Northwest Arkansas Beekeepers Association

March Meeting 2016

Fayetteville Arkansas

April 11, 2016

 

Club President: Brad Keck

Vice President:

Treasurer: Victor Mathis

Secretary: Brian Hauck

 

There were 110 in attendance at the start of the meeting.

Brad Keck opened the meeting by welcoming new beekeepers. 

Thanks to Patty Commerford and Jennifer Enos for providing food and drinks.  Volunteers sign the list and bring food a bit early to the meeting in time to set up before the meeting starts.  If you would like to volunteer, please see Brad or Brian.

Email list:  If you would like to receive the NWA Beekeepers Newsletter, please contact Brian at 479-295-3870.

New club honey extractor:  The club has a second honey extractor that can be borrowed for extracting your honey.  See Brian for contact information.

Announcement:  Farm Friends will be held on May 5.  See David Cheek for info 479-466-6846

Announcement: Dues can be paid to Vic Mathis at the meeting

Old Business: None

New Business: None

Brad gave a splendid presentation concerning hive swarming and the prevention, collection and how to encourage their success. It was noted that there was little that could be done to eliminate the possibility of swarming. But there were a few tricks that might be helpful.
1. Provide plenty of room to the hive in the early spring.  The two brood boxes can be reversed to put the typically empty lower box on top.
2. A procedure called checker boarding can be beneficial. This is done by removing honey frames and replacing them with empty comb in the upper box to give the bees the feeling less food stores and causes a survival behavior to be initiated to store more food. The hive will not swarm if they feel that the mother hive is not sufficiently stocked. 
3. Replacing old queens can also prevent swarming.

REMEMBER: DON’T SMOKE SWARMS!!!!!!!

For more great info on swarms, read   Honey Bee Democracy.

Our next meeting will be May 9, 2016

Hope to see you then!!!

Peace BEE with you!!

Brian