Hi folks,
We will have Sarah Cooke doing beginner instruction, covering April’s to-do list, especially swarm management.
Steve Sheppard, M.SC., Ph.D. Entomologist and Thurber Chair, Washington State University will be presenting his latest Research in Queens. Check the newsletter for more detail. Hope to see you all there.
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.
This month’s speaker is Mr. Andrew Schneider the author of a series of articles on honey laundering that appeared in The Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Honey laundering involves mislabeled honey, contaminated honey, and honey imported illegally to avoid duties.
Please join us at the arboretum on Tuesday, September 28th from 7:30-9:00
Although there is no PSBA meeting at the Arboretum in July, there will be a meeting on the eastside at Meadowbrook Farm Preserve Interpretive Center, between North Bend and Snoqualmie. Beautiful site and easy to find (see Meadowbrook Farm for directions).
When: Tuesday, July 27, 6-9 pm
6:00 — Tour of Meadowbrook Apiary (location). Meet at the Center at 5:45, or walk across the field to the dirt road on the right.
7:00 — Q&A panel. Beginners’ questions welcome. A lot is going on at this time of year!
8:00 — Small-cell and foundationless beekeeping (Bob Combs & Ken Reid)
Annual picnic Saturday July 17th
From 12-3 next to the club apiary behind the Graham Visitor’s Center. Bring a
potluck dish to share. The club will provide beverages and dessert. This is fun
opportunity to socialize and network with other beekeepers. There is always great
food and conversation!
There is traditionally a picnic and no PSBA meeting at the Arboretum in July. There is, however an alternate meeting on the eastside at Meadowbrook Farm Preserve Interpretive Center located between North Bend and Snoqualmie for those interested. (See Meadowbrook Farm for directions)
Tuesday July 27th
6:00 Apiary tour (location)
7:00 Q&A Panel – Beginners’ questions welcome
8:00 Small-Cell and Foundationless Beekeeping
The next PSBA meeting will be on Tuesday, June 22, 6:30-9:00 pm. Meetings are at the Graham Visitors Center at the Washington Park Arboretum.
6:30-7:15 – Beginners’ instruction
7:30-9:00 – Robin Foster (Professor & Chair, Department of Psychology, University of Puget Sound): Recent research on bumblebee brain and behavior.
Most studies of social insect brains have focused on honeybees and ants, which have distinct division of labor and live in large colonies. With Susannah Hannaford at the University of Puget Sound, Robin has focused on the behavior and brains of bumblebees, whose small colonies typically include fewer than 100 workers. Worker bumblebees carry out tasks both inside the hive (e.g. brood care, nest temperature regulation, nest maintenance) and outside the hive (e.g., foraging for pollen and nectar). Robin will summarize recent findings on the brain structure of worker bumblebees in relationship to age, behavior, and experience.