Rockingham County Beekeepers Association August 2014 ******************************************************************************************

 RCBA BUSINESS MEETING 

At the last meeting we voted to skip the July 3rd meeting. Jean announced that RCBA hats and tee shirts are now available for purchase. Wesley mentioned that Tractor Supply has a selection of mixed wildflower seeds. And we watched the first part of a video about catching swarms. Our next meeting will be Thursday, August 7th, at 7 PM, at the Rockingham County Extension Center, 525 Hwy. 65, Reidsville, NC. Please remember to bring items for our fundraising silent auction. ---------------------------------------------

NCSBA SUMMER MEETING The NCSBA Summer Meeting was held on the Wilkes Community College campus in July. Well-known speakers included Dr. Dewey Caron, Dr. David Tarpy, Dr. Vaughn Bryant, and Dr. John Ambrose. Some of the many workshops were Cooking with Honey, Summer Splits, Reading Brood Frames, Queen Rearing, Swarm Control, and Treating for Varroa. Most of the major vendors for beekeeping supplies, plus many smaller vendors, had their items set up in the main ballroom for purchase, or just to look at. The Saturday banquet was held at the new Brushy Mountain woodworking facility, where we were able to take guided tours.

and put a super or two back on for any nectar flow that we may get in the fall. Shade, ventilation, and a reliable supply of water are three things our colonies need in August. The house bees will work hard to control the interior temperature, but we can really help them if we supply these. As we work our colonies in August, we must be careful to prevent robbing. Minimizing the time each hive top is open and quickly covering any frames of honey that are removed are very important. Because very little nectar is available, our bees will be very attracted to any exposed food source, including the stores from a nearby colony. ----------------------------------------------

CONGRATULATIONS!! We offer our special congratulations to Vernell Gillispie for achieving the status of Master Beekeeper in the North Carolina Master Beekeeper Program. Vernell received this honor at the Awards Banquet at the Summer Meeting of the NCSBA.

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THE APIARY IN AUGUST The nectar flow in Rockingham County typically slows to a trickle in August, especially if the weather turns hot and dry. Since we anticipate almost no additional honey production until the fall, most beekeepers in our area will harvest their excess honey and prepare it for sale, or their personal use. As the nectar flow decreases this month, queen activity does the same. With few or no young bees hatching, the colony population will decrease as older foragers die. Since the quantity of capped brood is decreasing in August and the honey supers have been removed, August is perhaps the best month to treat for Varroa mites. Early treatment will provide enough time to complete the treatment

In addition to advancing through the Certified Level and the Journeyman Level, Vernell had to complete a minimum of 10 units of Public Service and demonstrate expertise in at least 6 sub-specialties relating to beekeeping.

“Newbee” Tips For beginning beekeepers, all of the talk about treating for Varroa mites can be confusing. There are questions about why to treat, when to treat, and how to treat. New beekeepers may be further confused when they listen to beekeepers who believe it is not necessary to treat at all. Although managing honey bees without mite treatments is an option, most experienced beekeepers recommend that beginners start by treating. It takes time to become proficient at detecting mite populations and recognizing mite damage. The first question, why should we treat for Varroa mites, can be found easily in the scientific literature. We know that when mites feed on the hemolymph, or bee blood, of a pupae or adult bee, the bee will be weaker than usual. Less obvious is the potential for pathogens (bacteria, viruses, diseases) to enter the open feeding wound, or the possibility that the feeding mite may pass one or more viruses to the bee as the mite feeds on the bee blood. Although most beekeepers assume their colonies have some level of Varroa mite contamination all of the time, treatments are generally done only once or twice each year. Some beekeepers treat very early in the spring, before the nectar flow, in order to reduce the mite population to a very low level. Other beekeepers wait until just after the main honey harvest and then treat. Since the mite loads are generally low as the colony expands in the early spring, these beekeepers assume the mite population will not increase fast enough during the spring nectar flow to be a major concern. As queen activity slows in the summer and early fall, the colony population decreases. However, the mite population continues to increase. This means more mites per bee, or a much higher percentage of bees that may be damaged in some manner by mites. This increase in mite damage comes just when the colony is raising the winter bees that must carry the colony through the next several months. If the mite damage is too severe, the colony may not even make it to winter. Any mite damage increases the chance for a winter collapse. To reduce the mite population before the winter bees are raised, many beekeepers harvest their honey in July or

August, and begin their mite treatment as soon as possible. This prevents any chemical treatment contamination to the honey and provides time for the colony to hopefully raise enough healthy winter bees to survive through the winter. The last question, how to treat for Varroa, involves both following label directions and some personal preferences. Some treatments contain pesticides such as pyrethroids and organophosphates. Mites in some areas have developed resistance to these materials, although they were very effective at killing mites when first on the market. The active chemicals in these treatments are also adsorbed into the wax combs, and remain there for many years where their sub-lethal effects on the bees may be damaging. These treatments generally are referred to as “hard” chemicals and include Apistan™, CheckMite Plus™, and recently, Apivar™. Other treatments contain various organic oils such as menthol and thymol. These materials occur naturally in honey, although at very low concentrations. Honey contamination is still possible if treatments are not handled properly. Mite resistance to these organic oils does not seem to be an issue, but their effectiveness depends a lot on how they are applied and on the temperature. These treatments are generally referred to as “soft” chemicals and include Apiguard™ and ApiLife Var™. A third treatment uses formic acid vapors to kill both phoretic mites (carried on the adult bees) and mites in capped brood cells at the same time. Formic acid is found in very low concentrations in honey, but the fumes may cause colony damage if they become too strong inside the hive. Resistance does not seem possible, but caution must be used to avoid health issues to the beekeeper. The only formic acid product now in use is Mite Away Quick Strips™ or MAQS. You know by now that all beekeepers have their own personal opinions, myself included. I have used Apistan, Apilife Var, and Apiguard. I will be using Apiguard again this year in August. ---------------------------------------------WHAT’S BLOOMING? By August, very few flowers are available here in Rockingham County for the honey bees. Even when the foragers do find blossoms, often the hot summer temperatures have dried up the nectar. Other than blossoms in vegetable gardens, some clover and sumac can be found in August. Some years, goldenrod may begin to bloom near the end of August. May your colonies find blossoms with nectar and pollen in August.