Hi folks,
The first work party of the season is coming up. Here is the information:
Good news! The weather will hold, so as promised, Beth Kahkonen will provide an overview of pest and disease checks, pesticides in and around the hive, food stores, and analysis of colony mortality. She will also talk about her January trip to California, where she was involved in investigating massive colony die-offs in recent months.
Beth is a Research Associate and Manager of the WSU Honey Bee Research Program. She received her Master’s degree in Entomology from WSU in 1999. Her graduate research focused alternative controls for tracheal and varroa mites. She has worked for the past 10 years as a research scientist for WSU, University of Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania State University, and Boston University. Beth manages the 200 research hives at WSU and the queen rearing for the breeding program
We are very happy to have Beth come out and share her knowledge and experience.
A new page has been added to the PSBA website under the menu selection of “About->Meetings->Presentations“, listing past presentations at PSBA meetings. The intent is to provide as much of the content that is available to anyone who is interested in having it. Please contact the officers if you have suggestions for additional content for future postings.
PSBA would like to welcome our new neighbors to the east, Snoqualmie Valley Beekeepers. This club is just getting started and welcomes your support.
Inaugural meeting: Tuesday, January 11, 7:00 pm at Meadowbrook Farm Preserve in Snoqualmie. Details at www.snoqualmievalleybeekeepers.org
Sorry for the late notice folks, but there is a film screening of “Vanishing of the Bees” tomorrow night.
PSBA is co-presenting a film screening of Vanishing of the Bees on 12/1/10 at Kane Hall (UW campus). The film examines the alarming disappearance of honeybees and the greater meaning it holds about the relationship between mankind and mother earth. This screening is part of a film and lecture series called Art + Agriculture, curated by a local non-profit Essential Arts and proceeds will benefit the local nonprofit, Pollinator Pathway
More info about Essential Arts, the series, and the event is available online http://www.essentialarts.org/art-agriculture/
The evening promises to be entertaining with award winning poets (who are preparing bee-themed poems especially for the event), honey tasting and sales, post-film Q&A moderated by PSBA President, Nancy Beckett, with Q&A panelists to include PSBA Board member and owner of Ballard Bee Company, Corky Luster. Come join us in this very special evening focused on bees!
To see a PDF of the event poster, click here.
Ever wondered about the Forum link at the top of this website? PSBA president Nancy Beckett has asked that a reminder be posted about the Western Washington Beekeeping Forum. The Forum is THE place for regional beekeepers, regardless of their experience, to post news, ask questions, give advice, advertise equipment for sale, and get to know each other. The more people who use the Forum, the more we’ll learn about our very active beekeeping community. You’ll need to create an account to use the site, but this is a simple step.
Available on the Bee Yard page.
Here’s the perfect article to refer people to the next time that the pesky subject of CCD comes up. This is an excellent general summary of the talk that Steve Sheppard (WSU) gave to PSBA in 2009. Includes some great links, and don’t miss the scary photos of Nosema ceranae and Varroa destructor.
The Secret Death of Bees
Washington State Magazine (Spring 2010)
The next PSBA apiary work party will be this Sunday, May 23, 12:00-2:00. Meet at the apiary, which is behind the greenhouses next to the Graham Visitor’s Center at the Washington Park Arboretum.
Patti Loesche (206-403-6263) will lead this work party. New and old beekeepers are welcome. If you want hands-on experience, bring a bee suit if you have one, or wear light colors and close up neck, arm, and leg holes. I’ll bring a spare veil and extra gloves.
Saturday, May 15, 10 am-3 pm
Don’t miss this annual educational event! Registration starts at 9:30 am in the greenhouse adjacent to the Graham Visitor Center of the Washington Park Arboretum. Fee is $15 per person or family.
Starting promptly at 10 am, we will offer a lecture, question and answer, hands-on construction by each attendee of a device for measuring the incidence of varroa infestation using the powdered sugar or ether methods, and hands-on experience with hive inspection.
10:00-12:00 – Main presentation:
12:00 – Break for lunch; bring your own or visit local eateries
1:00 – Suit up and walk over to the apiary. Bring your bee suit, veil, gloves (some loaner bee suits will be available). Experienced members will take small groups and demonstrate proper techniques for opening a hive, removing frames, examining for disease or poor brood pattern, and assessing the incidence of varroa infestation. Participants will have hands-on time.
The PSBA apiary is behind the greenhouses next to the Graham Visitor’s Center at the Washington Park Arboretum.