Coweta Beekeepers Association
March 2022 President’s Message
Hello, my fellow beekeepers!
I hope you all are getting yourselves prepared for the 2022 year. Spring is near, and now is the time to purchase bees, stock up on equipment and supplies, prepare for swarms, and inspect your hives. If you all recently caught Steve's post on our FB page, some of our local beekeepers are already catching swarms! Last Friday, I noticed some activity on one of our empty hive boxes, and it ended up being a swarm moving in. Hey girls! Come on in! 😊
 
Our Vice President, Corey Matheson, put on a great workshop in February and demonstrated box and frame assembly and applying wax to foundations. Thank you to our members who participated!! We hope to see more members participate in our workshops throughout the year, and we have a great one coming up this month.
March Monthly Meeting
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Brutz English, our club's Georgia Beekeepers Association (GBA) Director, will be presenting "Are you Ready for Swarm Season?" on March 14 at 7:00 pm. We meet at the Coweta UGA Extension Office, 255 Pine Rd. Newnan, GA. Please use the parking lot behind the building.
Please feel free to reach out to me if you’d like to get more involved with our club or have fresh ideas.
Thank you,
Heather Shinn, President
cowetabeekeepersassociation@gmail.com
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March Workshop- “How to install a package of bees.”
When: March 20th at 1:00 pm
Presenters: Phil Mitchell and Bobby Torbush
Address: 13 HWY 54 N Luthersville, GA 30251
Additional Directions: 27 south to Luthersville, left at the traffic light, first left on 54 N, the first building on the right (Interstate Glass Company)
This will be a hands-on experience and members will need to bring their own bee suit or veil to attend the workshop!
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It's March, my thoughts about beekeeping in Coweta County, Georgia, the last month before the main nectar flow.
Steve Page
What month of the year should you have the strongest hives for a good honey harvest? March
What month of the year do your colonies want to be strong to issue a swarm? March
The goals of the beekeeper and the goals of the colony differ significantly. If a colony does issue a swarm, they will only produce a small amount of honey. A strong colony will attempt to create an offspring just before the main nectar flow each year. We call this offspring a swarm, it is survival of the species. A swarm contains about 70% of the workers and the queen.
I'm aware of two swarms this spring, one on February 22 and one on March 5. There will be many more to catch. It's time to put up swarm traps and have an extra hive ready to use for a swarm. They like one small entrance and dark interior. A solid bottom board is better than a screened bottom board. Lemongrass oil and a frame of old comb will help entice a swarm into a swarm trap. Swarms are full of wax makers. A large swarm will draw out comb quickly; for example, ten days to draw out 20 frames of comb. Do not leave space in a super; they will draw out comb in the open area first. My swarm traps hold ten deep frames; one has an old comb, and the others contain foundation. If foragers return with pollen, a swarm has moved into a hive or swarm trap. Read more about swarm traps from the expert, Dr. Tom Seeley.
Click here for a video of a swarm moving into a swarm trap.
If they had not left, all those wax makers who go with the swarm would be drawing out comb in the honey supers during the main nectar flow.
The cold weather
We have been warm since February 19. Many early blooming plants are blossoming and producing nectar and pollen. We are about a month from the average last frost date, and this cold snap is typical. Your colonies only need honey or nectar to survive the cold snap and a few days until more blossoms open. My colonies have stored nectar in empty comb for weeks; they will be fine. Storing nectar is required before a colony can issue a swarm.
A cold snap will affect honey production when it happens during the main nectar flow. The last time was April 2007. The main nectar flow was early, but a cold snap killed everything, with lows in the mid 20's (-4 C) for three mornings. All the trees lost their leaves, and nothing grew for three weeks; fruit production failed for the year.
The main nectar flow will start in about three weeks.
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Support our Local Beekeeping Supply Stores?
SWEET KINGDOM, LLC
Full line of Beekeeping equipment & supplies including,
Mann Lake, Glory Bee, Dadant, Custom orders, and local builders
Store located at 4046 Sharpsburg McCullum Road (Hwy 154), Suite 213. Newnan, GA. 30265.
Hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday 11 am - 5 pm.
We are closed Wednesday and Sunday except by appointment.
We accept Cash, Charge/Debit, Check, and PayPal.
- Mated Queens $40 (All Marked)
- 5 Frame Nucs – price to be set when they become available
- Package of bees - $140 (Payable in advance of February 15, 2022) Pickup date starting March 24th.
Follow us on Facebook - Sweet Kingdom Bees Supplies and Products from the Hive
BUZZ FACTOR HONEY
2022
PACKAGES AND NUCS
* Packages 3 lb package Italian with mated queen $135
Delivery March 19th at the Coweta Extension Office
and at Douglasville American Legion
We have mated queens for $35 as available.
You must make reservations.
Will call for the exact time frame so I must have a contact phone number (and cell number).
A non-refundable deposit of $50 per package or nuc with order will hold your package or nuc.
* NUCS are 5 frame Italian line and are $210 each.
The frames are drawn combs and we use both wood and plastic. They will be delivered in ProNucs. Should you want to keep the ProNuc Box, there will be a deposit of $20 per container. They must be returned by 60 days in order to receive a refund on the box. It can be used for swarms, splits or a “quiet” box. Estimated Nuc delivery – Last week of April/First week in May.
Queen marking is available on nucs only.
Nucs will be picked up at my home 7148 Shell Rd. Winston, GA 30187
Deposit of $50 per nuc with your order, with balance before pick up.
Mail deposits:
Buzz Factor Honey 2nparker@bellsouth.net
7148 Shell Road 770-949-6640 home
Winston, GA 30187 770-366-7455 cell
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Your Name _________________________________
Deposit ___________________________________
Check # ___________________________________
Delivery Date _______________________________
Location ___________________________________
Packages __________________________________
Nucs ______________________________________
Your contact phone number ____________________
email address _______________________________ |
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DO NOT FEED MATURE COLONIES MAKING HONEY DURING THE MAIN NECTAR FLOW IN APRIL AND MAY.
FEED NEW COLONIES (SWARMS, NUCS, AND PACKAGES)
1:1 Syrup Recipe
By Andy Anderson
1. First off 1:1 syrup means equal parts of water and sugar measured by WEIGHT. Water is pretty much H2O but there are many kinds of sugar. You need to use PURE CANE SUGAR and nothing else.
2. You can do the math (because I did) or . . . 3 Gallons Water plus 25 Pounds Sugar makes 5 gallons of 1:1 syrup. Add the sugar slowly and stir a lot. When I make this much, I take three-gallon milk jugs of hot water from the kitchen sink which aids in dissolving the sugar.
3. For smaller quantities use . . . 8 cups of warm water plus 9 cups of sugar will make about 3/4 gallon syrup.
4. Essential oils can prevent mold and other stuff from growing in the feeders. Mann Lake offers Pro Health. Follow label recommendations, but less may be enough to prevent mold. More information on Pro Health below
5. The girls will love it.
- Pro Health is a feeding stimulant composed of lemongrass and spearmint (essential oils concentrate)
- Pro Health helps promote strong and healthy hives when used as a feeding stimulant during late winter, early spring, and during dearths of nectar
- Pro Health has a natural calming effect when sprayed on the bees
- Pro Health is antibacterial, antifungal, and antimicrobial which aids in the overall health of the bees
- Pro Health added to your feeding mix will help build up packages, nucs and swarms
- Pro Health prevents syrup fermentation
- Stimulates bees to draw out new foundation faster when used as a spray.
"I use Pro Health too, to reduce mold growth and enhance colony health. I add 1 fluid ounce to five gallons of syrup." Steve Page
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