File item: BUZZ0393.TXT 3/4/93 5:49PM
19809
Submitted by: Terry Dahms
President-East Central Iowa Beekeepers
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THE BUZZ MARCH, 1993
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A newsletter published monthly as a cooperative effort by The
Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and The Iowa
Honey Producers Association, an affiliate member of the Iowa
Horticultural Society. Copy deadline is the 20th of each month.
Your ideas, comments and letters are welcomed and encouraged.
EDITOR: Bob Cox, State Apiarist, Iowa Dept. of Agriculture,
Wallace Building, Des Monies, IA. 50319 (515) 281-5736
IHPA MEMBERSHIP: Membership dues in the Iowa Honey Producers
Assn. are $5.00/year.
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STATE APIARISTS REPORT
I hope by the time this newsletter is printed and you
receive it that we have some warmer weather. Bob Wells and I are
starting to teach the beekeeping workshops around the state and
it makes me anxious for springtime in the beeyard. Do look at
your bees this month to check them for honey stores. This is the
time of year when more colonies perish than in the dead of
winter. If you have not ordered queens or packages yet, it's
imperative that you do so soon.
IHPA Past President, Paul Goossen, experienced quite a loss
in February. His honey house and indoor beehive wintering
building near Wayland were gutted by fire. Paul did have part of
his bees wintered in outyards.
The bill to revise the bee law (House File 147) has been
introduced to the house and assigned to a subcommittee. If you
have any questions or comments concerning the changes contact the
bill's sponsor, Representative Richard Vande Hoef or myself.
There will be an Administrative Rules Committee meeting to
consider the amendments to the Apiary rules recently filed in the
capitol building at 7:45 a.m. Tuesday, March 9th. If you have any
comments to make to the committee you should attend.
Take a close look at the beekeeping workshop schedule and if
there is one scheduled in your area, consider attending one or
both nights. Bring a friend, especially a youth. We need to get
younger people interested in beekeeping or when we're gone, there
will be no one to carry on the industry.
USDA ANNUAL HONEY CROP REPORT
The USDA Agricultural Statistics Service's February 19th
report shows the 1992 honey crop average in Iowa to be 62 pounds
per beehive. This average was based on 69,000 colonies of bees
in Iowa. Only beekeepers with 5 or more colonies are included in
the survey which is conducted each December and January for the
February report. This compares to a 59 pound per colony average
in the 1991 crop year.
HONEY OF A VERSE
"Oh, that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in
My ways...I would have fed you with the finest of wheat and with
honey from the rock I would have satisfied you."
(Psalm 81:13,16)
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA BEEKEEPING SHORT COURSES
The University of Minnesota will be offering a beekeeping
short course on the St. Paul campus March 12-13. Dr. Marla
Spivak who spoke at the annual meeting in November last year will
be teaching the two-day course. Topics will include: basic
biology of bees; equipment; hiving packages, spring, summer, and
winter management; disease and mite control; and producing,
bottling and selling honey.
April 23-24 a short course on Queen rearing will be offered.
Dr. Spivak says "With experience and care, quality queens often
can be produced in your own yard." There will be an opportunity
to get hands-on experience grafting (transferring worker larvae
into queen cups).
A correspondence course in beekeeping is also being offered
by the Continuing Education Department. For more information
contact:
Dr. Marla Spivak
Dept. of Entomology
219 Hodson Hall OR call (612) 624-4798 or
1980 Folwell Ave. (612) 624-3636
University of Minnesota
St. Paul, MN 55108
IN THE BEEYARD
Certain procedures of beekeeping are necessary each year and
they seem to be repetitious. Feeding of bees is one of these
procedures.
March in Iowa is a time when the weather maybe warm enough
for you to check the feed stores of your hives. From now on the
bees will consume a great deal of pollen and honey in raising
their brood.
If you find the bees are nearly out of food, emergency
feeding can be done by placing dry sugar directly on the inner
cover, just under the lid. This is not the best method of
feeding, but it will help the colony survive.
During this time of year, the best way to feed colonies is
with a feeder pail, bucket or jar placed on top of the hive. You
can feed liquid honey, sugar syrup (made with one part granulated
sugar and one part warm water) or high fructose corn syrup.
In conclusion, check your bees' food supply. Make sure each
colony has a surplus of feed stores and if necessary, provide
supplemental feed. - Robert L. Wells, Asst. State Apiarist
DRAPERS SUPER BEE
We offer fast and courteous service to all beekeepers. We
sell all the supplies for beekeeping, plus bees, queens,
and honey for those who run short. Order is shipped the
same day as received in most cases. Free catalog available
on request. Business hours: Mon-Fri. 8-5; Sat. and
evenings by appointment. Phone:(402) 274-3725 Address:
DRAPERS SUPER BEE, Rt. 3 Box 87, Auburn, NE 68305.
APRIL 1ST DEADLINE TO REGISTER APIARIES
Please fill out the apiary registration form on page 9 of
THE BUZZ and return it to the state apiarist's office as soon as
possible. Send to: Bob Cox, State Apiarist, Iowa Department of
Agriculture, Wallace Building, Des Moines, IA 50319.
Registration deadline is April 1, 1993.
By registering your beeyard (apiary) locations, pesticide
sprayers will have access to the information used in contacting
you. Remember, they will only contact you if they are applying a
pesticide that is toxic to bees within a two-mile radius of your
apiary. The information will also assist the apiary bureau carry
out inspections. Do not turn the forms in at the county ASCS or
Extension office.
If you keep bees in more than one county, please make
photocopies of the original and fill out a separate sheet for
each county. You should keep a photocopy each year to make it
easier to register the next year.
BEEKEEPING WORKSHOPS
The Apiary Bureau in cooperation with ISU Extension Service
will be presenting a series of beekeeping workshops around Iowa
this Spring. All workshops will begin with registration at 6:30
p.m. and program lasting until 9:00 p.m. A small registration
fee may be charged at some locations. More information may be
obtained from the local extension office or the State Apiarist's
Office at (515) 281-5736.
The workshops will be held on the following dates and at the
following locations:
MARCH 1 & 8 Pottawattamie County Extension Office,
2719 E. Highway 6, Council Bluffs
MARCH 15 & 22 Indian Creek Nature Center, 6665 Otis Road S.,
Cedar Rapids
APRIL 5 & 12 Putnam Museum, 1717 West 12th, Davenport
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
MARCH
6 IHPA Board Meeting 1:00 P.M. at the Royal Cafe in Huxley
12 Southwestern Iowa Honey Producers Association Meeting at the
Heritage Inn at 305 W. Elm Street in Avoca. 6:00 P.M.
Social Hour and 7:00 P.M. Meal & Program.
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FOR SALE: "Honey Bee Diseases and Pests" booklet by Canadian
Association of Professional Apiculturists (CAPA).
Good color photos on the subject. 17 pages - $1.75 @
Contact Bob Cox at (515) 281-5736.
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FOR SALE: Package bees. Pick up at Aurora (near Manchester)
April 12th. Shipped with Apistan strips. 2-lb. package $23.50
Contact: Douglas Child in Aurora, IA (319) 634-3682.
FOR SALE: Treated bottoms $2.00 @, Telescoping lids $2.00 @,
Inner covers $1.00 @, 200 division board feeders $0.50 @,
10-frame 6 5/8 supers $7.50 @, Pallet jack on wheels with 24 -
20" x 32" pallets $100.00 and Deep 10-frame supers $10.00 @.
CONTACT: Dick Blake, Rt. 2, Box 112-B, Shenandoah, IA 51601 phone
(712) 246-3412.
WANTED: SPLITS. Need early season cash? Want to buy 25+ healthy,
3-frame/brood starters in mid-April. My equipment/queens, your
bees. Will pick up from you, provide new frame exchange and pay
top dollar. Walter Clark (515) 253-0525.
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DADANT BEE SUPPLY DEALER specializing in providing supplies for
the hobbyist and small sideline beekeeper.
AUTUMN APIARIES, INC. - GORDON & BEVERLY POWELL
4012 - 54TH STREET
DES MOINES, IA. 50310
PHONE (515) 278-1762
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PUBLIC AUCTION
11:00 A.M. SATURDAY MARCH 27TH, 1993
705 ANN STREET, WILLIAMS, IOWA
(Go approximately 63 miles north of Des Moines, Iowa on I-35.
Take Exit 144 east to Williams.)
10-Frame Beehive Equipment Inventory
1850 deep hive bodies,excellent 300 blue Dow inner covers
condition! All boxes are clean, 100 winter packing cases
new paint & sound, complete with 165 2 1/2 gallon top feeders
9 good extracting combs built on 300 entrance moving screens
reinforced foundation. 400 telescoping covers
400 inner covers
325 Queen excluders, near new wire 400 bottom boards
Extracting Equipment
1990 Cowan modified 38-frame inline honey extractor with mounted
Cowen Silver Queen uncapper, 3/4 HP variable speed controller,
2500 rpm DC motor. Note: This unit to be sold as one unit.
Extractor is currently operational and will be demonstrated.
Performance is rated at 16 boxes per hour with 1-man operation
and 24 boxes per hour with a 2-man operation.
Root 45-frame extractor with motor
Valley Craft 1000 lb. handtruck with air tires, brakes
Valley Craft 1000 lb. handtruck
Barrel Cart
Kelley Comb sprayer for feeding syrup
Platform hoist with 1 1/2 HP Elec. lift, 2000 lb., 55 inches
Air spotnail stapler for hive bodies
Hobby horse spotnail stapler for frames
1980 Fisher bee lift, 1000 lb. load capacity, 3-speed w/reverse
can be repaired
Kelley clarifier with one 5000 watt 220V water heater
Kelley clarifier with two 5000 watt 220V water heaters
Lobee honey pump, 1 1/4 inch with 40 ft. steel piping, 3/4 HP
motor
Honey pump controller
3 80-gallon tanks with covers and screens
Honey high moisture drying device
2 refractometers (for testing moisture in honey)
Misc. beekeeping related supplies and equipment
32 drums, smokers, boiler, wax-honey melter/separator, fiber
covers for stored boxes, frames wiring device, frame wire,
eyelets, foundation, wedge inserter, wedges, imbedder,
microscope, 1000 lb. scale, hive scale, 25 pallets, felt paper,
bee cages, beeswax. Much more misc. too numerous to mention!!
Stephenson Honey Farms, Box 61, Williams, IA 50271 (515) 854-2602
Daughtery Auction and Clerking Service, Adel, Iowa 50003
Gene (515) 993-3081 or Kelly (515) 993-4159
CENTRAL IOWA BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION AUCTION
APRIL 24, 1993
11:00 A.M.
Kellogg's Honey House
Cambridge, Iowa
Partial Listing of Pre-assigned Beekeeping Items
1 30-frame Better Way wax melter
1 Brand Rex wax melter
1 uncapping tank
3 honey tanks
2 wax pans
36 new 5-gal. honey cans
1 vibrating steam heated uncapping knife - new
1 steam generator
1 honey pump
1 3-burner gas plate
1 super cart
100 brood boxes, some with foundation
90 medium supers with drawn comb
6 shallow supers with drawn white comb
nuc boxes, screen and solid top
25 honey house pallets
100 plus division board feeders
50 divided screen top feeders
2 boxes of new wooden comb honey section boxes
100 thin top bars
100 bottom board side rails
2 boxes friction top feeder pails
200 plus new frames
40 plus new unassembled brood boxes
10 lbs.(approx.) thin foundation
50 sheets deep foundation
12 ft. bee tarp to cover truck box
2 wiring boards
plus lots of misc: helmet, nails, smoker, gloves, etc.
Those wishing to bring items to sell can bring it the day of the
sale or contact Margaret Hala at (515) 752-2981. Lunch will be
available on site at a reasonable price. No rain date will be
scheduled - will be held inside warehouse, if necessary.
Come one, come all!
WANTED: Your favorite honey recipes. Plans are to explore
publishing a new honey cookbook with your favorite recipes, and
excellent recipes from the State Fair and other honey cooking
events. Type or print them on a 3x5 index card with your name.
SEND TO: Paul F. Goossen, RR 5 Box 198, Mt. Pleasant, IA 52641.
GOOD PUBLIC RELATIONS FOR HOBBY BEEKEEPERS
On a fair summer's day, a typical suburban lot may contain
thousands of honey bees going quietly about their business,
foraging for nectar and pollen and pollinating food-producing
plants. Men and bees have lived in perfect harmony for centuries
and chances are the homeowner doesn't even know the bees are
there. However, because of sensationalized publicity surrounding
"scare" movies and the "African" bee, the appearance of a bee
hive in your backyard may unnecessarily alarm your neighbors.
Backyard beekeeping means that every beekeeper must practice good
public relations as well as good beekeeping.
1. Before you start -- Check local ordinances to make sure
you're allowed to keep bees on your property. Talk to your
neighbors, find out if anyone has an extreme sensitivity to bee
stings, and stress the positives of beekeeping, fresh wholesome
honey, increased pollination, and the fascination of your
beekeeping hobby.
2. Start with one or two colonies of gentle bees. Requeen as
needed to keep the bees working and gentle. Stay small the first
year. At the end of the first year you'll be able to judge
neighbor reactions to expansion or changes. Perhaps expansion of
your new business requires an out-of-town beeyard.
3. Locate the bees carefully -- away from patios, play areas,
swimming pools, confined pets, and neighboring doorways and
driveways. Direct bee flight upwards by locating hives behind
shrubbery, fences, or in the light shade of open trees so that
flight is at least 7 feet above the ground at boundary lines.
"Out of sight -- Out of mind" is a good policy. Locating hives
in quiet areas will calm bees, avoid the danger of vandalism and
calm everybody's imagination. Always provide a continuous source
of water such as a hydrant slowly dripping onto a board. Don't
let bees get started using your neighbor's dog's water dish.
4. Keep your bees calm -- If possible, work the bees when there
is little or no neighborhood activity. Open hives only on warm
sunny days when there is some nectar flow to prevent robbing
which can irritate the bees. Wear protective clothing and use
your smoker to calm the bees. Work carefully with no sudden
movements. Remember, your calm attitude toward bees will also
calm anxious neighbors who will be watching.
5. Prevent swarming -- Beekeepers know that swarming is a safe
and perfectly natural occurrence, but neighbors may be reminded
of sensationalized special effects in "scare" movies. Be
prepared to handle swarms as quietly and efficiently as possible.
Don't try to compete with the movies and other spectacular
publicity -- your first obligation is to be a good neighbor.
6. Share your hobby -- Giving an occasional jar of honey to the
neighbors is good for public relations. Read and keep informed
so you can talk about your bees in an informative and
down-to-earth manner. Chances are you'll be invited to share
your hobby with various groups. Use these opportunities to point
out the value and importance of bees and beekeeping.
7. Remember -- Sometimes one small incident can create a lot of
bad publicity. (Taken from "Tips from Dadants")
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