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WSBA Newsletter, August 2021                                                            View this email in your browser

WSBA Newsletter - August 2021

A collection of recent events, upcoming opportunities, informational articles, and points of discussion. You are receiving this newsletter compliments of the West Sound Beekeepers Association because we sincerely want to share our love of bees and useful information with you.  For more information visit our website: http://www.westsoundbees.org/ or join the group's Facebook page at West Sound Beekeepers Association (WSBA) Group Page!  Link to the Washington State Beekeepers Association newsletter:  www.wasba.org. Feel free to share the newsletter or unsubscribe at any time.  (Links at the bottom).


2021 Board Members & Appointed Positions
 
President:  Gordon Cromwell, President@westsoundbees.org
Vice President:  David Leger, VP@westsoundbees.org
Treasurer:  John Sasser, Treasurer@westsoundbees.org
Secretary:  Steve Hickman, Secretary@westsoundbees.org
Trustee A (-2021)/Webmaster:  Joe Gwynne, TrusteeA@westsoundbees.org
Trustee B (-2022):  Jason Sanko, TrusteeB@westsoundbees.org
Trustee C (-2023): 
Bob Finley, TrusteeC@westsoundbees.org
Apiary Director:  Jeff Hall, Apiary@westsoundbees.org
Education Director:  Sandy Fanara, Education@westsoundbees.org
Newsletter Editor & Volunteer Coordinator:  Lauren FunkVolunteer@westsoundbees.org
WSBA CALENDAR
UPCOMING CLASSES, MEETINGS, AND INFORMATION

  • Tuesday, August 17th, 7pm - Monthly membership meeting. Virtual via Zoom. Access the meeting HERE. Meeting ID: 831 7720 0680 / Passcode: 050457.
  • Thursday, August 19th, 10am - Webinar on Asian Giant Hornet dissection.
  • Every Saturday until September 4th, 10am-12pm - Apiary work days at Stedman's.
  • Wednesday, August 25th - Sunday, August 29th - WSBA booth at Kitsap County Fair. Email Brenda Smith to sign up to volunteer ASAP.
  • Wednesday, September 1st - Deadline to register for the WSBA Apprentice Beekeeper course. $55. Register HERE.
  • Saturday, October 2nd - Sunday, October 3rd - WASBA Annual Conference. In-person in Othello, WA and virtually on Zoom. More info on WASBA website.

For more information, contact Secretary@westsoundbees.org
Summer Apiary Hours

We will be holding Apiary work days on Saturdays from 10am-12pm for the rest of the summer to avoid hot weather. 

Message from our President
Gordon Cromwell

 
August is a month of transition.

As we shift from summer into fall, summer bees are being replaced by longer living winter bees. Nectar dearth’s are upon us and our colonies are hungry and robbing may occur. Mite counts will begin to rise and we should be testing and treating as needed now. Follow up testing after treatment will give you an indication if this has been successful. Historically, mite counts (viruses) significantly increase in September and October. Mite treatment will protect winter bees from viruses and allow them to survive into March-April of the next year.

It has been an unusual year with the “heat dome” weather and it’s possible negative effects on our colonies. So, attention to nutrition and mites now is paramount.

WSBA members have generally enjoyed good winter survival rates by following a few basic management methods consistently. Jeff Hall led a winterization technique teaching session at the Apiary on August 7. A group of 40 members were in attendance in addition to the Apiary team.

We will hold a round table discussion of winterization plans and methods at the August 17 WSBA Zoom meeting and you can have your questions answered. Please take advantage of this opportunity.

WSBA will host a booth at the Kitsap County Fair & Stampede (Wed. Aug.25-Sun.Aug.29). Brenda Smith has once again done a wonderful job of organizing this project and also getting members to help man the booth. This is our opportunity to educate the public about bees and to invite new members to WSBA. Please plan to attend the Fair and visit our booth.
Still Seeking Volunteers for the WSBA Booth at the Kitsap County Fair! 
August 25 - 29, 2021

 
Every year (except last year!) WSBA staffs a booth in the Exhibition Hall at the Kitsap County Fair to provide public education about bees, beekeeping, and the club.

The Fair runs from Wednesday, August 25th to Sunday, August 29th. There are 3 shifts available at the booth each day:
  • 10am-2pm
  • 2pm-6pm
  • 6pm-9pm
We especially still need people for Wednesday and Thursday shifts, as well as all of the 6pm-9pm shifts!

If you are interested in volunteering for any shifts at the WSBA booth, please email Brenda Smith ASAP with the day(s) and shift(s) you would like to work. Parking passes will be provided for volunteers.

Our next meeting is Tuesday, August 17th at 7pm

The Apiary Team will be hosting a round table discussion on winter hive preparation methods. Download the Winter Hive Assessment HERE and bring your questions!

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83177200680?pwd=ZGVheW5sYkxBcFhTZzVNVzFOTzJzUT09

Meeting ID: 831 7720 0680
Passcode: 050457
Apiary Team Report
by Jeff Hall, Apiary Director

We are all in winterizing mode now. It’s time to combine hives, if needed, and take stock of which ones we will take through the winter. The focus now is to get your mites under control. If you don’t, it doesn’t matter how you feed, arrange the hive, or control moisture, they will be doomed with high mite counts. We still have time to do mite checks using Dawn or sugar washes and act upon the results. If you don’t do anything, go ahead and call Stedman’s to put your name on a package for the spring. It’s that simple. 

This is the formula for success:

Zero mites, 100% drawn comb, 50% honey, 25% pollen, 25% brood, quilt box, and emergency feed.

The bees you have now will be raising your all important winter bees. These bees need to be as healthy as possible, and every single winter bee needs to be at her prime to carry through the winter. Your queen is laying less and less now and the less brood you have the higher the chance it will contain a mite that will lay multiple young. Remember one mite goes in, 5 to 7 come out every 21-24 days.

Our winterizing class was jam packed with eager-to-learn beekeepers and we will continue the discussions each Saturday. There will be fewer and fewer tasks to do in the club apiary as we focus on having all the hives condensed, fed, and treated for mites by Sept 15th. So, if you want to spend time in the apiary do it now! Come Sept 11, our apiary Saturdays will be on a case-by-case basis.

Now get out there and kill those mites! Overwintering bees has bragging rights. I believe you don’t become a second-year beekeeper until you have overwintered most of your hives. Challenge set!

Education Committee Report
 
Sandy would like to invite all beekeepers with a WASBA Beginning Beekeeper Certificate and one year of hands-on beekeeping experience to register for the WASBA Apprentice Beekeeper Course. The class is to be held in October 2021. The class material dives deeper into the first two years of beekeeping.

There is a required Hands-On bee and hive identification field test that needs to be completed in the club apiary before the Class.

The class place (in-person or online or in the apiary) and date in October are to be determined.  WSBA membership required. $55 Registration, will close September 1, 2021. Register at westsoundbees.org.

Sandy has more Beginning Beekeeper certificates to hand out. She will be sending an email to schedule pick-up dates.
Find more information on the WASBA Conference website HERE.
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