting from one side going to the other they are num-bered 1-10. It doesn’t matter whether you start numbering from one side or the other because the right side of the box should be a mirror image of the left side. The #1 (same as #10) should contain mostly honey while #2 will usually contain pollen in an established hive. Also in an established hive the brood is located in frames #3 through #8 with the greatest proportion in frames #5 and #6. What is important about the #3 frame is that it reflects changing conditions within the hive.

The nectar flow is on: White wax on the top bars of the brood chamber tells you that the honey/nectar flow is on. This is a major milepost for both the bees and beekeepers. Why are they making the wax? Because the nectar stimulates wax production. This is the same reason you fed your package sugar water after installing it. You wanted to stimulate wax production so the bees would draw out the frames. Why is the wax white? Answer: it hasn’t had a chance to get travel stained. When 70% of the frames are being used, it is time to add either another brood box or a honey super.

Staying ahead of the bees: An important part of spring beekeeping is anticipating and preventing swarms. Reasons for this are:

1) depletes population 2) possible reduced honey harvest 3) can ruin relationship with your neighbors

By reading frames, one of the things you can anticipate is an impending swarm. The environmental conditions will tell you that the bees are thinking about propagation. The bees are setting the pace and you need to keep ahead of them. One of the first indicators that you need to start doing something is when you see lots of drone brood. This signals that the bees are thinking about swarming and are preparing to raise queens. The drones come first because of the long time it takes them to become sexually mature. It also takes them 24 days to develop as opposed to the 16 days for the queen.

Aging or poorly mated queens: A queen normally mates with 12 to 15 drones and that results in enough sperm to last a life time. The indicators for an aging or poorly mated queen are similar. One big distinction is the time of year you see the indicators. Aging can occur anytime there is brood present. Poor mating occurs in spring. A well mated, performing queen produces an abundance of queen pheromone. When this happens, you will find a strong circle of workers sur-rounding the queen. You can think of it as the cohesive force of the hive. When it’s weak or lacking, the social structure of the hive breaks down. The most immediate response to this situation by the workers is to supersede. This is the rea-son why five days after a queen is introduced you look for superc edure cells in the hive she is being introduced into.

Missing queens: Why would a queen be missing? On a mating fight she may lose her way back to the hive or may have been eaten. If there is a situation where the queen is gone and there is still young larvae in the hive, the bees can make one or more emergency queen cells/queen. If they lose their emergency queen, the bees will run out of resources. Without the queen or brood pheromone the workers take matters into their own hands and lay multiple eggs in the cells. This is called a laying worker colony. The eggs are all unfertilized so all develop into drones. Such colonies are usu-ally doomed. It is very difficult to requeen a hive with laying workers.

Mellifera mysteries: The white spots on the cell walls is guanine, also known as Varroa poop. Hives can be so heavily infested with mites that it can lead to the demise of the hive. Varroa mites also can vector a variety of viruses. Bottom line: Varroa can cause the ultimate disappearance of bees.

If you open up a hive to inspect the honey reserves and you find that all the honey is gone, it was probably robbed out by a neighboring hive. If you see a jagged appearance on the cells and looks chewed up that is definite sign of robbing.

continued on page 7

Reading Frames by Morris Ostrofsky, LCBA Member

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Preparing for the Honey Flow

The two important things you need to know to have a chance at collecting honey is to prevent swarming and have healthy bees. You need to have your hives near it’s peak population as the nectar flow begins. Swarms will cause a de-crease in the hive population by 1/2 for each swarm. Following a swarm, there will be a three to four to five week break in the brood cycle before the eggs from a new queen mature and join the workforce. Be vigilant with swarm control if you hope to collect honey.

Blackberries in our area is the major nectar flow and it usually takes place around June 1st. It might be earlier this year as we have had warmer weather. The honey flow represents a rapid increase in the space bees need in the hive. At a rate of several pounds of new honey per day, a hive with limited space can quickly lead to a colony with thoughts of swarming. An alert beekeeper is aware at all times of the space available in the hive. Be sure to offer the bees more space for the extra nectar being brought in by adding honey supers to reduce the chances of swarming.

*Note: LBCA website has more information on swarming on the talks tab.

What the pollen band can tell us: The brood frame consists of a brood, pollen and nectar. As the brood chamber expands the pollen band expands. You need pollen for brood pro-

duction. Looking at the width and position of the pollen band can indicate the general conditions of the colony.

*Note: Be sure to check out Morris’ slide presentation. It has lots of great pictures of frames.

Reading frames continued

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1. May is swarm month and the swarming tendency con-tinues into June. Check your hives for swarm cells; re-member, swarm cells are constructed at the edges of the frames and between boxes (the bees try to tell us this way that they want to go). A suggestion from a long-time club member, Rosie Bishop (from reading Richard Taylor): “try putting some foundation in the brood box”. The desire to produce wax may be one of the reasons for swarming and Taylor contends that the bees will draw out the foundation and have less tendency to swarm.

2. Provide room for your bees to avoid the swarming ten-dency. Add boxes to the hive and reverse hive bodies when the bees have moved out of the lower box. Make sure all entrances are open and all reducers are removed.

3. If you see swarm cells (not just cell cups) the bees have definitely decided to swarm. There are a number of ways to deal with this situation but cutting out swarm cells is usually not successful by itself. Bees will not swarm, if they a) haven’t got a queen; b) haven’t got their sealed brood; or c) haven’t got their field force. Most successful swarm control techniques focus on one or the other of these factors.

4. Control swarming by removing the queen and some brood to another location and another hive body; in other words, split the hive. This can be done by just taking one of the upper boxes and putting it on a new hive stand. Then, in three or four days, check to see which of the two resulting hives has a queen and re-queen the hive that has no queen. Usually the upper hive body (which you re-moved) will have the queen but this is not always the case. Check to make sure before re-queening.

5. All sealed brood can be placed above a queen excluder, giving the queen empty frames in which to lay eggs. Make sure that the queen stays below the excluder. The brood above the excluder will hatch out and the hive should in-crease in strength but not swarm.

6. Move the strong hive that wants to swarm to another location and replace it with a weak hive. The weak hive will be bolstered by the field force from the strong hive. The strong hive won’t swarm because it has lost its field force, and the result should be good for both hives.

7. Remember that frames that have queen cells are your chance to raise new queens. Put them in a western or nuc box (with two or three cells in a box), put in some brood and bees, and in a couple of weeks you are likely to have a new queen, bred and laying eggs! 8. Remember that swarming will take place. Don’t let it discourage you but do try to keep it to a minimum! 9. Keep grass and weeds away from your hive and espe-cially clear of the entrance so that the bees have a rela-tively clear landing approach. If you use a weed eater to do this, remember that it will antagonize the bees and it might be best just to clear the grass and weeds using a hand method. 10. Make sure that your hives have sufficient honey stores to get through the month. About 15 pounds of honey is necessary at all times (about five western or two deep frames of honey).

May Beekeeping Tips by Chuck Hunt, LCBA Member

Extractor Information

The c lub has seven extractors with hot knives for use by its members. Six are manual and one is electric. These are on a reserved use basis. Please limit your use to no more than three days, and always clean the extractor before returning or passing along to the next member. Extractors clean very easily if cleaned with warm soapy water and flushed out with a garden hose after you finish for the day. If you wait until the next day cleaning is more difficult. The manual, three-frame units are the easiest to use and to transport.

Eugene, Cal Young Area - Pam Leavitt - 541-344-4228 Eugene, North River Road Area - Katie James 541-688-4111 Springfield - Justin Boe 541-214-2614 Pleasant Hill - Tina & John Franklin 541-953-2028

Elmira - Ken Ograin 541-935-7065 Creswell - Amy Sierzega 541-505-4033

The only electric unit is located in Springfield and is a four frame. It is heavy and you will need a truck to transport it. Call Kaylene Stewart 541-743-3925.

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THE OREGON MASTER BEEKEEPER PROGRAM WANTS YOU

Like the recruiting call of WW II, the Oregon Master Beekeeper program (OMB) “Wants You”. We

are seeking experienced beekeepers to support the program. Because most start at the Appren-

tice level, you may think, “This doesn’t apply to me. I’m not a beginner.” Actually this is not the

case.

If you have 4 or 5 years of current beekeeping experience, you qualify to Challenge the Apprentice

certification. Meeting the challenge brings benefits to you and to the program; you are eligible to

enroll at the Journey level and you can mentor new beekeepers.

The Journey level allows you to broaden you knowledge through self-guided learning and educa-

tional opportunities. Guided studies are an example. On your own, or working with other stu-

dents, you select the topics you will pursue; hopefully choosing some that challenge your

knowledge; e.g. Honey Bee Dance Language or The Honey Bee Digestive System.

You can also take advantage of educational opportunities. During the annual Journey Lab Day,

usually scheduled in May, you will work with a microscope and study bee anatomy in detail. Then

in summer, often in June, the OMB Field Day takes place. In addition to educational opportunities

this is when Journey Field and Lab exams are scheduled for those ready to take them. The Journey

Institute, scheduled the Friday before the annual state conference in late October, offers you the

opportunity to hear from one or more of the conference speakers.

Not to be overlooked is mentoring. What makes the Oregon Master Beekeeper program unique is

the opportunity for a new beekeeper to work with a mentor 4 times a year to complete field work-

sheets. It is the availability of mentors in an area that determines the number of students we are

able to take. The program always seeks new, qualified mentors. We ask that mentors have a min-

imum of 3 years beekeeping experience and be certified at the Apprentice level. Meeting the Ap-

prentice challenge meets this requirement.

For more information and to apply to the Challenge, click on the link to the Extension website.

https://extension.oregonstate.edu/mb Click on “the Apprentice Beekeeper Level” to see the de-

tails and to find the application at the bottom of the page. For questions you can send an email to

info@oregonmasterbeekeeper.org or Rita Ostrofsky at rita.ostrofsky@oregonstate.edu

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https://extension.oregonstate.edu/mbmailto:info@oregonmasterbeekeeper.orgmailto:rita.ostrofsky@oregonstate.edu

How many times have you heard/read the term “FLATTEN THE CURVE” in the last month? Well I guess the how many answer depends on how much me-dia/political time you do these days. As with all phrase simplification of a

complex concept, Flatten the Curve can mean different things to different people. For beekeepers Flatten the Curve is a useful phrase to convey the two most important managements we might consider doing in our apiary this month.

We DO NOT WANT to FLATTEN THE CURVE of May colony population increase IF we are seeking to harvest honey from our colonies this year (but not all beekeepers keep bees for this objective). It takes bees in the boxes to insure colonies store surplus honey that we can rob later this summer. We DO WANT to FLATTEN THE CURVE of varroa mite buildup if we want to improve our overwintering success with those same colonies. We need to start now in May before the supers go on to knock down the mite population increase. Now is the time to stay ahead and manage our bees – or they will manage us.

Colonies in May should be rapidly expanding; especially this year with our warmer November, January, first half of March and April weather. It is normal now for colonies to seek to reproduce via swarming. Our task is to determine which colo-nies are preparing to swarm. Our major clue to swarming is to look for several developing queen cells especially on low-er/side comb margins. The easiest way to do this is to split the 2 boxes containing brood (assuming your strongest colo-nies have expanded into two boxes) and examine the bottom margins of the comb in frames of the top box. Not all cells will be in this position (as for example in a long hive), but it a is simple and rapid inspection technique to detect colonies that need to be further examined for queen cells. If no are cells in this position the probability is low that a colony will swarm for at least another week. You likely will see cups – look for occupied cells

With the bees we want growth to continue – with mites we need to begin to flatten their growth curve in May. This starts with sampling for mites via washing mites from adult bodies with alcohol or powdered sugar shake. If number exceeds 1 or 2% (depending upon how threatening you perceive mites) consider control measures. You don’t need a knock-out punch but you need to slow mite buildup. Essential oil products of Apiguard or ApiLife Var or formic acid (formic Pro) are chemical means of slowing mite buildup; drone brood removal and splitting are good non-chemical alternatives. We need do this before adding supers. Formic acid use can be continued while supers are on the colony.

The term Flatten the curve is likely to be around for quite awhile with the covid-19 virus so seriously impacting our (older-aged beekeeper) population. Although not specific for viruses, honey should be seriously considered as a valuable die-tary additive to help in preventive measures. Bee colonies storing and beekeepers harvesting surplus honey is one com-ponent of reducing the virus’ impact. And the principle of flattening mite growth curve is equally as important to insure we have healthy bees following harvest to have colonies continue to do their job another year.

Flatten the Curve by Dr. Dewey M. Caron

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Bee-related classified ads cost $5.00/month for non-members and are free to members. Classi-fied ads run for three issues and may be renewed by contacting the editor. Bee-related busi-

ness ads start at $35 a year.

To place an ad, contact Nancy Ograin by the 1st of the month. 541-935-7065 or via e-mail nancy.ograin@gmail.com.

Classified Ads

2020 LCBA New/Renewal Memberships

$25 per year per household or family Please remit payment to:

LCBA Treasurer, Polly Habliston 1258 Dalton Dr., Eugene, OR 97404 polly@uoregon.edu

Membership forms for new members and re-newals are available on the LCBA website. Click here to access.

NEWSLETTER CONTACT INFORMATION

The LCBA newsletter is published eleven times a year by the Lane County Beekeepers Association, 130 Hansen Lane, Eugene, OR 97404. Sample copies may be requested from the editor. Copy-right resides with individual contributors. If you would like to re-print anything you see here, please contact the editor. Permission is normally granted freely for non-profit use. For advertisements, please contact the editor or the association treasurer by the first of the month.

Editor: Nancy Ograin 541-935-7065 nancy.ograin@gmail.com

For discounts on American Bee

Journal subscriptions contact

Nancy Ograin for discount form.

ABJ is currently offering their April online magazine for free. Click here.

”Free Assistance for New Beekeepers”

If you need help or advice in the construction of your wooden ware, LCBA member Lee Yamada is offer-ing his woodworking knowledge free of charge.

Contact Info: LEE YAMADA lkyboletes@gmail.com 541-844-1206

Morris Ostrofsky has Nucs, Hives and Queens for Sale

5 frame nucs $160 In corrugated box, Western frames New locally raised queen Available June 15th (approximate pick up date depending on weather)

Complete one story 10 frame hives $225 Wood box, Western frames New locally raised, laying queen New equipment (boxes, bottom board, cover) No worries – you know the source Available June 15th (approximate pick up date depending on weather)

Locally raised queens $40 Laying, Available near the end of June

Contact Morris Ostrofsky to place order 541-685-2875 Ostrofsky@pacinfo.com

Advertise

Here

Queen Confinement Cages for Sale

All proceeds benefit LCBA’s educational fund. Cost: $15

Contact Max: t.maxkuhn@gmail.com 541-999-0744 To learn more about QCC: LCBA October newsletter article: http://www.lcbaor.org/Newsletters/BeeNewsOct19.pdf#page=6"

QCC Slide Presentation: www.lcbaor.org/lcba_talks.htm

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mailto:nancy.ograin@gmail.commailto:polly@uoregon.eduhttp://www.lcbaor.org/membership.htmmailto:nancy.ograin@gmail.comhttps://americanbeejournal.com/mailto:lkyboletes@gmail.commailto:Ostrofsky@pacinfo.commailto:t.maxkuhn@gmail.comhttp://www.lcbaor.org/Newsletters/BeeNewsOct19.pdf#page=6" http://www.lcbaor.org/Newsletters/BeeNewsOct19.pdf#page=6" file:///C:/Users/Nancy/Documents/Beekeeping/www.lcbaor.org/lcba_talks.htm

2020 Officers and Directors President: Mike France 541-232-1610 michaelj62@gmail.com

Vice-President: Brian McGinley 541-521-7523 56magoo@gmail.com

Treasurer: Polly Habliston 541-461-0339 polly@uoregon.edu

Secretary: Paula Sablosky 541-206-7173 mygarden122@gmail.com

Directors:

Jim Rundall 541-688-1925 fjrundall@comcast.net

Fonta Molyneaux 541-592-9332 wildeverlastingfarm@gmail.com

Nancy Ograin 541-935-7065 nancy.ograin@gmail.com

Becky Lemler 541-935-9527 becky@beckylemler.com

Janine Piercey 541-844-9394 janinepiercey@yahoo.com

Past-President: Pam Leavitt 541-344-4228 pamseaver2000@yahoo.com

Committees:

Library - Anita & Arthur Jones 541-937-2244 beesherenow@gmail.com

LCBA Sales - Mike Harrington 541-913-6059 beekeeper@comcast.net

Bee School - Pam Leavitt 541-344-4228 pamseaver2000@yahoo.com

Website - Judy Scher 541-344-2114 judyscher@gmail.com

Newsletter Editor - Nancy Ograin 541-935-7065 nancy.ograin@gmail.com

Facilities Coordinator - Jim Rundall 541-688-1925 fjrundall@comcast.net

LCBA Scholarships - Katharine Hunt 541-607-0106 keehhunt@gmail.com

Oregon Master Beekeeper Coordinator - Rita Ostrofsky 541-685-2875 ostrofsky@pacinfo.com

OMB Regional Representative - Rick Olson 541-997-3792 rolson2@attglobal.net

Best Practices Liaisons for Lane County - Mike France & 541-232-1610 michaelj62@gmail.com

Becky Lemler 541-935-9527 becky@beckylemler.com

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mailto:michaelj62@gmail.commailto:michaelj62@gmail.commailto:56magoo@gmail.commailto:polly@uoregon.edumailto:mygarden122@gmail.commailto:fjrundall@comcast.netmailto:fjrundall@comcast.netmailto:wildeverlastingfarm@gmail.commailto:pamseaver2000@yahoo.commailto:beesherenow@gmail.commailto:beesherenow@gmail.commailto:beekeeper@comcast.netmailto:pamseaver2000@yahoo.commailto:judyscher@gmail.commailto:judyscher@gmail.commailto:nancy.ograin@gmail.commailto:nancy.ograin@gmail.commailto:fjrundall@comcast.netmailto:fjrundall@comcast.netmailto:keehhunt@gmail.commailto:keehhunt@gmail.commailto:ostrofsky@pacinfo.commailto:ostrofsky@pacinfo.commailto:rolson2@attglobal.netmailto:michaelj62@gmail.commailto:michaelj62@gmail.com

Honey Bee Lab  Pollinator Health  

Oregon Bee Project PolliNation Podcast Bee Diagnostics 

Beltsville Bee Lab  

How To Send A Sample To Beltsville, MD for Diagnosis  

The go to for American foulbrood. 

Links 

http://www.lcbaor.org/ 

https://orsba.org/ 

https://extension.oregonstate.edu/mb 

 

Friday in the Apiary https://extension.oregonstate.edu/

mb/friday‐apiary 

Residential Beekeeping: Best Practices for Nuisance Free Beekeeping in Oregon 

 

https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/em9186 

https://www.honey.com/ 

Honey Bee Health  

Resources, Research and Beekeeping videos  https://bee-health.extension.org/

Tools for Varroa Management & Supporting Videos 

https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/varroa/  

Best Management Practices for Bee Health https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/hivehealthbmps  

Varroa Management Decision Tool https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/varroatool/ Honey Bee Health

Coalition

Bee Informed Partnership 

https://beeinformed.org/  

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https://www.ars.usda.gov/northeast-area/beltsville-md-barc/beltsville-agricultural-research-center/bee-research-laboratory/docs/bee-disease-diagnosis-service/https://honeybeelab.oregonstate.edu/https://agsci.oregonstate.edu/pollinator-health/pollinator-healthwww.oregonbeeproject.orgwww.oregonbeeproject.orghttps://honeybeelab.oregonstate.edu/honey-bee-lab/diagnosticshttps://www.oregonbeeproject.org/pollination-podcast/https://extension.oregonstate.edu/mb/friday-apiaryhttps://bee-health.extension.org/

May lcba 2020 email red.pdfmaster links page.pdfapril 2019 eamil standard.pdflinks page Jan 2019small